Loudon County E-911 Center has obtained a rare feat by being awarded accreditation using call-handling protocol system PowerPhone.
The local center is only the 14th in the nation with such a designation.
Loudon County E-911 Center Director Jennifer Estes said the center is the third in the state and the first in East Tennessee, with the other two locations in Weakley County and the city of Dyersburg.
“I think it just attributes to the hard work and dedication of the 911 professionals that work here, our call-takers and dispatchers, they (are the ones who) have set goals and standards for themselves to make sure that they’re going above and beyond for the citizens of Loudon County,” Estes said. “... I think it’s a great testament to the people that work here. We have a wonderful staff and they do a great job and they make my job easy because they do such a good job, so it’s a great honor for them. They’re the ones that have put in the work in and they deserve the recognition for it.”
Estes said the county 911 center has utilized PowerPhone about two years. Center officials set out to obtain accreditation when the call-handling service was implemented.
“Basically what it means is that the agency is committed to making sure that they’re providing a quality service when a citizen calls for assistance into the 911 center,” Deb King, PowerPhone implementation manager, said. “It means that they’ve set standards in place that they’re achieving throughout their performance to try to meet or exceed those standards, and those standards, again, are all wrapped around the quality of service. Are they are providing enough care over the phone? Are they gathering the right amount of information and being able to provide that to the responders that are headed to that call for service in a timely manner?”
To be designated, King said centers must commit to using a protocol system, go through training and certification for use of that system with PowerPhone’s quality assurance program and adhere to standards. Certification lasts for two years.
The cost to the center for training of each employee is initially $729, Estes said, noting it includes the three disciplines of law enforcement, emergency medical services and fire. Recertification entails additional training and testing at $329 per employee. Loudon County taxpayers provide $540,000 annually to the E-911 operating budget of about $1.1 million.
“It shows we go above and beyond to provide the best possible service we can for our citizens,” Rose White, 911 center assistant director and training officer, said.
The accreditation was announced before a Loudon County Emergency Communications board meeting. No action could be taken because a quorum was not in attendance. Loudon County Fire & Rescue Chief Bill Hart, Commissioner David Meers, Loudon Police Chief James “Bear” Webb, Loudon County Emergency Management Agency Director Daryl Smith and city of Loudon Codes Enforcement Officer Travis Gray were absent. Board attorney Wayne Henry was also not in attendance.
“I think it’s ... an honor to get that recognition,” Loudon County Sheriff Tim Guider, 911 board chairman, said. “It speaks highly of the work that has been done here and the maintenance of how it’s maintained, because there is a standard (and) when you can meet this particular standard it speaks highly. ... It kind of puts Loudon County on the map, so to speak.”
