Consider this scenario...you live in the Town of Granger...suddenly, a family member collapses. You grab the phone and call for help. Your emergency call is directed to the Allegany County 911 Center, where a dedicated professional answers the call and sends help. The 911 Center is a windowless room, located in the Public Safety Complex located on State Route 19, just south of the Village of Belmont. The Center has 14 full time and 11 part time professionals.
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| Allegany County 911 |
As technology changes, so do the operations of the Center. Soon, 911 operations will be launching its fourth new computer aided dispatch (CAD). The dispatchers are the focal point of all emergency operations in Allegany County - yet, they never leave the building. The staffers handle emergency and routine calls along with radio traffic and assignments for every police agency, fire department and ambulance service countywide. Further, they dispatch county and town public works and highway departments as well as dispatching a public defender to court arraignments. 911 staff also provide pre-arrival medical instructions...to walk you through a critical moment in time. The Center actually is an extension of ambulance services by providing medical help the moment you call.
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| 911 Dispatcher Penny Chamberlain explains the job |
Penny Chamberlain was one of the dispatchers on duty when Wellsville Regional News showed up Tuesday (unannounced, but escorted by Sheriff Ricky Whitney). She took the time to explain, methodically, what happens from when the 911 phone rings to the end of the event. She, as the other workers, are surrounded by a series of computers and technology.
Medical Alarm Systems
Once upon a time in Allegany County, there was Lifeline, a subscriber service that would alert 911 when a customer experienced a medical event. Today, as Chamberlain pointed out, the number of medical alert services has skyrocketed. However, not every commercial service can provide accurate emergency information...like an actual physical address of the person in need. Chamberlain urges everyone and anyone who uses a medical alarm company to make sure they have accurate information. For example, make sure the provider has a telephone number and accurate and a specific physical address. Mailing addresses are NOT the same as your 911 address. If you are unsure of your actual recorded physical address, contact the Center and let them help you.
Parents - teach your children
Allegany County 911 dispatchers urge parents to help young children prepare for an emergency. While traditional landlines (home phones) should display proper information to 911, cell phones are now primary players and sometimes the information is less robust. Consider this - write down your telephone number, home address and any physical landmarks that may help first responders locate the emergency. Write it down, post it on the refrigerator. Practice, practice, practice.
Dealing with a crisis
There is no "routine" day at this or any 911 Center. One moment a dispatcher is telling an intoxicated person what time it is...the next, they are providing CPR instructions. From time to time, people with emotional issues reach out to 911, which is why Allegany County dispatchers are also trained in suicide awareness and prevention. 911 dispatchers are far more than a voice on the police scanner - they are often times, the key to life.
