RICHMOND COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

Richmond County implemented its E-9-1-1 (Enhanced 9-1-1) center in April of 1993.  E-9-1-1 is a feature which allows the caller's phone number and address to be displayed on a screen at each Telecommunicator work station.  The information displayed is called the ALI (automatic location identifier) and the ANI (automatic number identifier).  When a citizen calls 9-1-1, the phone number from where the citizen is calling is displayed on the ANI screen.  The address of the caller or the billing address of the phone number, the billing name (residence or business) and again, the phone number are displayed on the ALI screen.  Callers often go to a location other than where assistance is needed to call 9-1-1 making the displayed information incorrect.   Telecommunicators only rely on the displayed information when the caller cannot tell them where assistance is needed, e.g. small child, out of town visitors, victim unable to speak, etc.  Telecommunicators will always ask the caller where assistance is needed and have the caller repeat back all information pertaining to the location. Then in early 2005 Richmond County upgraded its system to phase2 capabilities, this upgrade allows telecommunicators to plot most cell phone callers by GPS. When an E-9-1-1 call is placed by most newer cell phones the latatude and longitude are displayed as well as your location on a computer generated map, this allows telecommunicators locate someone in the event they are not familliar with the area as well as give them the quickest route to the location.

The Richmond County Emergency Services provides the citizens of Richmond County with a twenty-four hour, seven day a week telephone answering point to obtain the services of police, fire, and medical.  The agency will provide citizens with a structured program to deal with natural and man-made disasters while receiving services that utilize national standardized protocols.  To ensure that citizens receive the highest level of service, Richmond County Emergency Services will meet or exceed national standards while utilizing the latest technology available.