Enhanced 911 system has Sisters covered

An enhanced 911 emergency dispatch system went on line in Deschutes County November 19. An emergency caller's address now appears automatically on the 911 dispatcher's computer screen and, once that address is verified, dispatchers can quickly pass the information to firefighters or police.

The system enhancement is supposed to allow faster response times for emergency services. It can also help police and fire personnel respond when a caller cannot give their address correctly.

"Some people will not give their address correctly or aren't able to in a crisis situation," said Pat Davis, Sisters Police administrative assistant.

Many addresses have been changed in Sisters over the summer, and the new addresses may not yet have been loaded into the new 911 system. According to 911 director Ron Meckler, U.S. West has promised to provide 911 with updated address records for Sisters by the end of the year.

Meckler said the transition period should not hurt coverage in Sisters.

"To make sure everyone in Sisters is covered, we have both addresses," Meckler said. "We're familiar with the changes that have been made and so are the officers and firefighters, so even if we have an old address, we know where it is."

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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