Harvey County Communications is a busy center. We average nearly 200,000 telephone calls per year (41,000 are 9-1-1) which result in over 45,000 Police assignments and 5,000 Fire & EMS assignments per year. In 2002, Communications joined other Harvey County Departments in a Quality Assurance Program. We send out random surveys to citizens who have called 9-1-1 and get feedback on the level of service they received. Over the past several years our approval rating from those surveys has been nearly 100%. Also included in the QA program is a review of the time it takes to Dispatch a Fire or EMS emergency call. Our average time from first ring to page out for Fire/EMS is less than 60 seconds; most of the time a 2^nd dispatcher is paging out responders while the first dispatcher is on the phone gathering information.

 The responsibilities of 9-1-1 Dispatchers include:

• Promptly answering and processing calls on 10 emergency and 7 administrative lines.
• Monitoring and answering 13 different radio frequencies.
• Using Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) system to offer immediate basic life support instructions by telephone until units arrive.
• Coordinating Law Enforcement, EMS and Fire personnel on multiple agency responses.
• Gathering information from the scene prior to unit arrival to assure the safety of those responding, and monitor their safety throughout the call.
• Offering support, guidance and structure to emergency callers until units arrive and take physical control of the scene.
• Monitor and activate weather-warning sirens in Harvey County, Whitewater and Elbing, striving to give citizens an opportunity to seek shelter.
• Monitor, Dispatch, and collect fees for over 300 alarms connected directly into the Communications Center. In addition, process calls from outside alarm companies requesting Police, Fire or EMS dispatch.
• Enter wanted, missing or endangered persons and stolen property into the National Crime Information Computer and maintain and update those entries as needed.
• Process and disseminate Criminal History Record Checks for court and Law Enforcement personnel.
• Sending the right units, at the right time, in the right way; to protect the lives and property of those we serve.

Dispatchers are also kept busy with Public Relations work to inform the public about our local 9-1-1 system. 1999 Kansas APCO Telecommunicator of the Year Liz Sauerwein teaches "Survival Kids" to area 3rd graders. This curriculum based course, based on history and mapping skills, gives students insight into how the 9-1-1 emergency number is used and has evolved through the years. 9-1-1 staff also makes available presentations to the Newton Police Department Citizen"s Academy, Leadership Newton, Job Fairs, Summer Safety courses, and tours.

Dispatchers Courtney Becker, Don Gruver, Darren Ryan and Shannon Catlin also serve on the Emergency Response Team as Tactical Dispatchers, taking their communications, documentation and resource gathering skills into the field to assist field commanders. Their focus while on scene is on just that incident, not the other calls and activity within the communications center. Our Tactical Communications Truck carries a full complment of equipment to perform as a field command post as well as tie mulitple radio channels across different frequency bands together into interoperable communications networks.

 The well being of the staff is a concern as well. Emergency Services work is very stressful at times, and built-up stress can take its toll on individuals. Therefore, Harvey County Communications Center is active in the Harvey County CISM Team. This is a peer-support group that provides education and post-crisis interventions for emergency services personnel. The proper mitigation and prevention of the effects of Critical Incident Stress are important for the health and preservation of experienced, trained staff.

Our primary radio frequencies: 159.165 Ch 1 Newton PD 154.845 Ch 2 County Law 154.325 Ch 3 Fire/EMS 159.345 Ops 4 154.755 Ops 5 154.040 Ops 6 155.040 City Utility 151.025 County Utility