When you think of this question the answer may seem obvious.  911 is for emergency calls so people who have an emergency should be able to reach 911 in order to get help from Law Enforcement, EMS, Fire and Rescue.  That is true but it hardly touches on who needs to be able to reach 911.

When we say people, this runs the gamut from children to the elderly, from English speaking to non- English speaking , to handicapped, to disoriented, to barely alive.  Each situation poses a new challenge for the 911 center and the 911 telecommunicator.  But the center should be able to take the call and respond to it appropriately.  Some of these calls can only be handled by an experienced telecommunicator.  Others need special things like language lines and the ability to receive text.  The important point here is, people have special needs, they use many different devices to communicate and the 911 center should be able to receive and handle calls from various sources.

Now that we have mentioned the obvious, let’s talk about who else calls 911.  Note that we are still talking about people because the current system only allows for voice communication.  Every day the 911 center receives calls from services like OnStar about vehicle crashes, from alarm companies about break in, fires, and other things, from home monitoring services  of devices for people, and from services that monitor infrastructure like highways, bridges and water ways.  The 911 centers again should be able to receive and handle these calls.

A third group who needs to be able to reach 911 who is not as obvious is the emergency response units in the field.  This group usually uses radio communication and is usually viewed as responding  to calls.  However,  often they call in for additional units or to report incidences that require a response.  For example, a deputy may call in a wreck that needs EMS assistance, a simple fire may reveal illegal activities, or an EMS call may turn dangerous and require law enforcement assistance. Again, the 911 center should be able to handle any situation that arises.

So in summary, who needs to be able to reach 911?  911 should be able to be reached by anyone needing help or relaying information about someone needing help.  This information can come from both outside and internal sources.

The mind maps created in the brainstorming session can be viewed at:

IT Governance Committee:  http://mind42.com/pub/mindmap?mid=df3eda39-6c8a-4f82-a3af-9a857803dee4 

Public Safety Information Committee: http://mind42.com/pub/mindmap?mid=6cc1eafb-c9e2-4a1e-ac12-683a5e6936cc

Regional 911 Administrators:  http://mind42.com/pub/mindmap?mid=a24ff7c5-07bb-46c2-85fb-5cbbe4913c00

Mind maps created using Mind42.

�

Catawba County has begun providing a new information service, via Twitter, to let motorists know of the locations of possible traffic delays and tie-ups. 

The County has launched a feed from the Catawba County 911 Center of the information on calls reported in Catawba County regarding traffic incidents.  The feed shows the type of incident reported, such as a vehicle accident, stranded motorist or vehicle fire, and gives the location of the incident.  Only traffic related incidents are reported through this feed. 

We’re providing this information as a service. Many people are using Twitter to communicate and receive information and numerous cell phones have this capability.  Providing traffic information is an effective new way to inform the public of possible hazards and delays along their intended route, and we hope will alert them to take alternate routes or prepare to safely navigate through the area where an incident has occurred.

Anyone who has a Twitter account may simply go to http://twitter.com/catawba911 and select “Follow”.   Those who do not have a Twitter account may sign up for an account, free of charge, at http://twitter.com/.

 For those who prefer not to open a Twitter account, an RSS feed is available with the same traffic incident information at http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/60704763.rss, and may be accessed by most RSS readers.

�

What Should 911 Look Like in 2020?

This  begins a series of blogs related to 911 and what it should look like in the future.  Over the next few weeks, a series of questions that were posed to different groups for input will be summarized and reveal the concepts that we feel make up the Next Generation of 911.

Background:  Catawba County has been very active during this legislative session in regard to 911 funds and their usage.  Catawba County has focused on expanded use of the funds in hopes of providing better service to our citizens.  As a result of our actions, Lee Worsley has been appointed to a state board to study 911 funding and as what 911 should look like in the future.

To prepare for the tasks, several brainstorming sessions were held.  The participants were asked what 911 should look like in 2020, that way the incremental steps were not as important as the ultimate outcome.

Three different stakeholder groups were engaged to put together these thoughts.  The first group was the Catawba County’s IT Governance Committee.  This Committee met on July 16^th and brainstormed this question.  These are Catawba County employees who do not work in 911 so they were a good cross section of potential users of the system or everyday citizens.

The second group that was engaged was our Public Safety Information Committee.  This group consists of  the users of the 911 system from the 911 Center, our technology operation and our first responders countywide.  They get together monthly to discuss the 911 system.  This group met on July 13^th  and brainstormed this question.

The third group convened were regional 911 directors from Catawba, Caldwell, Alexander, Iredell and Lincoln Counties.  This group met on July 17 to brainstorm this question.

 The first question delves into just what people think 911 means.

What does 911 mean?

There are many different views of what 911 means.  This week Catawba County has talked to a lot of people asking that very question.  While the answers sometime reflect groups and their background, there are definitely some common expectations from everyone.

First, 911 is viewed as a single number that can be called anytime someone has an emergency.  When 911 is called, the caller expects that the call will be answered quickly and  help will be sent quickly, in a matter of seconds verses minutes.  They expect to be answered every time without getting a busy signal or encountering difficulty.

Callers expect to be able to contact 911 using all current technology.  The most common type of technology is  a phone but in today’s world a voice call can come from a traditional land line, a cell phone, a VoIP phone, Internet based phone services and computer to computer based services.  In addition, the caller expects to be able to reach 911 by  text messaging and email.  So the expectation from callers is that 911 should be able to receive emergency calls from any type of communication device that a person may be using.

It is also an expectation that the caller will be connected to the right 911 center to receive help.  Callers expect mobile devices like cell phones to reach the closest 911 center.  This expectation goes even deeper to include literally any device that they may use.  Along with that  is the expectation that 911 know where the call is coming from and be able to relay that information automatically to appropriate responders.  As one participant stated, “If I have an emergency, I don’t care whose responsibility it is or what town I’m in, I just want help as fast as possible.”  So, if a person calls 911 from Catawba County, they should get the Catawba County 911 Center, no matter where the individual is from.  Additionally, this should be done automatically without the need for manual programming for each county the individual is in.

When the 911 call is answered, it is expected that the telecommunicator is a trained professional, able to handle any emergency that arises.  This person should be able to ask the right questions, obtain the facts from the caller and other data sources such as mapping or local and state databases, and relay this information to appropriate responders.  They expect the same professionalism when they call 911 regardless of where the call is answered.   All 911 Centers in the State should be able to perform the same functions at the same level.

The 911 center is expected to handle the needs of any caller.  This includes people speaking any language, hearing and speech impaired, elderly, young children , literally, anyone.

So in summary, what does 911 mean to a you?  911 means a consistent number that can be reached anytime, anywhere, by anyone, using any type device, to connect you directly to a professional telecommunicator in your area who can get help to you.

The mind maps created in the brainstorming session can be viewed at:

IT Governance Committee:  http://mind42.com/pub/mindmap?mid=df3eda39-6c8a-4f82-a3af-9a857803dee4 

Public Safety Information Committee: http://mind42.com/pub/mindmap?mid=6cc1eafb-c9e2-4a1e-ac12-683a5e6936cc

Regional 911 Administrators:  http://mind42.com/pub/mindmap?mid=a24ff7c5-07bb-46c2-85fb-5cbbe4913c00

Mind maps created using Mind42.

The State of North Carolina is in the process of writing a new 911 plan and we have been asked to participate.  In a recent meeting they asked, “What should a 911 Communications Center look like in 3 to 8 years?”   That’s a good question to which my staff has many good responses.  But what do you think it should look like?  What do you want out of a 911 Communications Center? 

I want your input as to what you expect from a 911 Communications Center.  Since this blog goes in many different directions, the easiest way to respond is to comment to the blog at http://tinyurl.com/mvgxmm .

For a little background, the Catawba County 911 Center is a state of the art facility that has the ability to take your call, track the location of the call, and dispatch help for the call.  The center has many tools including AVL(Automated Vehicle Locating) that tells the location of EMS and Law Enforcement units, in unit dispatch and mapping, and many other tools to assist you with an incident.

However, there are many new services that the 911 Center currently cannot offer.  For example, the 911 Center cannot receive text messages or automated messages from alarm companies and services like OnStar.  While the technology exists, standards have not been created for these type services.  That is part of what the state plan will be addressing.  With your input, that plan can be even stronger.

The Fourth of July is always great; warm sunny days, good food, friends, and a chance to celebrate the freedom that we all hold so dear in our hearts.  Hopefully your celebration will be one with fond memories but if you do find yourself in need of assistance for an emergency, a 911telecommunicator is always there to help you.  We want your holiday to be a safe one but if you do need assistance, here are some pointers that you should know:

First, you will be asked 3 questions:

1. What is the address of the emergency?
2. What is the phone number you are calling from?
3. What  is the problem, tell me exactly what happened?

You may be placed on hold at this point while we dispatch help.  We may then ask you additional questions.  If it is health related, we EMD the call. In other words, ask you more about the medical conditions of the victim.

The first reaction of a caller is usually to give as much information as possible.  While we will want that information, our first priority is to get help on the way.  For the victim, seconds can mean the difference between life and death.  Here are some additional pointers to remember:

• Stay calm
• Know the location of the emergency and the number you are calling from.
• Wait for the call-taker to ask questions, then answer clearly and calmly.
• If you reach a recording, listen to what it says.
• Let the call-taker guide the conversation
• Follow all directions
• Keep your eyes open.
• Do not hang up the calluntil directed to do so by the call-taker.

The telecommunicators in the 911 Center hope that you have a wonderful 4^th of July and that you never have to call them.  But if you do, they are there to assist and get help on the way.  The better informed you are, the faster that help can be sent.

Have a Happy Fourth and remember 911 is for Emergencies Only.