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Mission Statement
Van Buren Central Dispatch will
serve as the critical link between our citizens, visitors and
public safety agencies. By being respectful, compassionate, and
professional; we are committed to making a difference in the lives
of others.
9-1-1
Information
If 9-1-1
service is interrupted for any reason, have a listing by your
phone
of the local telephone numbers of the police, fire and EMS
service in your community. You can find these telephone numbers in
your local telephone book. Be prepared, have these emergency
telephone numbers posted near your phone!
What
is 9-1-1?
9-1-1 is the
telephone number that provides direct access
to police, fire and medical assistance and initiates a coordinated
response.
When
to use 9-1-1?
In an
emergency call 9-1-1 to report a crime in progress, a fire, a
serious illness or injury or any situation requiring immediate
response of the police, fire or ambulance services.
What
the 9-1-1 dispatch needs to know:
Speak slowly
and clearly. Let the dispatcher ask the questions the responders
must know. They include: address where help is needed, nature of
the problem, your name and telephone number. IMPORTANT: Call 9-1-1
first in all emergency situations. Do not call family members or
friends. Do not attempt to transport a seriously ill or injured
person. We can get qualified help to the victim much faster and
safer than you can get the victim to help. *Stay on the phone and
answer all of the questions. Do not hang up until told to do so.
Help is on the way as you are speaking.
Things
Consumers Should Know About 9-1-1 Products:
Thinking
about purchasing a communications service to help you in the event
of emergency? Considering
downloading an application that adds "extras" to 9-1-1 on your
Smart phone? Are you looking into buying a
phone or
communications product that will assist you to locate a lost or
missing disabled or elderly person
through
the 9-1-1 system? Have you purchased a 9-1-1 application? Before
you do, here's some
information that should help inform you about the myriad of
products and services that are being marketed to
the public
as well as some of limits on the current 9-1-1 system.
Non-service initialized phones:
Under an
order issued by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC),
9-1-1 calls made from cellular
phones
must be routed to a 9-1-1 center (commonly known as a .public
safety answering point or PSAP),
whether
they have active service from a provider or not
• These
phones are known as NSI phones and 9-1-1 calls on NSI phones
usually route to a PSAP,
but in
most cases, they DO NOT provide the caller's call-back number or
the caller's location.
• Some
services, such as alerting services (like one-touch calling
services for senior citizens) may
use NSI
phones to call 9-1-1 on a wireless-cellular device. If this is
the case, in most circumstances, no call-back number or location
information will accompany the call.
• Many
donated wireless phones that are given away in charitable
programs are NSI phones.
Texting 9-1-1:
Texting,
also known as SMS (or short message service) has become a
common means for people to
communicate.
•
While texting is often quick, convenient, and in some cases,
even easier than making a phone call, the
technology to text 9-1-1 has not vet
evolved! At this time, text 9-1-1 messages
cannot be moved into the 9-1-1 routing system, nor can
location information be provided via text, or can a 9-1-1
phone line send an outgoing text message.
•
Until a broad 9-1-1 network upgrade has been done and a system
for the provider to send 9-1-1 text messages has been
established, use your regular voice-based system or TTY to
activate an emergency call.
• If
you are hard of hearing or deaf and do not have access to a
TTY, a 9-1-1 call on a voice-based line may be your best
option, even if you are unable to speak.
Dialing 0:
Before the widespread use of 9-1-1, dialing "0" for a telephone
operator was commonly used as a means to report an emergency.
While 9-1-1 has replaced this system, it is still sometimes used
by some people in an emergency.
• Be aware! Responses and capabilities of the "0" for operator
vary from provider to provider (and even from state to state).
• Your location may not be displayed to the operator.
• Your call may be answered by a communications provider's
operator outside of your state who is not familiar with your
emergency response system and may not be trained to answer
emergency calls to the level that an emergency
dispatcher-telecommunicator is.
Disconnected Phones:
In some areas, disconnected landline phones will
still be able to dial 9-1-1, in other areas they cannot. This
varies from provider to provider and if it is a potential issue
in your household, it is advisable to check with your telephone
provider in advance.
Are you thinking of switching providers, phone
service, or technology?
There is
now a myriad of products on the markets, many of them
offering lower costs and more options for service (such as
multiple lines, voice mail, and data service).
• It
is important to research any product or service
that you are thinking of buying, since they are regulated at
different levels, and in some emerging technologies, they may
have not have any regulatory oversight at all.
• Some
do not work if you do not have electricity.
Subscription based services:
When
searching for a simple, easy way to use a product to activate an
emergency response for you in the
event
you can't reach the phone, such a device that can be worn as a
pendant or clipped to a belt, make
sure you
ask the provider-seller, "What does it do?" If a product
is being sold and promises to reach a
9-1-1
center, ask the following questions:
A.
Does the product provide location information of the caller to
the PSAP?
B.
Does the product provide a call-back number to the PSAP?
C. If
your answer is "NO" to A or B above, ask the provider selling
you the service if the emergency call is routed to a
private-corporate call center that can contact a PSAP for you
with your location information and information about the
emergency?
Downloaded Applications:
With the
inception of SmartPhones, iPhones, Droids, and the ever-growing
options of data-based services
that you
can have literally at your fingertips, the axiom, "there's an
app for that" can also extend to different services using the
term 9-1-1. If you want to download an app, make sure you
educate yourself about what you are getting. Here are some
questions which you should ask:
1.
Where does this service work and is the information from the
application available everywhere? Not all jurisdictions across
the country participate in notification systems or have the
ability to update events in "real time."
2. If
you download an application, ask yourself, "How is this
application going to help in an
emergency?"
•
For instance, how is an application that contacts third
parties for you when you call on going to affect you and
them when you make an emergency call?
-
Do you have the personal resources to keep that
information current?
-
Are others aware that you have made them part of your
9-1-1 service?
Remember,
the technology market for consumers is constantly evolving and new
products and services are emerging all the time. If you have
a question or if the product sounds to "too good to be true",
click
here to send us an email or call (269) 657-3101. If
you'd like to learn more about 9-1-1 in Michigan, visit the State
9-1-1 Committee's Web site at:
www.michigan.gov/snc.
● PLEASE REMEMBER ●
DIAL 9-1-1 IN MICHIGAN IF YOU HAVE AN
EMERGENCY!
Tours
of the Central Dispatch are provided to many groups and
individuals of Van Buren County. It is the belief of the
administration and staff that by educating the citizens and public
safety agencies on
9-1-1 communications, they have a better
understanding of the job they do and have the opportunity to meet
the telecommunicators.
9-1-1 Tips for
Parents
-
Help your child learn their address and telephone
number.
-
Phones - make sure your child knows how to use
all of the different types of phones they have access to
(cellular, cordless, VoIP).
-
Post your address and phone number near your
phones and make your child aware of it. Help them learn to read
it. This is great to have for babysitters and visitors too.
-
Tell you child to describe your house.
-
Remind your child to call from a safe place.
-
If a family member has a specific medical
problem, make sure your child is aware of it.
-
Practice placing 9-1-1 calls with your child by
using a play phone or by unplugging your phone. Make up and
practice different types of emergencies (police-fire-medical).
Do not use a cell phone for practice calls that still has a
battery in it as it will call into 9-1-1 even if it no longer
has service.
VoIP
Voice over
Internet Protocol telephone services are not as new as you might
first think. It is based on technology that has existed for many
years on the Internet but the quality and reliability were often
poor and typically required the user to make and receive calls
using special software on the personal computer.
Significant
strides in technology and the rapid increase in broadband internet
connections into homes has made VoIP as viable an option as
traditional phone service.
It is important
to note that all VoIP service providers are not created equal when
it comes to emergency 9-1-1 service. The FCC mandates that all
VoIP service providers enable
9-1-1 calling and provide a callback
number and location information. Some of the VoIP providers have
yet to meet these FCC requirements. Currently there are two ways
your VoIP call can be processed. With VoIP Basic emergency
calling, the call is not routed to your local 9-1-1 center on
emergency lines. Instead, it is sent to a remote private call
center on a non-emergency line without location information and
possibly without your callback number. This can delay an emergency
response. VoIP Enhanced 9-1-1 calling is routed over a dedicated
9-1-1 network and arrives at the emergency dispatch center with
both your location and call back number. Make sure you take the
time to
READ THE FINE PRINT, ask questions and be
informed about how you will access 9-1-1.
Here are some
questions you might want to ask the VoIP provider:
-
Can I dial 9-1-1 from my VoIP phone?
-
How do I know what
level of 9-1-1 Service I have with my VoIP phone?
-
How is my 9-1-1 call routed to the correct location?
-
What if my 9-1-1 call is misrouted to the incorrect 9-1-1
answering point?
-
Does 9-1-1 know where I am when calling from my VoIP phone?
-
Can I call 9-1-1 from my VoIP phone when I’m traveling?
-
What if my 9-1-1 call is disconnected or cut off?
-
Do service outages affect my ability to call 9-1-1?
-
Do I need to notify someone if I move?
-
Should I keep my traditional phone line after I subscribe to
VoIP service?
-
Do I need to tell anyone in my family that I have changed our
phone service?
-
Will my burglar alarm work with my VoIP service?
-
Can I make a 9-1-1 test call from my VoIP phone?
Before you
need 9-1-1:
-
Verify that you can access
9-1-1 with your phone. Check your service provider’s Web site
for emergency calling features.
-
Be sure to keep your registered
location current with your VoIP provider.
-
If the power is out, your VoIP
service may be out too. Consider purchasing a back up power
supply.
-
If you travel with your VoIP
adapter, be sure to update your registered location with your
service provider. The time it takes to process the update can
vary considerably. Therefore, when traveling, if you need 9-1-1
service, use another phone.
-
Inform children, babysitters,
and visitors about your VoIP service.
-
Post your address and call back
phone number near your phone.
-
It is a good idea to know what
police, fire or sheriff's department is responsible for your
9-1-1 call and have their phone number on hand to provide to the
call taker.
-
Consider keeping a land line
phone for accessing 9-1-1 emergency services.
The information above is from the website:
http://www.911voip.org/voip.htm
Central Dispatch Calls Analysis
Central Dispatch disseminates calls for service for 14 fire
departments, 13 EMS /Quick Response and 17 law enforcement
contracts and agencies
View
detailed reports below for the service area locations and when
calls evolved.
Adobe Reader is
required to view statistical reports below. If you
experience problems opening the file, please download the current FREE
version of Adobe Reader at
www.adobe.com.
►
Calls to Central
Dispatch for Service in 2010 - Click
here for
summary by month.
►
911 Calls
in 2010 - Click
here to
view detailed report by month and year.
►
Ambulance Calls in 2010 -
Click
here for detailed
report by month and service area.
► Fire
Calls in 2010 -
Click
here to view detailed
report by month and service area.
►
Police Calls in 2010 -
Click
here to view detailed
report by month and service area.
We continue
to see the trend of 911 calls generated shift from traditional
landlines to wireless means. On average, 76% of our emergency
calls are made from wireless devices. The caller's location is now
on display, to within 6 meters, on GPS equipped phones. With the
relatively low cost of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
devices, we anticipate a dramatic increase in their use. We are also planning for future advances
that will allow us to operate a wireless 911 network system and
our ability to accept video 911 calls.
Local Fire Departments
Decatur-Hamilton Fire Department - www.localfirehouse.com/department/5412.html
Gobles-Pine
Grove Fire -
www.gpgfd.org
Keeler Fire Department -
www.ktfr.org
Lawton Fire Department -
www.lfd1300.org
Mattawan Fire Department -
http://www.mattawanfire.org
Sister Lakes Fire Department -
www.sisterlakesfire.com
South Haven
Area Emergency Services -
www.shaes.org
Van Buren Emergency Medical Services -
www.vbems.net
Helpful Links for
Dispatch-Telecommunications
Association of
Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO)
National
Emergency Number Association (NENA)
Emergency
Telephone Service Committee
Criminal Background Checks
State 911 Committee |
