MONROE - Most people think 9-1-1 is only for them to use when they have a crisis. Few know the system can be used to avoid a crisis.
The 9-1-1 system also can be used to let people know of an emergency in the area.
That's what happened May 1 when the Green County Sheriff's Department was searching for a man who had stolen a vehicle in Minnesota and hid it just west of Monroe.
Some people were surprised to receive a call that warned them of a man hiding in the area. But the reverse 9-1-1 system was just doing its job, Lt. Rick Campbell of the Green County Sheriff's Department said.
Two years ago, the sheriff's department was able to use about $29,000 in Homeland Security funds to purchase the system. The reverse-call system sends out a 30-second phone message to warn people of emergencies, hazardous material releases, natural disasters, bomb or terrorism threats, prison or jail escapes or evacuation notices. It also can send text messages to phones used by the hearing impaired. The system only calls land-line phones. It doesn't call cellular phones, Campbell said.
The system can make 1,400 calls in an hour. If more calls are needed due to a more dangerous situation, the sheriff's department can contact the 9-1-1 reverse call center to request thousands of numbers be called within a few minutes.
The reverse 9-1-1 system was used once last year to warn people about flooding and again a couple of weeks ago.
The system is activated when the commander at the scene of an incident decides a wide-range warning is needed. The decision to activate the system is at the commander's discretion.
For example, Green County Sheriff Randy Roderick said there wasn't a need for the system after a murder near New Glarus in November because it wasn't believed the suspects were an immediate threat to residents of nearby homes.
Once the system is activated, the sheriff's dispatch center can draw a map of where the calls will be made. For example, if a fire at a factory releases dangerous chemicals into the air, and the wind is out of the west, a map could be drawn either around the entire area or pinpointed to homes and businesses to the east of the factory.
The area could cover all of Green County and parts of Lafayette and Rock counties, Campbell added.
The 9-1-1 system also can be used to let people know of an emergency in the area.
That's what happened May 1 when the Green County Sheriff's Department was searching for a man who had stolen a vehicle in Minnesota and hid it just west of Monroe.
Some people were surprised to receive a call that warned them of a man hiding in the area. But the reverse 9-1-1 system was just doing its job, Lt. Rick Campbell of the Green County Sheriff's Department said.
Two years ago, the sheriff's department was able to use about $29,000 in Homeland Security funds to purchase the system. The reverse-call system sends out a 30-second phone message to warn people of emergencies, hazardous material releases, natural disasters, bomb or terrorism threats, prison or jail escapes or evacuation notices. It also can send text messages to phones used by the hearing impaired. The system only calls land-line phones. It doesn't call cellular phones, Campbell said.
The system can make 1,400 calls in an hour. If more calls are needed due to a more dangerous situation, the sheriff's department can contact the 9-1-1 reverse call center to request thousands of numbers be called within a few minutes.
The reverse 9-1-1 system was used once last year to warn people about flooding and again a couple of weeks ago.
The system is activated when the commander at the scene of an incident decides a wide-range warning is needed. The decision to activate the system is at the commander's discretion.
For example, Green County Sheriff Randy Roderick said there wasn't a need for the system after a murder near New Glarus in November because it wasn't believed the suspects were an immediate threat to residents of nearby homes.
Once the system is activated, the sheriff's dispatch center can draw a map of where the calls will be made. For example, if a fire at a factory releases dangerous chemicals into the air, and the wind is out of the west, a map could be drawn either around the entire area or pinpointed to homes and businesses to the east of the factory.
The area could cover all of Green County and parts of Lafayette and Rock counties, Campbell added.