Teach children to stay in their rooms when the smoke detector goes off? I don't think so. What happens when the beeping wakes the children up but the parents sleep through it? Besides, it'd be like teaching children to stay in their classrooms when the fire alarm sounds.

If you know the Mike Roberts you would know he is an egomaniac and not very smart. I agree with you.. He is the same guy who thinks it is a good idea to move the police dispatchers out of Millburn.

Have you ever slept through a beeping smoke detector? I don’t think so….
Instructing kids to stay in their rooms, would hopefully help to lessen the panic for everyone involved. Chief Roberts’ advice is good advice, as you probably wouldn’t want your children wondering around in a smoky (or fire) filled home attempting to find their parents room. That would be catastrophic! If there were to be a fire and the smoke detector is going off, and the children are in their rooms as advised – Then the parents would go to where they know their children are (in their rooms), and safely get them out!! Thanks, but I’m going to stick with the advice from the professional.

Egomaniac? Obviously, you don't know CHIEF Roberts!! Do you know anything about dispatching? Fire-fighting? Probably not! Do you know what the benefits are to dispatching from a different location?? No?! I'm not surprised!!

Chief Roberts has been a stalwart presence in Millburn.

As for dispatchers, we need a central system combining multiple towns as it would be a great cost savings. Dispatchers [fire or police] are operators...who cares if they are sitting in an office in Millburn?

I am a former firefighter in Newark, and I disagree with the Chief. If you check the NFPA web sits, the real experts in the fire service, you would see to get out of the house. I understand what Chief Roberts is trying to say, but don't agree. As a resident, and former communication person with NFD, I don't think combined dispatching out of town is a good idea. Ask those who do it, it is a lot more than just taking on the radio and answering a phone.

What are the benefits to having the dispatchers in the same building as PD and FD?? Many dispatchers for FD are in seperate locations... seperate towns.