The Fairfield Emergency Communications Center is responsible for receiving all 911 emergency calls, as well as non-emergency Police and Fire calls. The communications center employs 15 full-time telecommunicators and handles approximately 250,000 phone calls per year. They are trained in emergency police and fire dispatching, emergency medical dispatching and the handling of routine calls for both police and fire departments.

The Emergency Communications Center operates under the supervision of both the Fairfield Police and Fairfield Fire Departments. It is located in the Fairfield Police Department headquarters and was recently updated. Communications are computerized and work off of multiple radio towers. 

The Fairfield Police Department has several radio frequencies that can be utilized during both normal and emergency situations. The police vehicles are also equipped with mobile data terminals that allow officers to access law enforcement computer and information networks as well as send confidential information car to car and to other police departments.

REVERSE 911 INFORMATION

Telecommunictors receive extensive training when they are first hired and then continue to receive training throughout their employment with the Emergency Communications Center. Some of the training they must continually receive includes:

• They participate in ride-a-long programs with both police and fire so they can be familiar with what officers and firefighters experience in the field;

• Recertification as an emergency medical dispatcher

• CPR

• Recertification on the Connecticut law enforcement computer network.

• Other assorted training

NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATOR WEEK

APRIL 9 to 15, 2006