St. Johnsbury, VT — Since its installation in October 2007 the beautiful mountain resort town of Beech Mountain, North Carolina and the Beech Mountain Police Department have come to rely on microDATA’s Next Generation 9-1-1 call handling system (xT911) to answer and respond to 9-1-1 calls.
As a popular resort destination that has visitors flocking from all over the East Coast, the Beech Mountain Police Department provides 9-1-1 service, including dispatch to EMS and Fire, to a population that fluctuates dramatically depending on the time of year: from 350 permanent residents to over 10,000 residents during peak ski season. The influx of skiers and hikers puts additional demands on the Beech Mountain Police Department as the number of 9-1-1 calls can increase dramatically overnight. Because of the scalability in microDATA’s xT911, Jay Hefner, Chief of Police, and his team find the xT911 call handling system with its integrated map invaluable. xT911’s flexible software-based system design, which enables the call handling solution to function well in both the small 1-5 seat PSAPs to the 50 seat and larger PSAPs, affords Beech Mountain the ability to add additional call taker positions quickly and easily. Additionally, the system can expand without costly forklifts and replacement of proprietary equipment.
Heffner’s team are coming to rely more on the increased situational awareness the Next Generation 9-1-1 call handling system provides. "With xT911’s integrated map, we now have the ability to relay the x/y coordinates of a caller to the rescue helicopter,” states Hefner. During the height of tourist season and with the increase in wireless callers, “we also appreciate being able to locate wireless callers on xT911’s integrated map.”
Hefner cites ease of use, however, as one of the primary reasons Beech Mountain chose the xT911 call handling application. The Chief of Police particularly appreciates features like one button selective transfer and that the application seamlessly integrates with the offsite ALI Database. Although remote and not a large 9-1-1 agency, the Beech Mountain Police Department still requires a system that can evolve with the ever advancing march of technology. States Hefner, “We are a small resort town but we wanted to make sure that we are on the leading edge of technology. microDATA’s xT911 has enabled us to do that.”
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