Hancock County Public Safety and School Officials

November 8, 2013

OHIO MARCS IN-SCHOOL RADIOReduces Response Time and Protects Our Schools!

Background: December 14, 2012Background: December 14, 2012

Police Response Time At Sandy Hook?

At the police station, dispatchers began to take calls from inside the school. Authorities say the first emergency call about the shooting came in at "approximately"

9:30 a.m."Sandy Hook school. Caller is indicating she thinks someone is shooting in the building,"

a dispatcher told fire and medical personnel, according to 911 tapes.http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/12/us/sandy-hook-timeline/?hpt=hp_c2

How Dispatch WorksHow Dispatch Works

A call comes into first responders from several sources

During Sandy Hook there was a “Brown Out”, calls flooded the system.

This prevented vital information from getting through

◦When an event happens the Dispatcher must triage what is happening

Dispatch TriageDispatch Triage

Triage usually works like this based on all things being equal:

1. Radio Traffic2. Phone3. Walk Ins

It took approximately SEVEN MINUTES for the first police officer to be dispatched to Sandy Hook!!!

What will ALWAYS take first precedent over all information is when an emergency alert comes over the system?

EMERGENCY ALERT

SOLUTIONSOLUTION

OHIO MARCS in Schools

◦Simplified system allows for ease of use

◦Immediate communication with first responders

◦Prevents confusion over emergency needs

◦Reduces response time by immediately identifying incident as an emergency

“In a crisis, seconds make the difference”

Considerations

Radio Placement in the School

MARCS and First RespondersMARCS and First Responders

Be Prepared not Scared

“Schools are not powerless… Preparation allows violence to be dealt with as soon as it occurs…”

-Stephen R. Sroka, PhD, Lakewood, Ohioafter the Chardon H.S. Shooting

Discussion

◦There are at least 88 solutions!!!

Questions?

◦ Darryl Anderson, Program Director Ohio MARCS

4200 Surface RoadSuite 321Columbus, OH 43228darryl.anderson@das.ohio.gov(614)207-445324/7/52!!