Pembina County transitions 9-1-1 Service to State Radio

(KNOX) – “I’m showing you at 300 Main Street in Cavalier?”

A dispatcher in Bismarck is now taking 911 calls in Cavalier as Pembina County becomes the 26^th to have 911 services and dispatching through State Radio.

Members from State Radio held training sessions in Pembina County for law enforcement and first responders last month as part of the transition. “Our county residence’s safety is our top priority,” says Pembina County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Marcus Ramsay. “The transition has been very smooth so far; our citizens should not even notice a difference when they call for help. That’s the goal.”

Funding and staffing were among contributing factors to the county’s decision to transition services. North Dakota is unique among states to have a state-wide emergency communication center option as many rural counties simply don’t have staffing and funding to service 24-hour 911 operations.

When transitioning from local to state services, common concerns are the loss of the local knowledge and landmarks or even a de-prioritization of rural areas. “We tried to put their mind at ease: we know rural. A lot of us came from law enforcement in rural areas so we can appreciate the unique strengths and challenges,” says State Radio Director Darin Anderson. “We’re here to serve and ensure public safety across the state—the whole state.”

State Radio has enhanced technology to aid in location services and communication options, including texting. Rapid SOS sends detailed location information even before the call can come through, allowing Public Safety Telecommunicators to pick up vital location information like in the fender bender call above.

Additionally, State Radio can add local landmarks as a layer into their system so dispatchers can see places that would not normally show up on E911 Maps, but are important landmarks when callers are relating their location. State Radio has been working closely with Pembina County 911 Coordinator Samantha Weeks to import these landmarks and to ensure an overall smooth transition for citizens and first responders.