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How Westborough’s 911 dispatch works, explained by the fire chief
Summary
Fire Chief Patrick Purcell outlines how Westborough’s fire-managed 911 center operates using the state NextGen 911 system, how dispatchers triage calls and provide emergency medical instructions, and the technology that helps locate callers.
Carolyn McLeod, a member of the Westborough Council on Aging and host of the program, opened the episode by introducing Westborough Fire Chief Patrick Purcell to explain “what happens when you dial 911.”
“It's called NextGen 911,” Purcell said, describing the state-managed system that routes cell and landline calls to the town’s fire-run dispatch center. He said the center handles police, fire, EMS and animal-control calls for the town and uses mapping tools that can “tell within 3 meters where a person is calling from,” which helps responders find callers even in woods or on the Mass Turnpike.
Purcell described dispatcher workflow: a minimum of two dispatchers work around the clock, with one triaging a caller while the other silent-monitors to send resources simultaneously. He emphasized dispatchers’ medical training: “If we have somebody that's not breathing, they can instruct them how to do CPR,” giving callers life-saving instructions before crews arrive.
The chief also noted accessibility features: TTY support and text-to-911 for callers who cannot speak or are hard of hearing. McLeod closed by thanking Purcell for explaining how the system and personnel work to protect residents.
