JULY 2011

Kansas agencies sweep top three spots in error-report contest

Ft. Leavenworth Provost Marshall beat out 16 other agencies who participated in the PSAP error-report submission contest conducted by MARC Public Safety last month. The Lenexa Police Department and Overland Park Police Department came in second and third, respectively.

ERROR REPORT EXAMPLES:

Misrouted calls

No-record-found errors

Incorrect information such as a wrong address or house number

Cell sector missing from map data

Landline call doesn't plot on map

Submitting error reports helps clean up the region’s 9-1-1 database and map data — which could make your job easier when handling a call and could potentially help your agency provide faster response times to citizens in your communities.

Even though the competition is over, it’s still important to submit errors. You can enter all database or map errors using Info Manager on a
9-1-1 workstation, or by following your agency’s procedure for submitting an error.

All three agencies will be treated to fruit and sweets, and Ft. Leavenworth will be home to the official PSAP Error Report traveling trophy for a year. MARC Public Safety will conduct the PSAP error report submission contest on an annual basis; however, it’s important to submit every error as you find it.

Questions? Contact Saralyn Hayes at 816/701-8314.

Two area telecommunicators deploy in first-ever
activation of MO-TERT

Shawn Roetman, communications supervisor and Cody Lehman, communications officer from the Platte County Sheriff's Office served on a Missouri Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce (MO-TERT) in response to the EF-5 tornado that devastated Joplin, Mo., on May 22. MO-TERT is a response network of trained and qualified telecommunicators who are available to rapidly respond to assist public-safety emergency communications centers in times of man-made or natural disasters.

This was the first time the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) deployed MO-TERT. More»

Register now for 9-1-1 Day at the Ballpark

MARC regional 9-1-1 telecommunicators and their families are welcome to join us for the annual 9-1-1 Day at the Ballpark on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011, as the T-Bones take on the Lincoln Saltdogs.

Congratulations to Vickie Vaughn, Lee’s Summit Fire Department. She is the early-registration winner and will be enjoying the game from her suite seats. More»

KC Regional 9-1-1 System highlighted in national publication

Terry Bradshaw, public safety technical manager, was featured in the Q&A section of the June 2011 edition of MissionCritical Communications magazine. He emphasized how well agencies work together and how that benefits the public and PSAPs throughout the region. Read the full article»

Clay County the latest community to map trails

The Clay County Parks Department has begun collecting GPS data for the more than 25 miles of trails around Smithville Lake. Volunteers from the Northland CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) captured data using mapping-grade GPS devices along the Smoke N’ Davey, Bone Bender, CB Campground, Cabin Fever, Wild Cat Holler trails and more.

MARC staff is currently evaluating the data collected for input into the regional trail-mapping file. The Clay County Parks Department also wants to begin the process of installing emergency location signage throughout the trails; however, the timeline for that portion of the project is unknown.

Many other communities throughout the region are working on or have completed trail mapping, including Lenexa, Kan., and Riverside, Mo.

For more information about trail-mapping projects, please contact Saralyn Hayes at 816/701-8314.

Training program needs your feedback

MARC’s Public Safety training program strives to provide the highest quality and most convenient training services possible. In order to keep providing high-quality training, we are conducting an online needs assessment to identify opportunities for improvement.

The survey will take less than 10 minutes to complete. Please submit your survey by
5 p.m., Friday, July 22. The information you provide will be kept confidential and will only be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program and to improve the delivery and structure of course offerings.

Questions? Contact Greg Hook at 816/701-8273.

Program will introduce Cell Phone Sally this fall

Cell Phone Sally was developed by the Texas Commission on State Emergency Communications. Sally, and a whole cast of characters, have a new video, 9-1-1: Getting Help Is Easy, that provides up-to-date information about calling 9-1-1 from landline, wireless and VoIP phones. We're excited to introduce Sally to kindergarten and first-grade students throughout the region during the 2011–2012 school year.

We are still looking for telecommunicators to conduct school programs in their parts of the region. If you're interested in learning more about public-safety communications outreach and education, please register to attend the upcoming volunteer orientation. Even if you've already attended an orientation, we encourage you to consider coming to our Aug. 3 session to see and discuss the new video. More»

Reminder: Submit error reports through Info Manager

Have you answered a call that returned incorrect information, was misrouted or displayed a “no record found” message? If so, please remember to promptly submit an error report using Info Manager directly from your 9-1-1 workstation or by following your agency’s procedure. This helps staff improve the quality of ALI records in the regional 9-1-1 database. If you have questions about error reports, email Saralyn Hayes or call 816/701-8314.

Upcoming Training Opportunities

July 19: Refresher GeoLynx

July 26: TTY Training

July 26: 9-1-1 Equipment Training

Aug. 1: 9-1-1 Liability

Aug. 2: Violence in Public Settings

Aug. 3: Public Outreach Volunteer Orientation

Aug. 4: 9-1-1 Equipment Training

Aug. 4: Refresher TTY Training

Aug. 17–18: Negotiations Training for Telecommunicators

Aug. 22–26: Basic Telecommunicator Training

See a complete list of upcoming 9-1-1 training opportunities and GTI courses included in the 9-1-1 training consortium membership.

Special Events and Trainings

Aug. 13: 9-1-1 Day at the Ballpark

Aug. 18: Professional Development Series — Catastrophic Planning: Earthquake Response

Maintenance Services

In non-emergency situations, you may email maintenance requests or questions to 911techs@marc.org.

If your issue requires immediate attention, or if you think it might, please call 816/421-2911 any time day or night.

PSAP Managers Forum

The PSAP Managers Forum is an excellent resource for managers and supervisors to share and exchange ideas, concerns and suggestions.

Have a story you want to share?

Email Jen Houston or call 816/701-8394.