In the last three years, the Healdsburg Police Department Dispatch Center successfully answered at least 95% of its incoming calls within 15 seconds, according to a new dispatch center data report released last month.
In total, over the last few years, the dispatch center has answered an average of 2,700 911 calls per year.
“A 15-second answer time is the standard set by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Public Safety Communications California 911 Emergency Communications Branch. Between Jan. 1, 2018 and Dec. 31, 2021, our center answers 95.33% of all 911 calls in less than 10 seconds, which is the lowest threshold that the system measures,” explained Healdsburg Police Chief Matt Jenkins.
Jenkins said the most common type of 911 calls in 2021 were miscellaneous calls — including misdials/hang-ups, non-emergency calls and calls transferred to other agencies for issues outside of the department’s jurisdiction — and non-medical related calls.
“The remaining 44% of 911 calls include a myriad of other types of calls for service including traffic collisions, alarms sounding, disturbances, possible DUIs, etc.,” Jenkins said.
What happens when you call 911?
The routing of cellular 911 calls is made possible through a technology called Enhanced 911, which uses data that’s collected almost immediately when a cell phone is used to call 911.
“The location of the primary cell tower being used, cell tower triangulation, and GPS information from the cell phone itself is instantly analyzed so the local Public Safety Answering Point (dispatch center) can be identified, and the call is routed to the proper location,” according to the Healdsburg dispatch center report.
Previously, all cellular 911 calls were automatically routed to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) 911 Dispatch Center, however, this overloaded call centers and many callers would receive a busy signal rather than connecting with a 911 dispatcher.
Now, when Healdsburg residents or visitors dial 911 from their cell phone, within Healdsburg city limits, the majority of the calls are routed directly to the Healdsburg Police Department.
However, if a cellular 911 caller is on, or is in close proximity to a freeway, there is a high likelihood that the call will go to the CHP and some calls made on city streets that are near a freeway may also go to the CHP call center.
The Healdsburg Police Department encourages the community to dial 911 when a person or property is in immediate danger. Otherwise, folks can call the police department’s business line at 707-431-3377, which is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Jenkins said the Healdsburg 911 dispatch center also accepts text-to-911 calls. All callers have to do is text their message to 911, and it will be received.
