Fayetteville, GA, June 26, 2008. History has shown that during catastrophic events such as severe weather or man made situations when public safety communications has been severely interrupted or even halted amateur radio operators have continued to communicate and serve the community. Discussions with the local ARES group resulted in a cooperative effort and partnership that would benefit both the ARES organization and the Fayette County Department of Public Safety. The 9-1-1 Center staff researched criteria for personnel to volunteer within the 911 Center. Due to the confidential information processed and relayed there, it was essential that no laws, policy or procedures were violated. A plan was formulated to use the ARES group for non-emergency yet critical events within the 9-1-1 Center. ARES personnel met with the 9-1-1 staff for the first time to formulate this plan on January 17, 2008. Since that time the group has trained in criminal justice information system policies and procedures, security and integrity class, a web based emergency operations center class and call taking classes with the goal of enabling this group to handle non emergency calls within the radio room. To date each employee has received approximately 45 hours of training and participation.
The culmination of this program will result in a valuable manpower resource and cost savings for the 9-1-1 Center in the form of nine volunteer practitioners with the ability to take non emergency calls from the public during critical events and will free regular operators to handle emergency situations. The practitioners will assist in taking non emergency calls such as during the Fourth of July where we receive hundreds of fireworks related calls, and during severe weather events. The practitioners will work closely with the Emergency Operations Center during times of activation and with other public safety agencies as necessary thereby allowing the communications officers to concentrate on emergency situations. Effectively, it provides additional assistance during high impact events with no cost to the County. This also allows ARES members to meet their activity goals and objectives by working communication events and assisting the public and the community. A win- win proposition and partnership for all involved.
The Practitioners are Lynn Bianco, David Benoist, George Knight, Huey Kenmar, David Alread, Jim Lynch, Brian Cook, Jim Burchfield and Lewis Patterson. A special thanks to Tyrone Police Chief Brandon Perkins who provided the Security and Integrity training and testing 9-1-1 Center staff members Nicole Smith for providing the call taking classes, and especially Cathy Crenshaw for her time and patience in getting all the practitioners through the GCIC training, workbooks and testing.
On June 26, 2008, the Fayette County Board of Commissioners recognized the first charter class of the new Fayette County 911 Practitioners.
(L-R) Commissioner Eric Maxwell, Commissioner Herb Frady, George Knight (N4FLT),
David Alread (KG4WUV), Commissioner Robert Horgan, Section Manager Susan Swiderski (AF4FO), Commission Chairman Jack Smith, Lynn Bianco (KN4YZ) Brian Cook (KG4FJD), David Benoist (AG4ZR), Commissioner Peter Pfeifer, Jim Burchfield (W4JB), Lewis Patterson (WD4GTY), Jim Lynch (K4GVO), 911 Supervisor Nicole Smith (KG4WUW), Interim Director of Public Safety M. Allen McCullough, 911 TAC Cathy Crenshaw, Huey Kenmar (KI4NGD)