Residents in Piute, Wayne or Sevier counties no longer need to call one of 37 different numbers to get police, fire or medical assistance. They can now do it by calling only one number - 911.
The 911 system is finally in operation after several hundred test calls and four years of planning since the time Sevier County Sheriff John Meacham first proposed the project and met with US WEST to get the emergency number brought into the area.Jeff Nielson, electronic engineer and project manager, has worked for more than a year in a cooperative effort with technicians from US WEST, the South-Central Utah Telephone Co. and Sevier County officials.
The "E" or "enhanced" 911 system allows a dispatcher to determine from a video screen the name, address and telephone number of a calling party.
Nielson said the 37 emergency telephone numbers in the tri-county area made it impossible for someone out of the area to report a problem. He said the numbers for fire, police and ambulance can still be used until new telephone books are printed, but 911 is now preferable for all emergencies. The dispatcher will notify the emergency personnel who are needed.
However, residents should not call 911 for non-emergencies, because the number of telephone lines is limited. Nielson also urged parents to instruct their children in the proper use of 911.
"Prank" calls or hang-ups will be shown on the screen and on a computer printout. The dispatcher will then call the number where a call originates. "If the problem cannot be solved at that time, a police officer will be sent to that address," Nielson said.