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Eaton County 911 director reports NG911 advocacy, award and staffing updates
Summary
Kelly Cunningham, 911 director, told commissioners the dispatch center is pursuing quality-assurance improvements, supported federal legislation to designate telecommunicators as first responders, and received an outstanding call center award.
Kelly Cunningham, Eaton County 911 director, updated the board on training, technology and staffing for the county’s central dispatch.
Cunningham said a supervisor attended emergency medical dispatch quality-assurance training and the department is forming a quality-assurance team to ensure dispatchers follow proper medical-dispatch protocols. She described attendance at the National Emergency Number Association conference in Washington, where staff advocated for the 911 SAVES Act (a federal bill to deem telecommunicators first responders) and for funding to support Next Generation 911 (NG911) technology nationwide.
Cunningham said Michigan is relatively well-positioned for NG911 but advocates seek consistent capability across jurisdictions. She also noted dispatch staff received an "outstanding call center award" and that a staffer from U.S. Rep. Alyssa Slotkin’s office attended the presentation. The department has one telecommunicator candidate completing pre-employment screening and an internal candidate in the supervisory hiring process; pending promotion, one telecommunicator opening will remain and the hiring list may be used to fill it.
Commissioner Haskell asked whether state legislation exists to designate dispatchers first responders; Cunningham said the primary effort is at the federal level and that statewide support could be a resolution asking federal action.
No board action was recorded; the report was informational.
