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WESTSHORE CENTRAL DISPATCH CENTER (WESTCOM)

The North Ridgeville Fire Department joined the West shore Central Dispatch Center (Westcom) in December of 2007. Westcom is currently made up of five cities: Westlake, North Ridgeville, Fairview Park, Rocky River, and Bay Village. The purpose of the dispatch center is to share communication costs between the five cities and to allow us to share resources more effectively during emergencies.

Westcom is located at St. John and West Shore hospital in Westlake. The dispatch center is staffed 24/7 by trained emergency dispatchers. Basically, Westcom receives the calls from Lorain County 911 and manages all of the communication/dispatch duties for the North Ridgeville Fire Department.

Utilizing Westcom has allowed the fire department to respond to emergency calls with all of our available staff. This is the reason that our stations may sometimes be empty. If you stop at a fire station and no one answers a door, it is because all of our personnel are out on emergency calls. Both fire stations have an emergency phone at the front entrance if you are in need of help and our personnel are out.

Westcom is funded through annual membership fees paid by each of the five cities. Fee levels are established using a formula that takes size, population, and tax base into consideration.

If you have any questions or concerns about Westcom, please feel free to contact Chief Richard E. Miller at 440-327-5311 Monday through Friday 8am to 4pm.