The Town of Dennis is taking action to save money for its taxpayers joining other Cape towns in consolidating its dispatch service with Barnstable County. Dennis said, among other things, it would cut firefighter overtime. Chatham still handles its own dispatching.

Dennis will be the ninth Cape Cod fire department joining the county dispatching system.

Dennis joins county fire dispatch service
By CAPE COD TIMES
February 26, 2009 6:00 AM

SOUTH DENNIS — After a three-hour public meeting last night, selectmen voted 4-0 to move responsibility for the town's fire dispatch services to the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office.

The move could save taxpayers as much as $135,000 annually, because it will free up a firefighter for emergency calls and eliminate the need to pay overtime to staff the dispatcher position over holidays and sick leave days, according to Selectman Wayne Bergeron,. "It was a difficult vote," but town officials need to move forward with their efforts to contain municipal spending, Bergeron said.

Dennis Fire Department officials have said the change could reduce the level of fire dispatch services in the town, citing the potential for walk-in cases at the fire department going unattended if a dispatcher is not present.

The county's dispatch program already handles emergency calls for eight Cape Cod fire departments.