[Scan-DC] Fw: County Opens New 911 Center Today

[Alan Henney]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: PressRoom
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2011 7:52 PM
Subject: County Opens New 911 Center Today




PRESS RELEASE





For immediate release:

May 3, 2011 



For Information Contact:

Scott L. Peterson 

Acting Director of Communications

Office of the County Executive
 

Prince George’s County’S NEW 911 CENTER BEGAN OPERATION TODAY 



911 dispatchers changeover from old center to new Public Safety Communications Center during seamless transition with no flaws or glitches





BOWIE, MD – This morning at 8:00 a.m., Prince George’s County Office of Homeland Security, Public Safety Communications, switched all 911 communications from their old center at 7911 Anchor Street in Hyattsville to the new Public Safety Communications Center (PSCC) at 17321 Melford Blvd. in Bowie.  During this changeover of 911 dispatchers to their new facility, there wasn’t any glitches, dropped calls, or noticeable changes to 911 callers.   



“I want to congratulate Public Safety Communications Director Charlynn Flaherty, Office of Homeland Security Director Brian Moe, and the hundreds of public safety personnel who have worked tirelessly from planning and building to implementing and opening our new 911 center in Bowie,” said Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III.  “Today, Prince George’s County residents have the newest technology to more effectively and efficiently dispatch our heroic first responders and make our County safer.”    



The 40,000 square foot, $36.5 million facility utilizes an upgraded 700mhz Motorola radio system. It is equipped with 63 dispatchers as compared to 36 in the old facility.   The facility was approved to be built in December, 2009, with ground broken in April 2010.  



“A new Public Safety Communications Center has been a dream for a very long time.  At 8:00 a.m. this morning we were able to flip a switch to transfer 911 calls from the old center to the new PSCC, and in that act a dream became a reality,” said Flaherty.  “I wish to thank the professional men and women in Public Safety Communications for their support and patience as we worked to make this dream a reality.  We have been working over the past 5 years to build this facility.  This is a great day for the citizens, residents, and public safety personnel in Prince George’s County.“ 



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