Welcome to another edition of issues 2010 behind Steve Macintosh and I'll get to -- county emergency communications director Diane -- good morning good morning welcome news show. That I get the title about right there yes it's very long. Sedgwick county emergency communications director all right. Well since you've never been a guest on this program. I'd like to start with some background. How long you've been in this job.
I MM with 911 for a little over 31 years starting out as a dispatcher and working my way up to being a department head.
With this is with the here in center county yes okay so. You started out as a dispatcher what to do before that if is that the entire life right there. I was actually dispatcher for valley center before I started with such -- county where you grew up. I got -- center in valley center. And he knows the what is it -- was there any thing when you were drawn up that said you know when I grow up I would like to be in communications or I would like to be a dispatcher.
There is absolutely nothing because I was went to case stay right after high school I was gonna become a veterinarian. Was my goal is that point in time. And ended up working for valley center part time. One -- at a high school. Personal life changed in nine have been married and working for such -- county in the process.
How about that. Give us an idea if you could do -- would doubt about the the scope of your responsibilities and other words let's start with how many employees do you supervise.
There are 85 of us working at an emergency communications. About sixty those are dispatchers. We have eleven people do nothing -- answered 91 calls teachers and supervisors in the mix. Training personnel people that are quality assurance folks who. We -- you know I'm one calls review radio traffic to make sure we're doing our jobs right. As a support staff.
When you say eleven news at eleven for 24/7 I mean is are there shifts of three or four hasn't work.
Bishop says the three -- and me in if -- dispatchers on assigned to specific radio tasks they're helping with that he answering them one calls. And they also answer 91 calls in addition to handling some of the radio traffic.
You know and we've got active in Britain right over there is a scanner -- of course to monitor those and our newsroom at all times and and sometimes it sounds like. There's enough traffic on -- would keep about twelve or thirteen people biscuits to think it's pretty busy and and and it.
It does that we handle about 4650091. Calls a year right now so there's quite a few folks calling us this is quite a -- happening out there -- annual budget. Annual budget is about six point five million which covers not only staff. It also covers all the technology needed to support 91. The part of our budget that I think people see the most is what's on your phone bill every month. And that doesn't pay for the people answering them -- one calls it pays for the telephone system here helping us cancer and I want calls. It supports a computer dispatch system where we input the information -- contains our -- address database. The radio system we record everything that comes in through 91 any of the technologies that support us getting the right help to the right place at right time. Come from what you see on your telephone bill and then we like every other county department when he comes to staffing those are paid out of general fun. -- I didn't even know there was a line only telephone bill for that but it's a little mind I am well on your team. Home phones your hardware phone -- 75 cents a month. And then on your wireless phones right now it's fifty cents a month 25 cents at that. Goes to his state grant fund and 25 cents -- that those who is a local -- when answering point. In the grant fund is money that's out there for. All of the 91 senators in Kansas. Out of counties that are smaller than 75000. So out of a 105 counties in Kansas a hundred of them can get money under the grant fund. This started. In 2004. And what's happened since -- in 2004 they were very few counties that can handle wireless time one calls and -- we -- They'd use that money over the past six years and now every single county in this state. Can handle wireless -- one calls and pinpoint your location while.
And him when it comes to the money that view that revenue coming in -- department is at all come out of the county or you do you have any state and federal funds coming your -- are now say.
Federal funds is strictly. What you see on your phone bill and then local funds. What kind of physical facilities you have. When we moved a couple of years ago to 714 north main used to be in the basement of the courthouse for years and now we are in the new public safety building. Where we have about a Florida half -- that room. For all of our technology. And the dispatchers are in a communications center that's over 3000 square feet. So we actually room for growth and it's a great place to work.
It was -- standing building that was renovated or is that a brand new building I'm sorry -- forgot where but it is.
That's a new building. Years ago there were a couple of hardware stores there along main street -- it's on the east side industry yes okay Red Cross from the Red Cross building.
I've seen at nine knowing that now is that thing. I presume that that building at least of dispatchers part of it physically has to be tornado bomb proof or whatever.
It is the dispatchers. It is carrying need to dispatchers are on the second floor. And -- room with windows. We have windows -- about an ancient I have two inches thick that will withstand a two iron fifty mile an hour sustained wind. So the first time you went through tornado warning law -- in that building and the dispatchers really gave me a hard time and arrest me about. Okay there are catching the weather off of the weather channel saying all right -- response to go to Lois W put us on the second floor. Supposed to go to the smallest room in the building you put this in the biggest building and I get -- your windows. But it. Even though you can see through the windows it is actually like this that built with the same concept is safer that you're doing a lot of the schools. That type of technology went into sporting program.
Well obviously people who are dispatchers. Are communicators and they have like some of -- radio. May have sort of a sense of humor about certain things probably a little dark sometimes little cynical -- tell you deal with the worst things in life will be out and saying basically you do here's some very bad things -- minimum pillows telephones. Talk a little bit if you would to a Diane about hiring and the hiring and training process for a our dispatchers.
Well we start out where. We take the applicants and I have to be able to at least keyboard 35 words a minute. Because you can -- the 35 words a minute may not be superfast but you know had a tight. If you use seeing the biblical -- are seeking ye shall find you can hit 35 words a minute. So we do know that they can tight and we put them through general knowledge based tests to which we've got a minimum score. Actually score that we're accepting of the folks that could be successful they chose to go to college so it's that level of train ability. And then we picked the top from Mac group. Boring -- in for an informational meeting to explain what it's like to working and I'm one senator shift work. That type of thing and we make them sit down -- in the com center during a busy time for four hour block to see if this is really the career that they want. And then go through the normal interview process we go through psychological screening. And typically we're lucky to find four or five good people that will be able to handle that job.
Well when it comes to I would say multitasking is something that they have been able to do you got to the balancing some -- some do some balancing them. At three balls in the -- thing right.
That is or intermittent but. Why is the folks that have grown up in the computer generation and video games. They're really well skill that multitasking aegis have to re learn what your multitasking about. The -- carpet. -- okay we're gonna go kill aliens and it takes this type the gun to kill an alien in this is gonna happen -- gets five more lives. If we give them the situation like this is a fire called buddy keep that hazardous materials involved he need to add this equipment. That's someone hurt you need at this equipment. They can really think along those lines are very -- able to learn how to do that.
and video games might be -- at least one component of both the good dispatcher then.
Well I don't want don't have it or not. They managed Eminem personalize it seems to be something that transfers over.
The same time it seems to me that dispensing mediate. Is a high stress job is that true.
That is because you're hitting everybody on one of the worst days of their lives people don't call us when I haven't really did day it's something crisis. They wrecked their car there's been a shooting someone's having a heart attacks -- on -- that are stressful job. What kind of background makes for the best dispatchers and use and you mentioned that -- unless of well yeah but that's not something we're gonna even -- in an interview yeah. People they've done similar job some ideas smaller capacity. People that are good at multitasking. At. We ended up with a lot of people that did restaurant service for awhile because that is another job a multi tasks quite a bit. People that have had some background in law enforcement. Or Emergency Medical Services -- fire that really wants to be part of the other end of it instead about the field. That type of person.
The US into issues 2010 on the Entercom radio stations -- our guest this week is Cedric county emergency communications director. Diane engage. What impact. Did did 9/11 -- your department.
It was one of those things -- really image take a step back. And think and there was quite a bit that happened in our community because of the airlines all shutting down and not being able to get transportation. Anywhere. Call volume that day I don't believe it was that bad because people -- home. And watching TV and just pretty much frozen in place. Remember driving many evening and amazed at how quiet it was in -- there was nobody out there anywhere. Now the impact I see now is we've really taken a look at things for security issues a lot differently than we did. Pre 9/11 because it gave you pause to -- and make sure you've had everything in place. Which had redundancies but it made us go back and really look how redundant are we if we lose one component of our system are we -- still function. While we can do to keep things going should something of that magnitude happen in our area.
Without giving away any secrets him we know that even if within radio stations all the sudden. As companies we were looking at what's our emergency plan let's come up with something and it was kind of a wake up call for us wanna.
Was I mean we had back -- center available to us intact we activated prior. To 9/11 occurring for different -- But it really need to take stock on what you had going on.
Do you think Sedgwick county is. Well prepared ill prepared for possible major disaster what is our preparation look like.
Sister Kenny is well prepared. We train on a regular basis we've got the tools in place to support a major disaster. We use all those tools and get through the first few minutes and then every disaster is totally different. But we've been confronted with quite a bit in our community over the past 1520 years we've survived if you tornadoes. We've gone through some major explosions in grain elevators with -- some significant events. I don't think Sedgwick county has done and this includes people with public safety the city which on the stranding communities. Is we learn from every event that takes place. And everyone seems to work very well together. When we had the issue up north with them explosion and parcel. You had multiple agencies. From around the community up there there's city nice senator unit share a few bad. Emergency management some of the surrounding towns that all work together and it was done in a real structured logical manner. And since we worked together on a regular basis. And there's training involved with those departments as well people know what to expect and how to say organized they know who's gonna be responsible for what area. Of the situation. Such as hazardous materials area he amassed law enforcement that type of thing. So I think we are fairly well prepared and know where we're going we have structure in place to deal with something.
And it's not something that used you've got to planners a book on the shelf it's -- it's collecting dust. Don't you go back and look at that periodically and him retrain and reaction science.
Yes and the plan that we have is kept up to date by emergency management and then all of the departments. That would be utilizing it come into play. And when you look -- even just a minor event as far as the scope of events if we have say an apartment building on fire with your ball in law enforcement -- You're going through the same command structure that you would be going through. If we had a major tornado city gets trained on almost a daily basis. On a command structure and how that would work if we had a problem that was much larger.
Tell us a little bit about the role computers play in your day to day operations I mean you've you've touched on Littleton there was the computer games that the actual role of computers in -- In your office and in your New -- communication center there.
Computers play a huge role in tech police dispatch console. There's three supporting that dispatch console because the radios -- computerized. Telephone systems computerize the computer aided dispatch. Affected even goes so far as -- going out to the patrol cars and responding vehicles. We -- quality to verify location and if we put an address and it can tell us if there's a past history at that location. So say an officer's been out on a couple of disturbances the last few days. We know that they had even if that individualists taken and I'm -- called didn't work on that day and then information is pushed out to the field. We can map every location and tell where folks are going. We have GPS type units in all of the responding vehicles we can actually physically watched them drive down the street. And if you have an issue you can see where that officer's car was amazed last checked in with us if you can't raise -- we know where to go look format. There is really nothing that we're doing and then that isn't touched by computers you calling and a heart attack. We're going through a question and answer session. On the person's condition and what steps were going to be taking with you until the ambulance gets there. Which we're not holding up your call because as soon as we answered on one call and can verify the location need help. That's when the response -- for the ambulance to be dispatched in the fire department and then we're getting in. Is a person conscious are they breeding if they're not conscious and not breathing we're going to be telling you what to do between the time you call us until the first responder arrives on the scene.
Does that come -- dispatchers screen a little like a check checklist to do there is -- put the call typing and really an Anderson called that it comes up and it'll tell which questions to answer next based on the content that they had. I'm I'm really. Tardy on this I should come down and watch some time if you -- looking at. Well we mine on my feet I might be somewhat disruptive so often and how contrast that ill die and to bring you first started it. A few years it back give details like the information -- Is is these huge compared to what you may have had a couple sticky notes in the old days -- that was about it and a -- well you get back ground people know what they're getting into when they go out there.
In the olden days of god. We hand wrote these things on a card that was the size of an old IBM partner they had the information stamped on it in depending on where you're sitting in the room. You hand delivered it to the person was gonna be sending the whatever response it was please fiery mess out there. Or you dropped it into a conveyor belt that went around the room and dropped off at the dispatcher while and they had to be able to read your handwriting. And no geographically where that was look at a map and we did have a status map where. It's a light was on that person was available as the light was off they were not. We -- know physically where they work I mean we couldn't tell -- patrol car was but we knew that this was on maybe we could send him there. The fire department had a little different light system. It's a light or green M and they -- out on the streets somewhere if the lights turned off they -- the station and if there were read they are on call. But we've physically had to go look on a map to pinpoint where is who we were gonna send. And right now the system can tell me exactly how many miles and who's closest by drive time now has physical. Distance but it's estimated drive times the old system when we are all manual. He kind of looked at the map and measured and decided who was closer based on case this is finger length this is -- yeah. Hey how. What kind of -- impact this has -- bad head on the response time other response times have improved tremendously. Now I don't have to physically hand information to someone decision put an address in an occult type insanity comes up in front of a dispatcher for dispatch. You can get calls dispatched with ministries -- seconds with the correct recommendation and no you are sending the closest unit on the call.
Has a recession had an impact on your department.
It's had an impact but. Actually. It's helped -- somewhat. People don't mind doing shift work is much sensory sessions come along. I don't -- shift in and call volumes they've stayed fairly constant we have a little bit of growth each year but you have a little growth. Because and number of people in the community grows slightly who. So in -- way. The call blame it really hasn't affected us but I.
I'm talking and a budget wise has the countess of all you needed. Cut spending or anything like that and.
We've all been real frugal and looking at the spending that we have within our department's. We have not cut from the 91 budget. Public safety continues to be a priority for the county manager in the county commission. But we do look at ways to reduce spending. What are we doing. With. There's lot of little things around the periphery that you can deal with that can help with that. But the bulk of our budget is salaries and we have not looked at any cuts. And -- and over enemy looking in any cuts to salaries -- And that's cuts to salaries cuts with personnel the.
Okay okay I know 911. Receives many inappropriate calls what are the possible penalties for somebody you. Abuses and 911 privileges if you will.
Most of it's a misdemeanor. Through municipal court. Making false calls -- some state statutes out there on making false calls. It's a fine -- have some ties have a hard time stopping some of it because of someone who really believes they have a legitimate need it's hard to prove that. They didn't later on because yes some folks. Intention what was your intention yes some of it is they may not -- mental health issues and may really see you need to involve us and then the best bet for us is to push him towards someone who can provide an alternate source to help. We disagree a lot of more of these kind of calls in the summer because kids are on their own. And if you get bored you think of things to do that may not be the best choices.
So. Somebody's asked you if you have pop and a bottle. Not know why did we get some stuff like that prince Albert -- you can. Do people understand that those calls that they make tonight no one can be traced immediately. Mean the old movies are keep -- alliance we interest all the you know I was calling immediately --
Yes I think they do know that we can Trace the calls immediately and there's a strong dependence on it. Now you're calling for a hard -- phone we know where you're at right then and there are no wireless phone. We're first gonna get the tower information on the call that your on the tower that your car hit. Then we're going to future. Geographical -- trying on a mountain. It's just -- different databases -- hit thinks it takes is slightly longer to get the accordance on your call. But we are getting them when you figure. 1520 years ago most people's and even have a cellphone you had to chased out of pay -- unreported accident. Now you can call in on your cellphone even if it takes is a second -- Tutsis three to four seconds to get the location. Is still so far ahead of anywhere that you would have been before because you're reaching -- human being who can actually tell where you're at within a short period of time.
Mean that's gotta be -- has got to tell you there's one or two times over the years I've been helpful in calling 911. When I came upon an accident or something like that and I'll tell you a collar men and I give the location and address. Really I'm not on thirteenth street I want to when he first street it's easy to get confused where you are out there and it.
And imagine driving through an area you don't know yet if you've been driving on the interstates going out of state. You probably don't even on a mile marquee nearing and you have to think twice what town you just passed through and so it really is a benefits.
Can you share one or two -- usual line on one pulses that you're. Without mentioning any names of course with that you always have some. Your healthy somebody's gonna have a baby you've done that in fact we did one just the other day.
Yeah this wanna be born in cars -- a lot of traction -- I don't know racing NASCAR drivers later. You get fun ones with animals that may have issues like thinking you've got a possum in the house that type thing. Just dealing lance. Says and turner remembers some of the funnier ones. We've had over the years. Where. You can't believe the person is actually got themselves into that sit through all.
Okay and that some of those there's some stuff we can't talk about the radio I'm sure there's a -- like and a few like -- that. Basically. If you want folks is if they call 91 who who are being serious and have a serious problem not column just to give you a hard time. Now we don't want to call. So I did what's in the future plans for your department you have you know Austin -- recession in -- much money out there but are you dream in some big dreams -- done any plans don't.
Well there's the radio system upgrades is you're gonna BC coming about the next few years as -- like your TV stations and some Hillary I've had to go to HD. We are going digital in the next few years. Our radio system's been in place for the better part of twenty years. And their narrow banning us which means we're getting half of the frequency with this we had before and we're adjusting to it. So the -- this -- going digital there's a whole lot coming down the pike on next generation 911. And what that is is right now you cannot text message 911. With the exception of a couple isolated pockets in the country. Is to think about it. It's more like sending an email. And there are 1591. Centers in the state Kansas. Safina text someone you really like to go to the right one. We grab on wireless phone calls we know where your GPS coordinates are and can get -- to the right place but. Payment text message to the right place and I don't want it is really just.
So texting is what's generalists I'm we're out of time but I sure appreciate you taking the time -- Diana's have been very informative thank you so much for being with us today you're up. Our -- county emergency communications director -- engaged. And that's all for this edition of issues 2010 will would back next week thank you for listening I'm Steve Macintosh.
