Jackson Free Press

The city's 911 emergency answering service shut down over the weekend because of a blown circuit breaker. Ward 6 Councilman Marshand Crisler questioned the police about the shutdown after he received calls from at least five city residents complaining that calls to the emergency operation rang without answer.

"Supposedly, the 911 service crashed for an unspecified amount of time. People called the number, and it just rang and rang. … I realize a lot of the calls are not 911 calls, but having the real emergency calls unanswered is something that we really can't afford to have in Jackson," Crisler said.

Brent Winstead, deputy chief of enforcement operations, confirmed that the building's air-conditioning system short-circuited its main breaker.

"Yesterday, there was a power disruption in the center, due to an air conditioner that tripped the breaker. It knocked everything out completely," Winstead said. "They're in the process of putting the air-conditioner unit on a totally separate breaker system, which was recommended in the first place. We were not aware of it at the time. We've addressed the problem."

Winstead explained that the 911 call center has a back-up power supply to run operations in the event of power loss but complained that the faulty circuit breaker did not kick on the generator.

"As long as we've got current coming in from Entergy, the generator is not going to kick on. … Power was coming in like it was supposed to. The problem was the breaker box inside the communication center," Winstead said.

Crisler then questioned Winstead on staff shortages at the center, which have been a perennial problem, and criticisms of bad customer service. Winstead said new recruits coming in from academy classes would be filling schedule holes soon, and he assured Crisler that 911 call center workers get ongoing customer service training.

"We've had some additional allocations coming in from the troops coming online, to answer the phones. We've got 10 applicants who are being processed. We're doing good right now as far as getting people," Winstead said.

Previous Comments

ID

67581

Comment

I know this is an issue; but, I think there is a bigger issue. We are spending umpteen millions on radios, yet, Fisher can't break off a few hundred thousand to upgrade the 911 facilities here in Jackson. Better pay would help too! Unless that AC unit wasn't plugged in last year, then there is no possible way to predict this. However, I think Fisher needs to find a system that kicks on the generators even when a current is coming into the building. All kinds of things can happen to a breakerbox that don't involve Entergy.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-03-21T22:00:29-06:00

ID

67582

Comment

Who are you? What is your license number and your SSN? What kind of care do you drive and what is the tag number? What gives you the right to make these comments and why is this stuff any of your business Mr Piker?

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-03-21T22:14:15-06:00

ID

67583

Comment

I'm a multiple phone owner! And my phones pay for 911 service! Also, I must be the only person in Jackson who has called 911 or 1234 and they answered on the first or second ring. A really bad mess up aside on Sunday, I think our operators do the best they can with what they got.

Author

pikersam

Date

2007-03-21T23:34:56-06:00

ID

67584

Comment

I hope I'm not betraying any confidences here, but it turns out that our very own Pikersam is actually Dr. Henry Kissinger. There'a lot of powerful folks lurking behind these pseudonyms.

Author

Brian C Johnson

Date

2007-03-22T15:22:45-06:00

ID

67585

Comment

THE 911 SYSTEM NEEDS COMPLETE OVERHAUL IT IS JUST ANOTHER THING THAT DA MAYOR AND DA CHEIF FAIL TO MAINTAIN WHAT TROOPS ARE MR WINSTED TALKING ABOUT? THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE SYSTEM HAS BLOWN AND WHEN YOU HAVE NEW EMPLOYEES TRAINING NEW EMPLOYEES WELL WHAT YOU GET IS BAD TRAINED NEW EMPLOYEES

Author

GRNY1

Date

2007-03-24T19:29:55-06:00

ID

67586

Comment

Woah... you mean Jackson 911 is actually 24 hours? I've called it in the past and waited 15 rings or so, before giving up and calling the main switchboard. They'll pick up faster, and understand when you're mad at 911.

Author

Ironghost

Date

2007-03-24T19:45:08-06:00

ID

67587

Comment

iron i'm with you is it really a 24 hour operation ? i was calling the day it short circuited to call in about a accident downtown and it was pretty pathetic, nothing in place in case of electrical issues for your 911 system maybe when old bracey boy gets back we can get the phone answered

Author

GRNY1

Date

2007-03-24T20:22:42-06:00