Category: News & Media

Holidays, including Christmas, are almost always high traffic days for your local Emergency Communications Center (ECC). Something about gathering estranged family members together, driving in less-than-ideal conditions, and spending hours cooking extremely flammable holiday dinners makes this time of year very busy for public safety professionals. How do you stay on top of potential emergencies to avoid having to call 911 on a day that’s supposed to be filled with cheer? 

911 is for Emergencies Only  

Our first piece of advice is to remember that you should not be calling 911 unless you’re experiencing an emergency that requires a response from police, fire, or EMS professionals. Since most holidays are already busy for your local 911 telecommunicators, dialing 911 for anything other than one of those types of services is taking resources away from someone who might actually need them. Keep the lines clear for people in life-threatening situations, especially on high traffic days like Christmas.

Prepare for the Worst, Hope for the Best 

During the winter season, we North Texans deal with an unusual weather pattern. One day you’re in danger of heat stroke, and the next week you’re worried about icy roads. Stay prepared for any possible situation this winter by loading up on any necessary supplies. It is recommended by the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) that you keep at least two-week’s worth of food and water stockpiled in case of an emergency. Though we hope you don’t have to break into your stockpiled food during the holidays, it’s better to be safe than sorry. 

Driving in icy conditions can be dangerous, so it’s also recommended that you take precautions to avoid accidents by ensuring you have enough air in your tires and driving slowly. Keep emergency supplies in your vehicle such as a first aid kit, flares, blankets, and kitty litter or sand. 

If you’re cooking this year, maintain kitchen safety precautions. Don’t leave stovetops unattended and keep an eye on any children. And if you’re frying a turkey, be sure to do your research for a proper set up to avoid a burnt lawn or, worse, house! 

Don’t Hang Up 

If you do happen to experience an emergency on a holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas and need to dial 911, be sure to stay on the line until your call is answered. Though it is rare, during high traffic times you may have to wait to have your call answered, and some callers are tempted to hang up and redial. Don’t do this. This puts your call back at the end of line. Stay on the line until a 911 telecommunicator answers, and then listen carefully and answer all questions and instructions. Have your location information ready to relay as this is the best way to ensure a fast response time.   

The holidays are stressful, but don’t make them harder than they need to be by being unprepared. If you do need assistance from emergency services during a major holiday, stay calm, stay on the line, and answer all of the 911 telecommunicators questions for a fast response.  

The pandemic has reminded me how important relationships and connections can be.  I think I took them and personal contact for granted prior to lockdown.  As we begin getting back out of our homes, I am so thankful for our state and national associations that can bring us together to learn and to connect personally.  While it was great to experience all the virtual training and conferences, I am so excited to see people face-to-face again.   Our associations are providing opportunities for networking, sharing lessons learned, forming new relationships and contacts as well as re-connecting with old friends.  These events offer chances to contribute, serve, and get involved.  I remember back in 2012 when I committed to run for national office with NENA.  I had gotten so much from the association for years, and I wanted a chance to give back.  I was well into my journey to Next Generation 9-1-1 with over 40 small to mid-size ECCs, and I wanted to share real stories and encourage others to start their NG journey as well.  What I didn’t count on was the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people as I was able to travel to numerous state conferences.  Each one was different, but the same.  They all shared a mission to advance our industry and opportunities to meet amazing people with incredible ideas and passion.  While I was not always successful in championing change and inspiring people to step away from the legacy mindset; I was blessed with new friendships, a network of subject matter experts to help me navigate my own journey, and hours and hours of sessions that taught me what others were doing around the country.  It was an honor and privilege, and I will forever be grateful.  I remain a technology and change champion for the 9-1-1 industry, but I am most thankful for the people I have gotten to meet who have taught me so much.

I am so thankful to all the people that helped me grow into the person I am today.  I talk about being a servant leader, but how did I become one myself?  With a lot of help, I assure you.  I have been blessed by so many people throughout my education and career.  Of course, it actually started much earlier than that.  I am thankful for my wonderful parents who instilled my core value system and encouraged me from the time I was born to present day.  I also had some pretty wonderful teachers in school and college.  The best ones challenged me and gave me a desire to grow and always do my best.  I am most thankful that they taught me to love learning.  I am thankful for each of the bosses I have had and the different things I have learned about my jobs and myself from them.  And isn’t it wonderful that we can also learn from our peers, people in organizations and committees, and mentors.  I am thankful for all the people in the 9-1-1 industry that have answered my incessant questions, counseled me through challenging times, shared their experiences and given me advice.  I am thankful that many people in this industry have become my friends.  These friends make me laugh when I feel like crying, they brainstorm with me and encourage me to achieve dreams I didn’t even know I had.  I have been blessed with the most amazing co-workers who are passionate, intelligent, hardworking, and dedicated to improving 9-1-1 services.  I have also had the opportunity to work with the best telecommunicators who keep me focused on the mission.  These TCs are trusting and are willing to try new things in order to improve public safety communications.  They stand with NCT9-1-1 in our mission of saving lives and making a difference.

As I count my blessings, I hope that you can too.  It is wonderful to have a time of the year when we reflect on our lives and give thanks.  As I realize how many people have helped me learn and grow, I hope that I will remain thankful not just for Thanksgiving, but year round!

Who is the North Central Texas Emergency Communications District?

The North Central Texas Emergency Communications District, or NCT9-1-1, is a 9-1-1 authority that services 13 counties and five municipalities surrounding the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. But that’s just our official definition. We like to think that NCT9-1-1 is really defined by our people.

The district is made up of six different teams who are the backbone of the 9-1-1 program. These individuals work to provide superior services for the public and communities we serve, and we have a great time doing it. We’ve summarized our teams and their members below; take a look to discover the ins and outs of how a regional emergency communications district is run. 

The Data Team 

The 9-1-1 Data Team is responsible for the ALI Database. The ALI Database is a critical component of the 9-1-1 system and is the source for landline address information. The 9-1-1 Data Team manages approximately 400,000 customer records with an average error rate of 0.001. This low number of errors is achieved through the hard work of the local city and county addressing coordinators. Their efforts keep this database up to date. With the growth of the NCT9-1-1 program area, this is a constant work in progress. Each city and county is doing a great job at maintaining the data along in partnership with NCT9-1-1 staff.  

Team Members: 

LeAnna Russell, ENP, 9-1-1 Database Manager  

Melissa Tutton, ENP, 9-1-1 Database Analyst II 

The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Team 

The GIS Team has the primary role of ensuring accurate and precise GIS data is used throughout the NCT9-1-1 Public Safety GIS environment. The GIS Team assists the 9-1-1 Addressing Authorities from the NCT9-1-1 member agencies in the aggregation and quality control of GIS data. The GIS Team is tasked with provisioning high-quality spatial data into the public safety applications. These mission-critical applications are used to geospatially route live 9-1-1 calls, and plot emergency calls on the dispatch mapping platform at the PSAPs.  

Team Members: 

Rodger Mann, 9-1-1 GIS Manager 

David Dean, 9-1-1 GIS Project Coordinator  

Kasey Cox, 9-1-1 GIS Data Administrator 

Bruno Blanco, 9-1-1 GIS Specialist III 

Joe Brawner, 9-1-1 GIS Specialist III 

Danette Bradshaw, 9-1-1 GIS Specialist III 

David Lindsey, 9-1-1 GIS Applications Developer   

The Operations Team 

The 9-1-1 Operations Team strives for quality communications and support of the PSAPs throughout the region. The team’s goal is to serve as an advocate and liaison for the PSAPs with NCT9-1-1. 

The 9-1-1 Operations Team focuses on providing value in three main areas: 

Training – Offer specialized courses that meet the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) telecommunicator licensing requirements, as well as continuing education hours and Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, and Master’s certifications.  

Quality Assurance – Serve as a liaison between the PSAPs and NCT9-1-1, conducting quarterly site visits to ensure compliance with regional, state, and national requirements.  

Communications – Keep necessary stakeholders updated with the achievements of NCT9-1-1 through marketing, visual media graphics, and public relations; provide public education throughout the region with the distribution of educational materials.   

Team Members: 

Jason Smith, ENP, 9-1-1 Operations Supervisor  

Brittney Burross, ENP, 9-1-1 Quality Assurance Coordinator 

Amelia Mueller, 9-1-1 Communications Coordinator   

Bret Batchelor, 9-1-1 Training Coordinator 

Kristin McKinney, 9-1-1 Visual Media Coordinator 

The Technology Team 

The 9-1-1 Technology Team provides technical expertise in the selection, development, implementation, maintenance, and usage of all NCT9-1-1 hardware, software, telecommunication networks, GIS, and other essential systems to advance NG9-1-1 within the NCT9-1-1 region.  

The team maintains and monitors the 9-1-1 Emergency Service IP network (ESINET) and all 9-1-1 PSAP equipment with regular preventative maintenance. The team is also responsible for the interconnection of the NCT9-1-1 Regional 9-1-1 ESINET with other 9-1-1 authorities and service providers as well as the state and national ESINETs as they become available.  

Team Members: 

Clay Dilday, 9-1-1 Technology Manager  

Tommy Tran, 9-1-1 Solutions Architect 

Steven Gorena, 9-1-1 Field Support Supervisor  

Jeremy Crabtree, 9-1-1 Systems Administrator II 

Christopher Woodruff, 9-1-1 Systems Administrator  

Aaron Lloyd, 9-1-1 Technology Specialist IV 

Robert Darnell, 9-1-1 Technology Specialist IV 

Ramya Cruz, 9-1-1 Network Engineer  

Myka Artis, 9-1-1 Network Engineer 

The Strategic Services Team 

The Strategic Services Team is responsible for various business functions on behalf of the NCT9-1-1 program. This includes supporting the director and the Board of Managers as needed; coordinating the strategic planning and budgeting processes; serving as liaison with various internal groups including legal, human resources, and accounting/purchasing; coordinating with various vendors; coordinating the NCT9-1-1 fleet; and providing project management support as needed.  

In addition, the Strategic Services Team is tasked with administering a suite of productivity applications that increase cross-team collaboration, improve processes, and ensure the program remains in compliance with various mandates and standards.  

Team Members: 

Jessie Shadowens-James, 9-1-1 Strategic Services Manager 

The Support Team

The Support Team oversees support-related activities for the NCT9-1-1 Program, director, and Board of Manager’s support  as needed. Additional duties include staff onboarding/offboarding, travel, meeting/event coordination, facilities, office supplies, office equipment inventory, Pcards, purchasing, and staff training and development.   

Team Members: 

Hilaria Perez, 9-1-1 Admin Program Coordinator  

Kari Gamez, 9-1-1 Senior Administrative Assistant