Missing and Exploited Children
Kingsport Emergency Communications District (KECD 911) is a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) partner. We received this award at the 2012 Tennessee Emergency Number Association (TENA) Conference following completion of all required training and application acceptance in spring 2012 for the 911 Call Center Partner Program.
Calls about missing and sexually exploited children can become high profile events and have a devastating significant impact on a victim’s family, your community and your call center. This is why every 911 call involving a missing or sexually exploited child must be responded to according to best practices. To promote the adoption of these best practices, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has created the 911 Call Center Partner Program.
Complying with the requirements of this program shows a call center has incorporated best practices in its policies and training and made a commitment to follow these best practices.
Emergency Notification System
In 2011, a joint effort of Kingsport 911, Sullivan County 911, and City of Kingsport Public Works Department purchased a new Emergency Notification System – Communicator NXT/GeoCast web. While the Communicator NXT allows for quick mobilization of responders, the GeoCast allows for both emergency and routine information to be sent to citizens about ongoing or future events in their neighborhood. A self-registration portal allows individuals to add their contact information to the system and to opt out of certain types of messages.
Facts about KECD 911
During the year 2013, Central Dispatch handled 98,940 requests for service for citizens, 62,203 were police related 7926 were Fire , 13,866 were medical and the remainder were for other city department or agencies. The following year ,2014 request for service increased to 102,132 with 64,369 being police related, 8,339 fire and 13,897 medical.
In 2013,Central Dispatch processed 245,126 phone calls of those calls 47,739 were 911 calls and 130,271 were received on administrative phone lines. With a 1% increase in 2014 there were 255,049 calls received , 43,375 being 911 calls.
Kingsport Central Dispatch 911 provides service for Police, Fire, Medical and Rescue. In addition, after 5 p.m. and on holidays and weekends, they handle calls for Public Works Divisions such as streets, utilities, and transportation. This division is made up of two units – Central Dispatch and Communications Maintenance.”