Keeping Status Quo

3/18/2011

A lot of people have been asking me, "Why do we need more 9-1-1 equpiment? Can't you make due with what you have?" I wanted to take some time and answer this question. In short, the answer is a resounding NO. But if you know me, i'll give you a better explanation:

    Our radio system, which was purchased in 2003, has been on borrowed time for awhile now. This system, which houses 10 radio frequencies that our dispatchers most commonly use on a day-to-day basis, is no longer manufactured. Meaning there are no parts, no replacements when things break on it, and they do. The average lifespan of this radio is about 5 years, and we are going on to year 8 with it. (To give you tech guys an idea, we had to install Windows 2000 on our Computer-radio interface simply because it could not support a newer operating system) Our radio service technicians have to literally solder circuits back together on broken hardware to fix things. There is a huge chance that radio system could become inoperable, one console at a time, leaving us with nothing but backup radios that let us only listen to a channel at a time.

    Our 9-1-1 system is in similar shape. The company which manufactured it has since been bought out, and has not supported the system for some time. While we have been fortunate enough to have located a technician from the previous company that does maintenance work on the system, it is very costly to do diagnostics on it. This system is what we utilize to locate our callers and get information such as phone numbers and subscriber numbers from land-line phones. Depending on cell phone technology it also allows us to locate callers with cellular phones.   This system is already running on a backup, and was purchased in 2003 when the center opened as well.

    This is not a matter of 9-1-1 trying to "make do" with what they have, it is a matter of replacing the equipment so we can "continue to do" what we do. Without functioning equipment, we can't talk to our EMT's, Firefighters, and Police Officers. We can't get help to you quickly. Without our 9-1-1 system, we can't get your information in a quick manner, we can't receive 9-1-1 phone calls. They would go to Greene County and get rolled back to us, again, delaying help to you when your family member is having a heart attack, or your house is being broken into. We need you to get and vote April 5th. 9-1-1 needs your help!

3 Comments

Chris

3/17/2011 08:20:17 pm

Well put Eric,
A few folks I've talked to seem to think we're wanting a new tax to pass to buy more gadgets and gizmos, one fellow told me the other day that "we don't need 911, I can call the hospital and get my own ambulance." I asked him what the number was to get an ambulance, he replied "I'll look the number up, oh wait it's 326-6000!" (the main hospital phone number) I explained, no, wait, I "tried" to explain that they will tell him to hang up and call 911, or take his information and they in turn will call 911. Anyone with a few functioning brain cells will realize that there are times that every second counts...Think about it every-single-very-long-yet very-short-sweet-second counts. The people of my county, the people I serve, need to understand that. I've worked on the other side of the microphone, and I know in my heart,of many times that just a few more of those precious seconds would have changed the outcome of a patient, or a victim. I hope the citizens that I serve will understand that this tax for the needed equipment isn't just some luxury, but instead "a life insurance policy" for the day that the emergency is theirs!

Sally

3/18/2011 03:46:45 am

Very well put together website and very informational. Nothing is more cruical to a dispatcher than updated equipment (besides days off). The frustration you must feel is heart wrenching. Good luck on getting the bill passed.

(former dispatcher of 25 years)

George

3/30/2011 12:40:18 pm

9-1-1 systems have a certain amount of necessary tools in order to serve their community. This website is a great educational tool for the public, communication is the key aspect of 9-1-1 and respect within the community is what keeps the 9-1-1 center up and running.

Scare tactics being used to try to pass a tax on your community is not a good idea. It doesn't make much sense to tell the community that their 9-1-1 center would be disbanded if this tax doesn't pass. Each agency (the big three Polk County, Bolivar City, and CMH) would be taxed with supplying their own form of dispatching, which like chief Seibert has said in other articles would cost the same amount as if they are paying their portion into a joint/combined center. Some of these agencies would probably have to purchase new equipment to communicate with their field units.

I think it is also important to point out that neighboring 9-1-1 centers that have been in place about the same time as Polk County 911 have not asked for more taxes to upgrade their systems, instead they have looked at grants and other forms of financing. Has this been pursued?

I would also like to point out that Polk County 9-1-1 is not the only agency that can provide instructions over the phone to assist or guide callers in emergency situations to perform possible life saving tasks before emergency personnel can reach the emergency. Well trained personnel are the key components of adequate 9-1-1 or emergency services, whether it be in a joint communications center or within multiple communications centers in the same area.

On a large scale, for perspective, New York City, New York is one of the largest joint communications centers (they dispatch for NYPD, NYFD) and you can search google and find inadequate training has led to some poor choices made in that department. The state of Florida did not mandate training for emergency communication employees until just recently. Missouri has had standards for dispatchers for several years and if we look on a large scale in Southwest Missouri there are multiple 9-1-1 centers and privately owned ambulance services that dispatch their own jurisdictions, but are able to work together with other agencies to get the job done.

Bolivar contends with Branson in the amount of taxes that are paid by the citizens, which is much higher than most parts of Missouri, if it is true that the county has a surplus of money then maybe the 9-1-1 board should look into asking the county to contribute to their citizens a little bit more, instead of always asking more out of the citizens.

just the thoughts of an economist, former emergency field responder and dispatcher in both joint and independent dispatch centers, and tax payer

Keeping Status Quo

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