ST. PAUL — It was the type of call that makes a 911 public safety telecommunicator’s (PST) heart drop; a relative was calling 911 out of concern for their loved one. In this case, a sister was trying to get urgent medical attention for her brother. The problem? She didn’t know where he was — and neither did he.
The only remaining original Ottawa County dispatcher planned to quietly retire after nearly 40 years. But her loved ones had their own plan.
Not only was there a deadly officer-involved shooting on a golf course, but there were also two other terrible incidents in which persons died after being struck by cars that day.
But through it all, the Fontana Police Department’s dispatch team remained calm, focused, and effective, according to Captain Angela Stover.
All public-safety answering point (PSAPs) in the state of California will complete the transition from legacy 911 technology to an IP-based next-generation 911 (NG911) platform by the end of next year, if the new target schedule for the migration is realized.
A small team did their best to juggle a wave of calls and radio transmissions simultaneously. Despite their best efforts, many callers’ questions went unanswered.
