by AllThingsECC.com | Jun 8, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
Thirteen cities have completed an eight-week “policy-sprint” to develop programs to create an emergency response that assigns civilian mental health counselors to respond to 911 calls, CNN reports.
The Alternative Dispatch Programs, developed by Everytown For Gun Safety and What Works Cities, is aimed at reducing the burden of police who ordinarily respond to such calls. Organizers say it will help save lives, and save cities money.
“Not everyone has the perfect answer but having conversations, finding possible ways to work through this, is the start,” said Naureen Kabir, a senior policy adviser at Everytown, a gun violence prevention group…
by AllThingsECC.com | Jun 8, 2021 | Comm Center News
In an emergency, dispatchers are the key link to getting a person the help they need right away.Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee believes those women and men who answer such calls and serve the community in so many other ways day and night and all holidays included, are the unsung heroes of the community.“They all do an outstanding job for us,” Massee said. “We couldn’t do our jobs without them.”
Mandy Ptak, who serves as director of the Baldwin County 911 Center, along with the sheriff were the recent guests at a meeting of the Baldwin County Board of Commissioners where Ptak provided government leaders some insight into what has been going on at the 911 center…
by AllThingsECC.com | Jun 8, 2021 | Comm Center News
After years of planning and collaboration, the new county-wide emergency radio system is almost live.
The system is scheduled to launch at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, according to information provided this afternoon by local public safety agencies.
The new digital 800-megahertz P25 radio system replaces analog UHF system that has been used for more than 20 years. The new system, which cost $7.7 million, allows emergency responders to communicate with each other and surrounding public safety agencies, including state agencies. The current system does not allow for direct communication between agencies…
by AllThingsECC.com | Jun 8, 2021 | Comm Center News
A shortage of dispatchers may mean you’re going to be put on hold if you call to report an emergency
ST. LOUIS — When you’re in danger or witnessing a crime, every second counts.
For months, St. Louis’s 911 dispatch system has been putting callers on hold. Over the weekend, it happened to Alderwoman Cara Spencer, who tweeted about witnessing a car accident…
by AllThingsECC.com | Jun 8, 2021 | Comm Center News
The Lethbridge Police Service is responding to criticisms leveled at them during last week’s police commission meeting by a group of Westminster area residents for not responding fast enough when they call to report a problem in their local park.
Insp. Jason Dobirstein, of the LPS Field Operations, acknowledges that sometimes it takes longer to respond to these concerns depending on whether the call is high priority, as in an emergent call in progress, or of lower priority when there appears to be no immediate threat to members of the public.
However, states Dobirstein, the Public Safety Communications Centre has to make a determination how and when to task the limited available officers on shift based on a scale of priorities…
by AllThingsECC.com | Jun 8, 2021 | Comm Center News
Teflon councilman George Muschal and wife Theresa are on their way out of Trenton but they almost didn’t make it past the weekend. They said in interviews Monday that they’re thankful to be alive after an out-of-control driver slammed into their business Saturday, trapping the couple inside their attached home and causing an estimated $25,000 in damages to the iconic Wishie Washie laundromat.
Sgt. Cynthia Hargis, a Trenton Police spokeswoman, said the councilman’s 911 call initially went to Hamilton communications because his business borders straddles the towns but was later forwarded to the Trenton bureau. She added that residents could experience problems when dialing 911 from cell phones. “The Trenton Police Department would like to remind all citizens when using their cell phones for 911 calls, that the call could be received by another municipality based off of their location when making the call,” she said…
