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

[WILSON HULLEY]

TOO BAD THAT MONTGOMERY COUNTY HAS SUCH A "SO-SO" 911 CALL CENTER. LISTENING TO THEIR CALL CENTER CAN BE A "JOKE" - A VERY SERIOUS "JOKE".......I DO NOT KNOW THE KEYBOARD PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE INSTALLED INTO THEIR VEHICLES.....BUT IT SONDS LIKE IT DOES NOT HAVE A VOICE ASPECT..AS THE OFFICER HAS TO "KEY IN THEIR VOICE MICK".....AT LEAST THAT IT HOW IT SOUNDS.
W H HULLEY
> On 10/04/2020 12:17 PM Blair Thompson via Scan-DC <scan-dc at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> 
>  
> 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.
> 
> {snip the rest}
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