Tag Archives: Kent County Dispatch Authority

Wyoming approved tower for updated countywide dispatch system

Wyoming’s Gezon Water tower will host one of the three towers for the county’s new dispatch system.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

It may have been a short Wyoming City Council meeting this past Monday, but it was a busy one with the council hiring a new finance director for the city and approving a tower for Kent County’s new dispatch system.

 

In 2016, Kent County voters approved a 70-cent surcharge on their telephone and internet connections. The estimated $4.5 million a year would be split between converting the county’s current public safety dispatch system and countywide fire dispatch services.

 

The City of Wyoming was approached about placing one of three of the towers needed for the new 800 MHz radio system on the Gezon Water tower, City Manager Curtis Holt told the council at the meeting. The new system would allow all police, emergency responders and state police personal as well as neighboring county police and fire to be interconnectable as they would all be utilizing the same radio system, Curtis said.

 

The agreement is slightly different then other tower agreements the city has.

 

“This is a no cost agreement,” he said. “We are not charging for this location. We are not charging for this location because it benefits our public safety.”

 

He said the other municipalities hosting towers, which are the City of Grand Rapids and Kent County, are not charging as well to help keep costs down, Curtis said.

 

Curtis also pointed out that the agreement has a maintenance section where as during maintenance of the water tower, the county, at its own cost, would have to move the dispatch tower to a temporary location.

 

The council unanimously approved the agreement. Curtis said the Gezon Water tower will be undergoing a painting project this spring with the new dispatch antennas being installed after that project is completed.

 

The Wyoming City Council also approved an amended agreement with Kent County for dispatch services since effective Jan. 1, the city will not be charged for fire safety dispatch since that is covered under the new surcharge.

 

Rosa Ooms has been named the city’s new finance director.

New City Finance Director

 

After several years without a finance director, the Wyoming City Council approved a motion to promote Rosa Ooms to the position.

 

 

According to the city’s website, the finance department at the City of Wyoming works in the following areas: payroll, payments to vendors, insurance plans such as medical, dental, vision, liability, property, life, and workers compensation, cash management, retirement plans, budget, and bonding. Robert Luders left the finance director position in 2015. The city has been working with a contracted CPA firm since 2014.

 

According to Mayor Jack Poll, Ooms, who has been the city’s deputy finance director, has been in the department, working with staff. “…[from] what she has shown and where we anticipate the finance department to go that she will be an excellent leader in there,” he said.

 

During the council meeting, City Manager Curtis Holt also spoke highly of Ooms and her work in the city’s finance department.

 

“We have been through kind of some ups and downs with our finance department since our finance director retired…,” Holt said. “Rosa has really stepped up and done a great job with our finance department. Our entire finance department is really operating very, very well. We are really pleased with what we are doing and I think that is kind of a tribute to Rosa and her leadership over this kind of tumultuous period. Congratulations to her and I think it is well deserved and I thank her for doing this.”

 

The City Council unanimously approved the recommendation with Ooms officially starting her new position on Jan. 8.

 

The next regular Wyoming City Council meeting, set for Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW, will include the State of the City address from Mayor Jack Poll.

County encourages residents to give the gift of safety by signing up for Smart911

As the holiday season approaches, the Kent County Dispatch Authority is encouraging Kent County residents to take the time to speak with loved ones about the benefits and importance of signing up for Smart911™.

 

A free service provided by KCDA, Smart911 lets users create a private and secure safety profile that 911 will reference during an emergency. This information may include photos, detailed medical information, cell phone numbers, vehicle descriptions, pet information and other data that can be critical during an emergency situation, and enables faster and more effective emergency response by law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services.

 

“Smart911 helps responders use the minutes that count during an urgent situation for a better, faster response,” said Wyoming City Manger Curtis Holt, who serves as the chair of the Kent County Dispatch Authority. “This service is now free to all Kent County residents and has proven to save lives nationally. Taking a few minutes to get you and your family signed up now might save your lives in an emergency later.”

 

Connected to a mobile phone number, Smart911 allows residents to link both home and work addresses, which can then be passed on to responders in the field for a more detailed, rapid response. All information is optional, and each user has the ability to choose what is included.

 

Since Smart911 was introduced, emergency dispatchers have credited it with several “Smart Saves.” One incident earlier this year resulted in a successful intervention for an 18-year-old, who called 911 saying she had drunk alcohol and taken pills and was unable to move. The dispatcher was able to reach her through her Smart911 profile, reaching out to an aunt who was able to get her to the emergency room.

 

“I can’t say it enough: The benefits of signing up for this service are immense,” Holt said. “When you use your mobile phone to call 911, an address is not displayed to the call taker, slowing down the emergency response. In so many emergency situations, minutes and seconds matter, and the additional information in a safety profile allows help to get there faster – and arrive better prepared.”

 

Smart911 is currently available in 40 states and more than 1,500 municipalities across the country. The service has been credited with positively impacting emergency outcomes, including prevention of several life-threatening incidents in which the discretion of conversations with 911 were critical to the outcomes. After making initial contact with 911 dispatchers via phone call, discrete details in these situations were able to be confirmed by text message via Smart911 after the call.

 

This service was made available to Kent County residents for the first time earlier this year, but as the holiday’s approach, KCDA is hoping residents will take the time to have conversations about Smart911 with loved ones.

 

“This holiday season, what better gift than giving your family additional peace of mind in case of an emergency?” Holt said. “I certainly can’t think of one.”

 

Kent County residents are encouraged to create their safety profile with Smart911 at www.smart911.com to ensure their information is available to 911. It takes approximately 10 minutes to complete the secure online form that will be stored in the confidential Smart911 database. All information is kept private and protected and is only available to 911.

 

About Kent County Dispatch Authority

 

The Kent County Dispatch Authority was formed in 2007 to address issues that related to 911 services in the County. KCDA develops policies and procedures for administering 911, creates the annual operating and capital budget, establishes goals and objectives through a strategic plan for future technological or operational enhancements, distributes 911 surcharge funds and other initiatives to maximize efficiency of 911 services. For more information, visit www.kent911.org

 

About Smart911

 

Currently available in 40 states and more than 1,500 municipalities, Smart911 allows citizens to create a free Safety Profile online for their household that includes information they want 911 and response teams to have during an emergency, such as their address, medical conditions, pets, etc. When an emergency call is made, a citizen’s Safety Profile is automatically displayed to the 911 call-taker. Last year, 25 million 911 calls were assisted by Safety Profiles. All information is kept private and secure, only appearing when the associated number calls 911.

Kent County gets ‘Smart911’ with the goal of improving emergency response

Kent County Sheriff Larry Stelma, Grand Rapids Central Dispatch Communications Manager Karen Chadwick, Kent County Dispatch Authority Chair and Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt, Kent County Sheriff Department Emergency Communications Center Manager Matt Groesser, and RAVE Customer Success Manager Kevin Hatline.

 

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

“Where is the emergency?” has become the first question area 911 operators ask as more and more emergency calls come from cellphone users.

 

This is because within a minute the call is answered the cellphone will relay a location back which can be anywhere from where you are actually standing to a mile or more away, said Kent County Sheriff Department Emergency Communications Center Manager Matt Groesser.

 

“Often the case is the person calling is in a very intense, stressful, panicky situation and being able to relay details such as location can be difficult,” said Karen Chadwick, communications manager for Grand Rapids Central Dispatch.

 

Various local law enforcement at today’s press conference for Smart911.

Today, at the Kent County Sheriff’s Department, the Kent County Dispatch Authority — chaired by Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt — announced that it would be adapting the Smart911 program where individuals can create an online safety profile for their household. When a citizen makes a call that profile will automatically display the citizen’s Safety Profile to the 911 call taker.

 

“This profile provides key details about you and your family to those taking our 911 calls during an emergency,” said Kent County Sheriff Larry Stelma during the press conference that representatives from various law enforcement agencies throughout Kent County including the Kentwood Police Department and the Wyoming Department of Public Safety attended. “These things might include physical descriptions of your house, your family members. It might include the type of vehicles you drive. It also might include special medical conditions that you or your family might have.”

 

Kentwood Police Chief Thomas Hillen (far left) at the Smart911 press conference.

Other details residents may provide are the pets in the home, the layout of the home and shut off for gas and electricity. It is the type of information that various emergency responders might need, Stelma said.

 

Area residents should go to Smart911.com, click the “Sign Up Today” button and proceed to fill out the information. Sign up is free, private and secure with 911 call takers and responders only able to see the information when a call is made. Once the call is complete, the information disappears from the call taker’s and/or responder’s screen.

 

Powered by RAVE Mobile Safety, Smart911 is currently available in 40 states and more than 1,500 municipalities. Last November, Lt. Governor Brian Calley and other Michigan government officials announced a statewide initiative to make Smart911 available to all residents. While free to residents to sign up, the cost to Kent County for the service is around $40,000 which is being paid for by a grant for the first year.

 

Holt said he sees the City of Wyoming doing similar promotions as the state on its Facebook page, website and through other media. Officers throughout the county will have materials available to distribute with the goal of encouraging residents to sign up. Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll said he already is planning to include Smart911 information that he provides to residents, especially older citizens.

 

“It’s a good idea,” said Kentwood Police Chief Thomas Hillen. “Having that type of information such as a pinpoint of location is quite a big help in responding to an emergency.”

 

“The additional information provided in a Smart911 safety profile can save critical minutes in an emergency and help responders offer better services,” Holt said. “All information is optional and each citizen has the ability to choose what they would like to include.”

 

Multiple phones can be connected to one address as well as a single phone line can have both home and work addresses assigned to it. Also, the program works with all types of phones from traditional land lines, VOIP, cable and mobile.

 

For more information about the program or to enroll, visit Smart911.com.