Northwest Central Dispatch System

Thousands of lives are saved every day thanks to America’s 9-1-1 system. Decades of government leadership and steady technological progress have given citizens a reliable 9-1-1 system they can trust. In return, citizens trust their state and local governments to responsibly manage the funds collected to pay for 9-1-1 systems. Unfortunately, some state and local governments have seen 9-1-1 revenues – funds raised through fees assessed on telecommunications bills specifically for 9-1-1 – as a revenue source available to be diverted from 9-1-1 and emergency service delivery for use in other programs, to balance budgets, and/or to provide budget flexibility to fund other non-9-1-1 budget priorities.
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Budget shortfalls force drastic cuts in staffing and services across Chicago suburbs

By John Byrne | Tribune reporter
July 10, 2009

Its bright motto may be "The city that looks to the future," but Prospect Heights' decision this week to close its police station to the public came after officials took a hard look at the financially troubled present.

The northwest suburban community of 17,000 residents also will shut down City Hall on Fridays because furloughs of public employees, including patrol officers, have left too few workers to staff the facilities.

"It's sort of unheard of to close your Police Department 24 hours a day to the public," said City Administrator Pam Arrigoni. "Surrounding communities are looking at reducing hours, too, just maybe not as drastically as we are."
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APCO Elevates 9-1-1 Call Takers and Dispatchers

In response to recent negative stories about 9-1-1 call takers and dispatchers, APCO International today reiterated their support for the life-saving work of 9-1-1 call takers and dispatchers. 

“In a perfect world, when an emergency occurs, someone calls 9-1-1, dispatchers can tell exactly where the caller is, and police, fire and emergency medical services units respond quickly and flawlessly to the scene, minimizing damage and, many times, affecting a successful rescue,” APCO International President Chris Fischer said. 

It is estimated that there are over 6,000 9-1-1 public safety answering points serving more than 3,000 counties and parishes throughout the U.S. and answering more than 200 million 9-1-1 calls each year. 

“Although the system works seamlessly thousands of times a day, the public is generally unaware of the numerous people, the complicated networks, the policies and procedures and the technological struggles that are involved in each and every call,” Fischer said.  “The professionals who operate these systems, as well as those who build, supply and maintain them, should be applauded for the role they play in securing the safety of our citizens, residents and visitors.”

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