New 911 dispatch system adds greater capability for base emergency crews

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Nora Anton
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Eielson's resident safety is heightened by a new 911 dispatch system going into effect by mid-month July.

The new system will have an enhanced 911 service capability that will display a name, address and phone number of the residence calling, said Tech. Sgt. Thomas Jenkins, 354th Civil Engineer Squadron NCO in charge of the Emergency Communications Center, Fire and Emergency Services Fight.

"These enhanced features allow ring-back capabilities to re-establish a communication channel with a caller who has hung up," said Sergeant Jenkins.

The new Emergency Communications Center workstation will have text telephone (use of telephones for the hearing impaired) to communicate with hearing- and speech-impaired residents.

"Having this enhanced capability will allow instant identification of a distressed caller's number and address for clarification purposes or the ability to respond emergency crews to a specific location, even if the address is unknown by the caller," said Sergeant Jenkins. "The address stays displayed even if the caller has hung up."

The Fire and Emergency Services Flight in the 354th CES consolidated alarm rooms with the 354th Security Forces Squadron for emergency calls, for PACAF's first combined Emergency Communications Center.

"This is a huge improvement for all of Eielson's emergency services," said Capt. Jason Daniels, Operations Officer 354th Security Forces Squadron.

"There is nothing to make us feel more helpless than to know there is an emergency situation but not know where to send that help," said Sergeant Jenkins. "The information this new dispatch system gives to emergency workers is important for a number of reasons."

He said there have been instances of the 911 caller going unconscious, is too hysterical to relay information, cannot talk for fear of being discovered (such as a domestic disturbance or intruder), or perhaps there is even a bomb threat by a terrorist (whose intentions are not to be located) that the Enhanced 911 will assist with.

"This will ultimately speed up the process of dispatching units to the scene so they can render aid, be it fire, medical or security forces," he said.