by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 20, 2021 | Comm Center News
Emergency dispatchers in New Orleans are now better equipped to help people in a mental health crisis.
NEW ORLEANS — A new program in New Orleans aims to better help people having a mental health crisis while freeing up police officers to respond to violent crimes.
New Orleans’ Alternative Dispatch Pilot Program gives 911 dispatchers the option to bring a mental health counselor into the loop on an emergency call to better help the caller…
by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 20, 2021 | Comm Center News
Calls to 911 have increased dramatically during the pandemic, across the country and right here at home.
REMSA Health is seeing a 200% increase at their call center – most, for non-emergency situation – and it’s putting a strain on the entire system.
“People are still having cardiac arrest, chest pain, and when we see those lower-acuity patients taking those resources, it’s putting major strains on the system and creating longer response times because the resources aren’t there anymore,” said Jerry Overton, President of International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. “The lower-acuity patients are suffering because they’re not getting the care they really need, and the high-acute patients are suffering because they need that ambulance there within four to eight minutes.” …
by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 20, 2021 | Comm Center News
Newark
A disturbance erupted inside a call center that handles Newark’s Fire, Police departments, and the Communication Division Newark required a police response to quell the commotion.
Several emails to public information officials seeking information and clarification on the incident went unanswered.
According to reports, at approximately 11 p.m. Monday, August 16, a supervisor at the division requested assistance inside the 411 Washington Street location after a fight between civilian call takers took place inside the building.
Reports said several officers responded to the location, but Newark reported no immediate reports of arrests…
by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 20, 2021 | Comm Center News
FLINT, Mich. (WJRT) – Law enforcement officials are questioning whether the Genesee County 911 director wasted resources when she called her dispatchers twice for a family feud.
The Genesee County 911 Center is overwhelmed and some callers are left on hold because of the high call volume. Complicating that situation, eight dispatchers have quit in the last two months.
However, two months ago, their boss — Genesee County 911 Director Spring Tremaine — first called 911 for help with a personal issue…
by AllThingsECC.com | Aug 20, 2021 | Comm Center News
As part of the implementation of the alternative response pilot program, a new radio dispatch code, known as 647V-Intoxicated Person Potentially Violent, was introduced on January 1, 2021. The code initiates a unique dual response of both Long Beach Police Department and Long Beach Fire Department personnel that the City is using for the first time. Additionally, approximately 500 sworn police personnel, 336 firefighters and all 62 dispatchers together completed several coordinated training sessions this past spring as part of the program to learn to better recognize the symptoms of various serious medical conditions.
Individuals encountered by first responders may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, suffer from mental illness or uncontrolled anger, or a combination of factors. In some cases, unusual behavior may be associated with serious medical conditions…
