Guest guest Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 I have to agree with that TV is not necessary in a call center. I was working in NYC on 9/11/01 and we did not have TV in any of the operational areas. One TV in the C.O.'s office was our link to news...but we didn't get anything critical from the TV..the 911 calls and radio transmissions were what we reacted to , not the media. A massive study of the NYPD and FDNY response was conducted and there was never any recommendation to install a TV in the operational area (or internet either). There are still no TV's in our operational areas. Do I think they can be helpful and a good morale booster if used reasonably..yes...but not necessary in my 20 years experience. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 I can tell you that the TV in Oklahoma during weather events TORNADOES as you call them has saved lives. We have actually had C.O.'s monitoing TV and advising troopers where they needed to be to stop or divert traffic. One that comes toi mind is the May 3rd 1999 tornadoes that tracked 70 miles on the ground crossing several major interstates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 You obviously haven't seen Robin Meade on CNN in the morning. W.S. Blevins Email: wblev@... > >Reply-To: 911console >To: 911console >Subject: Re: 911:: TV or Not TV? >Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2003 06:12:04 -0800 (PST) > >I have to agree with that TV is not necessary in a call center. _________________________________________________________________ It’s our best dial-up Internet access offer: 6 months @$9.95/month. Get it now! http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 > The key word in my thinking is NECESSARY or NEEDED. > > As far as the Internet, I can see uses, but again I think > the downside of having in outweighs the benefits. (My > personal opinion, and I know that many disagree.) Interestingly enough, radio operators with my agency have been given access to the internet and are expected to use it. If we receive a call from a motorist asking for information on traffic conditions, we cannot transfer the call to an appropriate post, even if the caller is requesting traffic information on the other side of the state. We have been instructed to use the state DOT's website and look up the traffic conditions for them (never mind that unless you're looking for traffic conditions around Atlanta the site is as useless as 3 dollar bill). Mac McCormick CEO 295 Georgia State Patrol, Post 42 - Rincon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2003 Report Share Posted December 18, 2003 I do not usually post anything but I thought I would throw my 2 cents in. I agree with some TVs & Internet are not a necessity but, do they provide useful information? Yes, I know of several times that they have come in " handy " in situations whether it be Phone #'s, Locations, Pictures on " America's Most Wanted " or your local " CrimeStoppers " when you cannot get through on the phone or the fax is to distorted. Is all of this info in other places? Yes, but for the people that like using the Internet or who find it easier to research on it, or relying on the TV for news, sports, life outside of the dispatch room so be it. If your center has TV & Internet your privileged to one more extra source of information to keep the " Chain of Survival " intact. Again, all the info is available in other places but for some it is easier to look it up on the Internet or find it relaxing after taking a hot call to watch the news, or see that there hometown team won. -- Lee County, Florida Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2003 Report Share Posted December 19, 2003 >Again, all the info is available in other places but for some it is easier to look it up on the Internet or find it relaxing after taking a hot call to watch the news, or see that there hometown team won.< And I agree with that 100%. Weintraut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2003 Report Share Posted December 19, 2003 Guess it's time for me to add my .02. Each department will define NECESSARY in their own way. For us, our comissioners consider a TV necessary since we get weather alerts earlier on the TV than we do on our state system. To us that few extra minutes may make the difference to the safety of our citizens and less damage to property. I think we can all agree that what may be necessary to one agency will have another agency scratching their head saying " why do they do that? " And that is what makes this list so beneficial, the exchanging of information lets others know that there are more ways to do something. I'm sure that 30 years ago the information that was received on TV's was far below what we are capable of receiving today and of course there was no internet. Times are changing and some dispatch centers are attempting to keep up with the technology (ie the use of CAD systems, voice over IP, etc) while some centers wish to remain less technologically advanced, which is their choice. How we receive our 9-1-1 calls will change dramatically over the next 5 years and what we have today will seem like the " dark ages " , much like some of the younger generations who do not know what a " record player " is. How NECESSARY was interoperability before Sept 11? Some agencies didn't think it was necessary then and have a whole new idea now, where some departments still think it's un-necessary. In this case necessary means something completely different to a fire department right in the middle of New York City than it does to a fire department in the middle of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I'm not saying that either side is wrong, I just think we can safely say we can all agree to disagree on this matter. Roscommon County (MI) Central Dispatch 911:: TV or Not TV? > >, you have now stated both TV and Internet are unnecessary in the > communications center, as all of the information that comes from both > could gathered " from other sources " . What else would you suggest -- AM > radio? < > > Yes... I believe TV not to be NECESSARY in the dispatch center. > > Probably because I dispatched for thirty years, and can't > remember it ever being truly of any use. > The key word in my thinking is NECESSARY or NEEDED. > > As far as the Internet, I can see uses, but again I think > the downside of having in outweighs the benefits. (My > personal opinion, and I know that many disagree.) > > The Internet uses for investigators and others are great, but > as a dispatcher, I got by fine without it, and know > that others can do the same. It could be of good use by > Dispatch... but again, does the benefit outweigh the > possible problems... I personally don't think so. > > Weintraut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2003 Report Share Posted December 19, 2003 Guess it's time for me to add my .02. Each department will define NECESSARY in their own way. For us, our comissioners consider a TV necessary since we get weather alerts earlier on the TV than we do on our state system. To us that few extra minutes may make the difference to the safety of our citizens and less damage to property. I think we can all agree that what may be necessary to one agency will have another agency scratching their head saying " why do they do that? " And that is what makes this list so beneficial, the exchanging of information lets others know that there are more ways to do something. I'm sure that 30 years ago the information that was received on TV's was far below what we are capable of receiving today and of course there was no internet. Times are changing and some dispatch centers are attempting to keep up with the technology (ie the use of CAD systems, voice over IP, etc) while some centers wish to remain less technologically advanced, which is their choice. How we receive our 9-1-1 calls will change dramatically over the next 5 years and what we have today will seem like the " dark ages " , much like some of the younger generations who do not know what a " record player " is. How NECESSARY was interoperability before Sept 11? Some agencies didn't think it was necessary then and have a whole new idea now, where some departments still think it's un-necessary. In this case necessary means something completely different to a fire department right in the middle of New York City than it does to a fire department in the middle of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I'm not saying that either side is wrong, I just think we can safely say we can all agree to disagree on this matter. Roscommon County (MI) Central Dispatch 911:: TV or Not TV? > >, you have now stated both TV and Internet are unnecessary in the > communications center, as all of the information that comes from both > could gathered " from other sources " . What else would you suggest -- AM > radio? < > > Yes... I believe TV not to be NECESSARY in the dispatch center. > > Probably because I dispatched for thirty years, and can't > remember it ever being truly of any use. > The key word in my thinking is NECESSARY or NEEDED. > > As far as the Internet, I can see uses, but again I think > the downside of having in outweighs the benefits. (My > personal opinion, and I know that many disagree.) > > The Internet uses for investigators and others are great, but > as a dispatcher, I got by fine without it, and know > that others can do the same. It could be of good use by > Dispatch... but again, does the benefit outweigh the > possible problems... I personally don't think so. > > Weintraut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2003 Report Share Posted December 19, 2003 Guess it's time for me to add my .02. Each department will define NECESSARY in their own way. For us, our comissioners consider a TV necessary since we get weather alerts earlier on the TV than we do on our state system. To us that few extra minutes may make the difference to the safety of our citizens and less damage to property. I think we can all agree that what may be necessary to one agency will have another agency scratching their head saying " why do they do that? " And that is what makes this list so beneficial, the exchanging of information lets others know that there are more ways to do something. I'm sure that 30 years ago the information that was received on TV's was far below what we are capable of receiving today and of course there was no internet. Times are changing and some dispatch centers are attempting to keep up with the technology (ie the use of CAD systems, voice over IP, etc) while some centers wish to remain less technologically advanced, which is their choice. How we receive our 9-1-1 calls will change dramatically over the next 5 years and what we have today will seem like the " dark ages " , much like some of the younger generations who do not know what a " record player " is. How NECESSARY was interoperability before Sept 11? Some agencies didn't think it was necessary then and have a whole new idea now, where some departments still think it's un-necessary. In this case necessary means something completely different to a fire department right in the middle of New York City than it does to a fire department in the middle of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. I'm not saying that either side is wrong, I just think we can safely say we can all agree to disagree on this matter. Roscommon County (MI) Central Dispatch 911:: TV or Not TV? > >, you have now stated both TV and Internet are unnecessary in the > communications center, as all of the information that comes from both > could gathered " from other sources " . What else would you suggest -- AM > radio? < > > Yes... I believe TV not to be NECESSARY in the dispatch center. > > Probably because I dispatched for thirty years, and can't > remember it ever being truly of any use. > The key word in my thinking is NECESSARY or NEEDED. > > As far as the Internet, I can see uses, but again I think > the downside of having in outweighs the benefits. (My > personal opinion, and I know that many disagree.) > > The Internet uses for investigators and others are great, but > as a dispatcher, I got by fine without it, and know > that others can do the same. It could be of good use by > Dispatch... but again, does the benefit outweigh the > possible problems... I personally don't think so. > > Weintraut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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