Re: 911:: Where do the calls go when the 9-1-1 lines are full?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/4/2002 8:19:56 AM Mountain Standard Time,

zerkca@... writes:

> I'd be interested in hearing how

> things are in everyone's agencies when the 9-1-1 lines

> are all busy.

>

If something happens where all of our 9-1-1 lines are busy, additional calls

automatically roll over to the county sheriffs office, and their phones would

then roll over to another large psap. If for what ever reason all the lines

at the 3 psaps are busy, then folks calling 9-1-1 will get a busy signal.

Kathy

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/4/02 10:19:44 AM Eastern Standard Time, zerkca@...

writes:

<< I'd be interested in hearing how

things are in everyone's agencies when the 9-1-1 lines

are all busy. >>

Our overflow 911 calls get routed to the next County...they call us on the

Non Emergency lines or transfer the " True " emergencies to us on the Non

Emergency lines. The ONLY time we have experienced this is of course when

there is a " bad " accident during busy traffic and everybody and their brother

is calling to report it with their CELL PHONE!!!

Case

Grand Traverse County 911

Northern Michigan

[Guest guest]

I have them call the physic hotline

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/4/02 10:20:20 AM Eastern Standard Time, zerkca@...

writes:

> After closely following the current thread about

> non-emergency calls on 9-1-1 lines, I noticed that

> some of you mentioned that if your 9-1-1 lines are

> full, the calls automatically get sent over to

> non-emergency lines

Ours do not go to a regular 7 digit line, they are re-routed to another 911

center out of our area. The thinking behind that originally was not to send

them to a neighboring 911 center in case of an area wide outage or disaster.

So a 911 call that goes unanswered in our center could end up in Burlington

County which is about 2 hours from us. Consequently, you have a time delay

while the poor dispatcher there tries to figure out where the call actually

belongs and then transfering it back to us.

Patty

BTPD NJ

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/4/02 10:47:05 PM Eastern Standard Time,

dmgagnon@... writes:

>

> When I worked in Massachusetts - they rolled to a pre-designated backup. At

> the end of the year we got this handy-dandy report telling how many times

> we

> had rolled calls due to " too many at once " .

We also get end of the year reports and we had better have some damn good

explanations for any calls that rolled-over to another center OR if we take

too long to answer our 911 calls. I believe we have a 3.1 second average

right now.

Patty

BTPD NJ

[Guest guest]

When I worked in Massachusetts - they rolled to a pre-designated backup. At

the end of the year we got this handy-dandy report telling how many times we

had rolled calls due to " too many at once " . I think the worst incident

during my time there was the micro-burst semi-tornado storm in June 2000

where we rolled a boatload to Greenfield PD (if memory serves).

Where I work currently, more calls than lines gets a busy signal. We have 2

9-1-1 lines, and are on an internal centrex system. We've been told that

eventually, multiples should roll to that state PSAP at Williston, VT, but

that hasn't happened yet - Probably a problem where the systems can't be

made to " play nice in the sandbox " with each other.

Diane G.

UVM PD / Burlington, VT

> We have eleven 911 lines. I've only seen all of them lit up at once and

it was freaky, considering there were only 3 of us working. However if

another wanted to come in during that time it would roll over to the local

sheriffs department. Same thing goes for them, theirs rolls over to us.

For the other lines we have they roll over into each other. It would be

almost impossible for anyone trying to reach a 911 center not to.

>

[Guest guest]

Regarding the question of calls when all 9-1-1 lines are busy, this is

usually (but not always) a programmable option in the 9-1-1 equipment. Most

9-1-1 routers in use today can be programmed to send the call to your 7

digit number, send it to another PSAP that shares your tandem office (the

router), puts them " in queue " if you have an Automatic Call Distributor, or

gives them a busy signal. Your 9-1-1 administrator is usually asked to make

this decision, and it can be revised later if needed.

Some people feel that sending it to another PSAP just delays response as the

information has to then be relayed back to the proper agency for dispatch,

etc. Arguments can be made for each choice, so it is appropriate that each

PSAP be involved in the decision for their agency.

Some PSAPs have " stand alone " equipment, meaning a tandem office or router

is not used, and the calls have to be handled in your own PSAP, with no

option to roll over to another PSAP. This would mean a busy signal, roll

over to your 7 digit line, or placed in a hold queue if your phone system

offers that.

My point is, most systems have options, and the decisions are usually made

by someone locally -- if you are uncomfortable with the way your calls are

routed then talk to the person that administers your 9-1-1 system (not the

phone company -- they get their orders from the 9-1-1 administrator).

~~ Woody ~~

Woody Glover, Director of 9-1-1 Programs

APCO International

351 N on Blvd

Daytona Beach, FL 32114

GloverW@...

[Guest guest]

Then the question(s) becomes: if you have evacuated your center and

transferred the calls to another center, can that center physically alert

and talk to all the various units you are responsible for coordinating via

radio, etc? And do they know all the unit numbers, area assignments and the

like until you can get there to take back over coordination for your area?

Randy Mace