No hitch in the switch – Carter County 911 has new home
Published 9:33 am Thursday, July 17, 2014
GIS/IT Coordinator Chris Sims makes some final adjustments to one of the dispatch consoles Wednesday morning just before systems at the new Carter County 911 communications center went on-line.
Carter County 911 is up and running in its new location, and Wednesday’s switchover went off without a hitch, according to 911 officials.
But Wednesday morning was a very busy time at the new center as technicians worked on last-minute adjustments to phone lines, radios and computer systems in preparation for the changeover.
“We had minor stuff that you would expect, but we haven’t really run into any big problems,” said Dale Blevins, director of Carter County 911. “Within about 30 minutes we had everything switched over and up and running.”
A crew of dispatchers manned both the old and new centers while the transition was occurring, Blevins said. “That way we made sure everything switched over and we made sure we didn’t miss any calls for service,” he added.
The first call to be answered and dispatched from the new center was a medical assist call at 10:10 a.m.
Shortly after the changeover went live, Blevins said he was pleased with how the move went and that everything seemed to be working well.
Carter County 911 dispatcher Becky Church tries out a new work station just before the switch to the new 911 communications center on Wednesday morning.
The 911 director is excited to be in the new center, a place he says has “more room, better power systems, and all the amenities we need.”
The break room and kitchen area is a welcome feature in the new facility, Blevins said, adding that dispatchers and other 911 employees often find themselves working long hours in the event of severe weather, critical incidents and natural disasters.
“You can be stuck here for extended periods of time,” he added. “It is a necessity for the job we do and the services we provide.”
The new center also features a new, upgraded phone system, which will help dispatchers as they handle emergency calls. The phone system upgrades had been needed for some time but limitations at the old call center prevented the change, said GIS/IT Coordinator Chris Sims during an open house for the Center held in late June.
A new 80-foot radio tower installed at the center is an improvement over the 40-foot tower at the old location. Sims said the new, larger tower will improve radio reception between the dispatchers and emergency personnel in the field.
Blevins said some equipment and other items remain at the old center, but those items will be moved in the coming weeks and the old building turned back over to the county.
