City/County Communication Center

The Billings City / County 9-1-1 Center provides the critical link between the community and public safety resources.

User agencies include:

• The City of Billings Police Department
• The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office
• The Billings Fire Department
• 15 rural fire departments
• Four ambulance services
• The Crash / Fire / Rescue Team at Logan International Airport
• Various State and Federal agencies that have occasional communication with local agencies

Communications Center Staff

27 full-time employees and three 9-1-1 supervisors receive, coordinate, and process emergency and non-emergency radio and telephone traffic 24 hours a day.

Employees receive over 1700 hours of training to hone their skills at multitasking, decision making and prioritization. They are also required to achieve qualification at each of the three radio positions in the Center (police, sheriff, and fire / EMS dispatch positions).

Equipment

 The 9-1-1 center uses a Computer Aided Dispatch System (CAD) which oversees the citywide 800 MHz radio system, employing Mobile Data Terminals to voicelessly communicate with officers and fire responders, and providing Phase 1 and Phase 2 enhanced services to wireless callers.

A major accomplishment completed in 2006 was the implementation of the Emergency Preparedness Network. This product is commonly referred to as reverse 9-1-1 and it allows public safety and other governmental agencies to rapidly disseminate information to phone holders in specific geographic areas.