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Posted on Sun, Jul. 18, 2004
911 system to go on line Tuesday
By Becky Purser
Telegraph Staff Writer
WARNER ROBINS - Houston County's new 911 communications system goes on line Tuesday, replacing an antiquated system and possibly disrupting the public's love affair with scanners - at least initially.
The new system is expected to end dead spots where officers and other emergency personnel cannot communicate with central dispatch, said Houston County Sheriff's Capt. Ricky Harlowe, commander of the 911 center. The center is located next to the County Annex building off Carl Vinson Parkway in Warner Robins.
The new $12.5 million, 800 megahertz digital system replaces a UHF, VHF analog system, Harlowe said.
The old system's way of communication can be compared to radio waves bouncing across the county, while the new system is like an umbrella over the entire county, said Harlowe.
The old system was so antiquated that portable radios that go along with the system are not even manufactured anymore, he said.
The old system left dead zones in the county where police officers and other emergency personnel were unable to communicate with 911 dispatchers, and that meant officers and others couldn't call for backup or help in a few isolated spots across the county, Harlowe said. He declined to specify those isolated locations until the new system is operational.
But the chief drawback for the public with the new system is that most people will no longer be able to monitor 911 traffic on their home scanners, said Harlowe.
He said there are only a few scanners on the market at this time that mesh with the new system, and those scanners are pricey - usually starting at about $300, he said.
Only scanners that are "Apco 25 compliant" will work with the the new system, he said.
Also, the new system allows for communication via a computer laptop, in which police officers and other emergency personnel may communicate with 911 headquarters without speaking, Harlowe said.
The new system also allows for more talk groups, which should improve response times, Harlowe said. For example, police detectives may have a talk group that restricts patrol officers and the public from hearing the communication, Harlowe said. Only those in the talk group and 911 will be able to hear the communication, he said.
The new system also may usher in an end to the old system in which calls went out over the radio system by codes - such as 10-4 for OK, 10-17 for armed robbery and 10-43 for murder, Harlowe said.
Instead, communications officers, commonly called 911 dispatchers, and the varied emergency response agencies will go to clear speech, or simply talking in a professional manner, Harlowe said. Instead of a "10-17," the communications officer may simply say "suspected armed robbery," he said.
Most 10-codes are available via the Internet, so with the technology to go stealth when desired there's no reason to code the calls anymore, he said.
In all, 43 people are employed at the 911 center, including four administrators like Harlowe.
Harlowe hopes to add eight more people to serve as call communications dispatchers who will only log calls that come into 911. That will free communications officers to deal strictly with the dispatch of the call, and not also the statistical record of calls coming in, he said.
The $12.5 million to fund the new system was generated by the 2002 referendum for a one-cent increase in the local option sales tax, Harlowe said.
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To contact Becky Purser, call 923-3109, extension 243, or e-mail bpurser@macontel.com.
email this print this
Posted on Sun, Jul. 18, 2004
911 system to go on line Tuesday
By Becky Purser
Telegraph Staff Writer
WARNER ROBINS - Houston County's new 911 communications system goes on line Tuesday, replacing an antiquated system and possibly disrupting the public's love affair with scanners - at least initially.
The new system is expected to end dead spots where officers and other emergency personnel cannot communicate with central dispatch, said Houston County Sheriff's Capt. Ricky Harlowe, commander of the 911 center. The center is located next to the County Annex building off Carl Vinson Parkway in Warner Robins.
The new $12.5 million, 800 megahertz digital system replaces a UHF, VHF analog system, Harlowe said.
The old system's way of communication can be compared to radio waves bouncing across the county, while the new system is like an umbrella over the entire county, said Harlowe.
The old system was so antiquated that portable radios that go along with the system are not even manufactured anymore, he said.
The old system left dead zones in the county where police officers and other emergency personnel were unable to communicate with 911 dispatchers, and that meant officers and others couldn't call for backup or help in a few isolated spots across the county, Harlowe said. He declined to specify those isolated locations until the new system is operational.
But the chief drawback for the public with the new system is that most people will no longer be able to monitor 911 traffic on their home scanners, said Harlowe.
He said there are only a few scanners on the market at this time that mesh with the new system, and those scanners are pricey - usually starting at about $300, he said.
Only scanners that are "Apco 25 compliant" will work with the the new system, he said.
Also, the new system allows for communication via a computer laptop, in which police officers and other emergency personnel may communicate with 911 headquarters without speaking, Harlowe said.
The new system also allows for more talk groups, which should improve response times, Harlowe said. For example, police detectives may have a talk group that restricts patrol officers and the public from hearing the communication, Harlowe said. Only those in the talk group and 911 will be able to hear the communication, he said.
The new system also may usher in an end to the old system in which calls went out over the radio system by codes - such as 10-4 for OK, 10-17 for armed robbery and 10-43 for murder, Harlowe said.
Instead, communications officers, commonly called 911 dispatchers, and the varied emergency response agencies will go to clear speech, or simply talking in a professional manner, Harlowe said. Instead of a "10-17," the communications officer may simply say "suspected armed robbery," he said.
Most 10-codes are available via the Internet, so with the technology to go stealth when desired there's no reason to code the calls anymore, he said.
In all, 43 people are employed at the 911 center, including four administrators like Harlowe.
Harlowe hopes to add eight more people to serve as call communications dispatchers who will only log calls that come into 911. That will free communications officers to deal strictly with the dispatch of the call, and not also the statistical record of calls coming in, he said.
The $12.5 million to fund the new system was generated by the 2002 referendum for a one-cent increase in the local option sales tax, Harlowe said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To contact Becky Purser, call 923-3109, extension 243, or e-mail bpurser@macontel.com.
email this print this