E-911 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS "Anonymous Voices" A poem written about telecommunicators.
We sit in a room...
So dark and small...
Waiting for ...
A 911 call...
We listen to your voice...
And hear your pain...
We want to help....
Although at times it seems to be in vain...
Our job isn't glamorous...
It isn't for all...
We're there to help...
When you make that call...
There's crying...
And screaming....
And small voices in pain...
That breaks our hearts....
But in that there's no shame....
To hear a small child.....
Scared because mom isn't home....
Or the voice of an old woman....
Who's husband just moans.....
We don't ask for fanfare....
Or even a cheer.....
It's enough to know....
That help is finally near....
Our job is to help.....
To make you feel safe....
To make those long moments...
Go quickly as they came....
And at the end of the day......
When we can shut off our fears....
We get in our cars.....
And shed a few tears....
Because the next day we'll be back....
In a room dark and small....
Waiting for....
A 911 call.....
Written by: Lawrence Roche, Dispatcher Plainview Police Department, Texas
Below is some basic information which will make it easier to get emergency help to you as quickly as possible.
What is 9-1-1?
Nine-one-one is the number to call to get help in a police, fire or medical emergency. A 9-1-1 call is transmitted over dedicated phone lines to the emergency communications center. Trained emergency communications specialists will then send emergency help as needed.
What does 9-1-1 do?
A nine-one-one call will automatically connect you to a trained professional who will answer your call, ask you to describe your emergency situation, and route the necessary police, fire and rescue personnel to your location to assist you.
When should I call 9-1-1?
9-1-1 is for serious emergencies only!
When there is a crime and you need the POLICE.
When there is a fire and you need FIREFIGHTERS.
When someone is seriously injured or unconscious and you need an AMBULANCE & EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE.
It should NEVER be used as a joke or prank.
What should I know when I call?
Remember to stay calm, speak clearly, and be prepared to give as much information as possible regarding the emergency when the emergency communications specialist asks you.
Listen carefully to the questions and answer each question carefully.
Remember the emergency communications specialist cannot see your hand or head gestures, signs or motions. So verbally answer all questions.
Do not hang up until the emergency communications specialist tells you it is OK to do so.
Follow the instructions of the emergency communications specialist.
911 HISTORY
The ability to dial a single number to report emergencies was first used in Great Britain, in 1937. The British could dial 999 to call for police, medical or fire departments, from anywhere in the country.
In 1958, the American Congress first investigated a universal emergency number for the United States and finally passed the legal mandate in 1967. The new emergency number had to be three numbers that were not in use in the United States or Canada as the first three numbers of any phone number or area code, and the numbers had to be easy to use. The Federal Trade Commission along with AT&T (which held a monopoly on phone services at that time) originally announced the plans to build the first 911 system in Huntington, Indiana. Bob Gallagher, President of the Alabama Telephone, was annoyed that the independent phone industry had not been consulted. Gallagher decided to beat AT&T to the punch line and have the first 911 emergency service built in Haleyville, Alabama. The very first American 911 call was placed on February 16,
1968 in Haleyville, Alabama made by Alabama Speaker of the House, Rankin Fite and answered by Congressman Tom Bevill.
September 1987, Manassas Park Activates 911
Today, we have two Enhanced-911 (E-911) positions with a total of 11 lines to handle multiple calls for emergency. E-911 means the Emergency Communications Specialist is able to see the caller’s phone number and address as soon as the call is answered. Even though the ECS has this information on the screen, he/she will verify your address and phone number for accuracy.
Cell phone calls are answered by Prince William County communications personnel and quickly transferred to the Manassas Park Emergency Communication Center for emergency dispatch. Addresses and phone numbers do not appear on the E-911 screen when the call is made from a cell phone. Callers will be asked to provide both along with the nature of the emergency.
Accidental 911 Calls: A Risk to Public Safety
For many people, a wireless telephone is a source of comfort: knowing that emergency help is as close as the phone's keypad is often a main reason for people to have wireless phones and to give them to their children.
Unfortunately, between 25 and 70 percent of all wireless calls to 911 are accidental. These calls clog up the phone lines at emergency call centers and even inhibit the dispatch of emergency services to those actually in need.
Wireless phone users can prevent accidental 911 calls by locking the keypad or turning off the automatic 911 feature. Many manufacturers and wireless carriers provide customers with educational information through inserts in their monthly bills, direct mailings/newsletters, and postings on websites.
If you accidentally dial 911, stay on the line and let the emergency communications operator know. If not, they are required to call back the number to determine whether or not the caller had a true emergency.
|
