Brian Short, director of Vance County Emergency Operations, was on WIZS’ Town Talk program Tuesday to provide updates on the 911 call center’s new computer-aided dispatch system.
Short, who has been the director of emergency operations since 1997, said his entire staff has been working diligently on replacing the old computer system over the past two months. “We replaced our entire system at significant cost, but it was a cost that was covered by the 911 surcharge fees that everyone pays on their cell phone and landline phone bills.”
As with any new system, Short said staff members and telecommunicators are still learning the ropes. “We are still recovering from the update and learning the new system. People are becoming more proficient every day.”
“We had 19 years to get used to the old system,” said Short. “The new system does so much more and improves our ability to get help to people quicker.”
The second phase of the new system includes a Mobile CAD component that will essentially place the new computer-aided dispatch system used in the call center into the vehicles of first responders.
“Our goal is to have every responder online with the system by this Christmas, including police cars, sheriff cars, fire trucks, ambulances and animal control officers,” Short said.
Mobile CAD will allow the call center to view every responders’ location on a map at all times, thus allowing telecommunicators to assign the available officer that can respond the quickest to an emergency situation.
The mobile system will also provide responders with more detailed information about a location including codes for gated communities, after-hours contact information for businesses and a call-history of a particular address.
According to Short, he and Assistant Director Jason Reavis, along with several police officers, are currently beta testing the mobile system and “getting the bugs out” before going live.
“It [mobile system] enables us to respond much quicker and allows for real-time sharing of data between the call center and the field units,” said Short.