[Scan-DC] Alexandria wins award for remote 911 call-taking program

[Blair Thompson]

City wins award for remote 911 call-taking program
https://alextimes.com/2020/09/city-technology-award-911-remote/

September 24, 2020

By Lindsey Sullivan | lsullivan at alextimes.com

Before the COVID-19 pandemic became a public health concern in March this year, Alexandria’s Department of Emergency and Customer Communications was already working on an initiative to deploy 911 call-takers remotely. In late March, Alexandria became the first city in the country to provide a remote system for emergency call-takers.

The Computer Technology Industry Association’s Public Technology Institute awarded the City of Alexandria a 2020 Solutions Award Sept. 3 for creatively responding to physical distancing requirements brought on by the pandemic by providing an innovative system that allows call-takers to work from home, according to the institute’s award statement.

Douglas Campbell, deputy director of the DECC, said the initiative began in February when the department began to test the remote equipment they already owned for non-emergency use, as case numbers began to rise significantly. In March, after a successful 30-day trial with non-emergency calls, the program shifted to taking emergency calls remotely as well.

“At first our folks were very hesitant, you know, going home to answer these calls,” Campbell said. “What if we have a technical issue, what if we have a power outage at home? You know, no power — no connectivity.”

Campbell said the DECC had to think outside the box to prevent any possible issues the remote call-taking program might incur, like providing UPS – uninterruptible power supply – equipment in case a power outage occurred while working from home.

Alan Shark, executive director of the Public Technology Institute, said he was taken aback by how well the DECC planned for the future by using the 311 non-emergency line as a trial run before implementing the emergency line remotely.

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