April
10th to the 16th is National Public Safety Telecommunications week and during
that week, the Sheriff’s Office will be recognizing the diligence and
professionalism of our Telecommunicators – Sheriff’s communications officers -
who serve in our communications center in Marathon. We would like to encourage
others to recognize them as well.
Our
communications officers are the first ones to receive your emergency calls and
what they do with those calls can often greatly influence the outcome of the
event in question. 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 911 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
communications officers who have contributed substantially to the apprehension
of criminals, suppression of fires, and treatment of patients be recognized for
their efforts.
“Our communications
officers are a crucial part in our efforts to keep this community safe,” said
Sheriff Rick Ramsay. “They talk with people in crisis on a regular basis; they
keep track of our deputies and detectives and make sure they are safe; and they
do it all so well we sometimes take them for granted. This week is a time for
us all to remember how hard they work, and how much they do,” he said.
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, communications officers, 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.
The
Monroe County Sheriff's Office would like everyone to take a little time to
think about the crucial role played by our Sheriff's Office 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 can email the director of
the division, Lt. Charlene Sprinkle-Huff at csprinkle@keysso.net.
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:
The 911
System
911 is an
emergency response service provided by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office to
assist the citizens of our county with receiving law enforcement, fire, and
ambulance service during times of crisis. Sheriff’s Office communications
officers answer special emergency phone lines 24 hours a day so the citizens of
Monroe County may receive help as expeditiously as possible. The Sheriff's
Office answers these emergency phone lines for Monroe County, the cities of
Marathon, Islamorada and Key Colony Beach as well as for Firefighters and
ambulances in those areas.
Sheriff's
Office communications officers also answer non- emergency calls on regular
phone lines. Obviously, someone in a crisis situation will get assistance prior
to someone calling with a non-emergency situation.
When
Should You call 911?
911
Emergency calls should be made only in cases such as a crime in progress, 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, 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 from a regular phone line, a computerized system will
automatically tell the communications officer your address and phone number. If
you are calling from a cellular phone, you will need to tell the officer where
you are. 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.
Communications
officers in Monroe County are trained in emergency medical dispatching. This
means if you have a medical emergency, the communications officer will be able
to assist you with initial treatment steps, such as performing CPR, the
Heimlich maneuver for choking victims, or other common medical emergencies.
Misuse of
the 911 Emergency system
Unfortunately
a substantial number of 911 calls received by MCSO 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 number may be called 24 hours a day:
305-289-2351.
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