Rotary Club News Stone Co.
E-911 director Keith Kinnard guest speaker
Keith Kinnard, Stone County Emergency Services Executive Director was the guest speaker at the Feb. 26 Rotary Club meeting.
March 11, 2021
Cindy Hembree
Rotary Club of Table Rock Lake is once again meeting on Fridays, in the lower level of Tequila’s restaurant, in Branson West.
At the weekly luncheon on Feb. 26, guest speaker Keith Kinnard, Stone County Emergency Services Executive Director, spoke to the group about the county’s 911 system.
He opened by saying that Stone County Emergency Services E-911 Communications Center responded to 19,387 calls last year. “Hidden first responders” is how he described the telecommunicators/dispatchers. Dispatchers help save lives every day by orchestrating which departments need to be the first to arrive at an emergency scene.
He also gave information about the changes coming to the 911 dispatch circuit. “Technology is coming along in this industry,” Kinnard said. It is now possible to text a 911 operator. Texting 911 allows a person, without the ability to communicate verbally, to transmit that they are in trouble. He gave an example of a home invasion where someone was hiding in a closet but did not want the intruder to know where they were. They could still send out a cry for help via text messaging.
Kinnard brought to light another technology tool that will eventually be available in this area. He said the industry is on the verge of using live video to reach a 911 operator. Live video could potentially give the caller a means of showing the dispatcher the severity or urgency of a situation, allowing the operator to assist the caller until help arrives. This innovative program could be a significant improvement to the emergency services field.
Cindy Hembree
Rotary Club of Table Rock Lake is once again meeting on Fridays, in the lower level of Tequila’s restaurant, in Branson West.
At the weekly luncheon on Feb. 26, guest speaker Keith Kinnard, Stone County Emergency Services Executive Director, spoke to the group about the county’s 911 system.
He opened by saying that Stone County Emergency Services E-911 Communications Center responded to 19,387 calls last year. “Hidden first responders” is how he described the telecommunicators/dispatchers. Dispatchers help save lives every day by orchestrating which departments need to be the first to arrive at an emergency scene.
He also gave information about the changes coming to the 911 dispatch circuit. “Technology is coming along in this industry,” Kinnard said. It is now possible to text a 911 operator. Texting 911 allows a person, without the ability to communicate verbally, to transmit that they are in trouble. He gave an example of a home invasion where someone was hiding in a closet but did not want the intruder to know where they were. They could still send out a cry for help via text messaging.
Kinnard brought to light another technology tool that will eventually be available in this area. He said the industry is on the verge of using live video to reach a 911 operator. Live video could potentially give the caller a means of showing the dispatcher the severity or urgency of a situation, allowing the operator to assist the caller until help arrives. This innovative program could be a significant improvement to the emergency services field.