First 911 simulations were satisfactory and met expectations

First 911 simulations were satisfactory and met expectations
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – May 14, 2014

The results from the first simulations prior to the implementation of the 911 National Emergency and Security Response System met the expectations of the concerned agencies.

The announcement was made by government spokesman and Director General of Communications, Roberto Rodríguez Marchena, at a press conference with renowned journalists from across the country, led by the Minister of the Presidency, Gustavo Montalvo. The press conference took place in the Las Cariátides Hall of the National Palace.

Rodríguez Marchena said that the results of the simulations that were carried out on Monday met expectations in areas such as the agents’ response to the emergency calls, the dispatch of units, as well as the information capacity and the competence of the staff.

He explained that with regard to technology performance, the accuracy of digital maps was tested, as well as the effectiveness of radio communications, surveillance cameras and the contingency plans.

Upcoming simulations

The Director General of Communications reported that the plan is to complete 50 simulations, which will become increasingly more complex. During the drills that will be carried out this Wednesday, the interaction and coordination among agencies will also be tested.

Minister Montalvo noted in his address that 911 is not just an emergency number and that, behind the System, the transformation of public services is also taking place.

Gustavo Montalvo: 911 means the transformation of public services

Montalvo guaranteed the excellent quality of service and said that 9,000 public servants have been trained in accordance with international practices.

In the first phase of implementation, the 911 system will cover the Greater Santo Domingo, and will also provide coverage to the National District, Santo Domingo Este, Santo Domingo Norte, Santo Domingo Oeste, San Antonio de Guerra, Boca Chica, Pedro Brand, and Los Alcarrizos.

Service will be available 24-hours a day, free of charge. A system will be established, in agreement with the telephone companies, to punish the improper use of the 911 system. Nuisance or hoax calls will be punishable with a fine of up to 15 times the minimum wage.

In accordance with the established structure, emergencies will be handled swiftly, using a unique number through which trained operators will direct emergencies to health officers, firefighters, the police and other concerned organizations. 20 percent of the operators speak English, which will allow catering to tourists.

Assistance will be provided for serious traffic accidents, fires, health emergencies and criminal acts. A total of 6,500 members of the National Police, 914 firefighters, and over a thousand health professionals will provide comprehensive care. In addition, the system will feature 600 police vehicles, 50 ambulances, 90 motorbike ambulances, and 4,100 security equipment.

Responsible use of the 911 service

The Minister of the Presidency urged the public to use the 911 National Emergency and Security Response System responsibly. Likewise, he called on the parents of children and adolescents to raise their awareness about the proper use of the system, which will provide comprehensive care to citizens in response to emergency situations.

The massive and enthusiastic turnout of journalists at the press conference brought joy and hope, as it is an indication of their commitment and signals the successful dissemination of information.

Preparations for the launching of the 911 service are ongoing. Among them are a series of drills that began yesterday.

Bulletin on the Preliminary Results of the Simulations

To date, there have been a total of 26 drills involving the joint participation of the police and firefighters, where the predominant cases demanded the intervention of the National Police.
We are pleased to report that the results obtained so far have met the expectations of the project team. Therefore, we are pleased with the efforts that have been made to ensure the proper operation of the 911 system.

The scope of this first stage of simulations covered the performance review of the following items:

• Service response from both the Reception Officers as well as the Dispatch Officers
  
• Operation of the Geo-referencing system, which is placed in the response units.
  
• Capacity and functioning of the various computer systems which make up the Center.
  
• The technical capacity of all staff members in terms of protocols and procedures.
  
• The knowledge and skills of the staff to work with the technology platform.
  
• Operation of the Quality Monitoring System.

With regard to technology, the following aspects were also reviewed:

• Performance and operability of the platform for receiving calls and dispatching units.
  
• Accuracy of the digital maps within the system.
  
• Effective transmission of digital radio communications.
  
• Accuracy in repositioning the response units.
  
• Transmission capacity and speed of the video surveillance cameras.
  
• Monitoring of the Video Wall of the video monitoring system.
  
• Testing of the contingency plans.

In the next three days, the expectation is to increase the number of simulations to about 50 drills, incorporating other institutions such as health, armed forces and distributors of electricity. Starting on Wednesday morning, there will be an increase in the complexity of the simulated cases, by integrating elements that will test the capacity of the platform and will measure the interaction of the various agencies and their levels of coordination.