April 14th to the 20th is National Public Safety Telecommunications Week and during that week, the Nolan County Sheriff’s Office will be recognizing the diligence and professionalism of our Telecommunicators. We would like to encourage others to recognize them as well. Our dispatchers receive emergency calls and what they do with those calls can often greatly influence the outcome. The pressure and stress of the job is high, and the hard work they do every day deserves thanks from all of us.
Since 1968 – 44 years ago – 9-1-1 has served as the vital link between the American public and emergency services, and it is with great pride that our highly skilled Public Safety Dispatchers who have contributed substantially to the apprehension of criminals, suppression of fires, and treatment of patients be recognized for their efforts.
Public Safety Agencies nationwide take one week a year – the second full week in April – to recognize the pivotal role played by telecommunicators, dispatchers, communications operators, radio control personnel – ALL those people, by whatever job title, who utilize telephones, radios, computers and technical skill to provide support to Law Enforcement, Fire Services, Emergency Medical Services and other governmental field personnel. Each year, National Telecommunicators Week is dedicated to the men and women who serve as public safety telecommunicators. In 1991, Congress proclaimed it as a special national week of recognition.
The Nolan County Sheriff’s Office encourages everyone to take a little time to think about the crucial role played by our communications officers. They handle thousands of phone calls, dispatch deputies, firefighters and paramedics, and do their utmost to keep the public safe as they perform one of the most stressful positions in law enforcement.
Anyone who wishes to do something to recognize these hard working individuals, contact Sergeant Brock Carter at (325) 235-5471.
In honor of these dedicated men and women, here is a review of the rules to follow when you call 911 to report a crime or emergency:
When Should You call 911?
911 Emergency calls should be made only in cases such as a crime in progress, such as a fire, a medical emergency, or a similar immediately threatening case. A possible 911 situation can involve something you see – a burglar breaking in to a neighbor’s house, a fire, an automobile accident. It can also involve what you hear – a woman screaming or yelling “Don’t hit me again,” gunfire, an explosion or glass breaking. Also, a reckless or suspected drunk driver is always a 911 call. They’re potential killers not only of themselves, but of innocent bystanders as well.
Before you call, gather as many facts as you can under the circumstances and write them down so you won’t forget them. Take a second look – a minute gathering more complete information may be worth the delay. If you are describing a person, important points include the race of the person, whether it is a male or a female, what the person is wearing, the color of his or her hair and any other outstanding characteristics. With a car description, a tag number is great if you can get it, and a report that the vehicle had a ladder on top or a dented left front fender is more useful than simply describing the vehicle as a “white van”. The job of the communications officer is to gather as much pertinent information relative to the situation as possible and to keep you on the phone if at all possible. This action better prepares deputies coming to your aid.
What to expect when you call 911
When you call 911 emergency lines, one of the first things you will be asked is “Is this an emergency? This question is a necessary one because unfortunately, some people do call 911 for non-emergencies. Communications Officers must often deal with 911 calls for directions, weather conditions or traffic information. This misuse of 911 is unacceptable, and has the potential of delaying true emergency calls.
Once it is established you do have an emergency situation, the Communications Officer will ask you a series of questions in an effort to get enough information so he/she can send the proper assistance to you as soon as possible. Try to answer the questions as calmly and clearly as possible. Help will be sent to you right away, and the more cooperative you are over the phone, the faster help will arrive. When you call 911, a computerized system will automatically tell the Communications Officer your address and phone number. If you have any special medical conditions you can register that information with the Sheriff’s Office and that information can be included in the system, and will be available to Communications officers when you call. The officer will continue to talk with you after help has been dispatched to you. The longer he/she can keep you on the phone and the more information that can be relayed to the responding deputy, ambulance or fire truck, the better and safer the situation is.
Misuse of the 911 Emergency System
Unfortunately a substantial number of 911 calls received by Communications Officers are not of an emergency nature. If you are reporting a non-emergency situation such as a suspicious person, a previously stolen bike or a dog continually barking, 911 is not the proper number to call. The Sheriff’s Office offers non-emergency phone numbers for the reporting of such calls. Your call will still be handled appropriately, but this will allow true emergencies to be handled first.
Let me re-emphasize: 911 is for emergency calls only and is not equipped to answer questions, give directions, weather forecasts or road conditions. How would you like it if you had a real emergency and someone else was tying up the Communications Officer asking where the closest post office is? To report a non-emergency call, the following phone numbers may be called 24 hours a day: Nolan County Sheriff’s Office (325) 235-5471, Sweetwater Police Department (325) 236-6686.