SHERMAN, TEXAS – Eric Bridges, Executive Director of Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG), announced today the award recipients from its annual Texoma Regional 9-1-1 Telecommunicators Banquet, hosted by TCOG’s Public Safety staff on February 27. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the banquet in which TCOG makes a deliberate effort to express its gratitude and appreciation for 9-1-1 telecommunicators by highlighting the important role they play in public safety services.

Dr. Joe Serio, Guest Speaker

“Telecommunicators are a particularly critical link between those in need of emergency services and those that provide emergency assistance,” stated Bridges. “They are often the first point of contact in moments of crisis.

“The Texoma region is fortunate to have such devoted and dedicated telecommunicators who truly are first responders.”

In 2019, Governor Greg Abbott signed a new law classifying 9-1-1 dispatchers and other public safety telecommunications professionals as first responders. This law went into effect on September 1. Prior to this legislation, 9-1-1 telecommunicators were classified as secretaries. The law provides an opportunity to give dispatchers recognition alongside public safety services as well as providing them with access to benefits to help support their mental health.

The awards and recipients are as follow:

In addition to the awards ceremony, the event featured keynote speaker, Dr. Joe Serio. Serio holds a PhD in Criminal Justice with a specialization in Leadership and Organizational Behavior from Sam Houston State University. He is a popular and entertaining speaker who motivates and inspires his audiences while providing thought-provoking information.

The Texoma Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the local governments in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson counties. Established in 1968, Texoma Council of Governments promotes economy and efficiency in the coordinated planning and development of the tri-county region through its community and economic development activities. Both directly and through contractors, the Council provides housing, utility assistance, and weatherization services for low-income citizens in the region and assists the elderly through a variety of Area Agency on Aging programs. The Council also facilitates the delivery of grant funding for homeland security and criminal justice.

SHERMAN, March 54, 2019 – Eric Bridges, Executive Director of Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG), announced today that TCOG’s 9-1-1 Program hosted the annual Texoma Regional 9-1-1 Telecommunicators Banquet this past Thursday on February 28. Each year awards are given to telecommunicators throughout our region for the important role they play in public safety.

Trenell Walker

Guest Speaker

“Telecommunicators are the critical link between those in need of emergency services and those that provide emergency assistance,” stated Bridges. “The Texoma region is fortunate to have such devoted and dedicated telecommunicators.”

The awards and recipients are as follow:

The Texoma Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the local governments in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson Counties. Established in 1968, the Texoma Council of Governments promotes economy and efficiency in the coordinated planning and development of the tri-county region through its community and economic development activities. Either directly, or through contractors, the Council provides housing, utility assistance, and weatherization services for low-income citizens in the region and assists the elderly through a variety of Area Agency on Aging programs. The Council also facilitates the delivery of grant funding for homeland security and criminal justice.

SHERMAN, Texas — There’s a new way to call for help in Grayson, Cooke and Fannin counties. The Texoma Council of Governments says Text to 911 is now available.

“I think it’s a way of providing additional safety for our citizens,” explained TCOG executive director Dr. Susan Thomas.

Now, in addition to calling 911, you can text information to emergency responders as long as your cell phone is on one of the four major wireless carriers: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile or Sprint.

“We wanted to make sure that Text to 911 is available for those that may not be able to speak, or the situation is more safe if they were able to text,” explained Grayson County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Bigham.

Once you send a Text to 911 message, you’ll get a reply from a 911 call center identifying which department it is and asking for more information about your emergency.

“Individuals still need to know where they are located — just like with any 911 call — so it helps the dispatchers get the right emergency response to them,” Bigham said.

If Text to 911 isn’t available in your area, you will get a message back asking you to call 911.

While the new service doesn’t let you send picture or video messages, police say it’s a great option for those who may have difficulty speaking on the phone or are in a situation where talking would be dangerous.

“There are some situations where verbal communication is going to cause more harm to an individual, and so that’s why this program is being pushed out all over the State of Texas, and, I believe, nationwide,” Bigham said. “I believe it’s coming on in smaller groups, and so we need to make the public aware when it’s available in their area.”

In Oklahoma, Text to 911 is currently available only in in Rogers County in the northeast corner of the state, according to information from the Federal Communications Commission.

Source: http://www.kten.com/story/38380701/text-to-911-now-available-in-tri-county-area

Additional Coverage on this topic:

KXII – You can now text 911 in Grayson, Fannin, Cooke counties

Herald Democrat – Texting 911 is now an option

Text to 9-1-1 service available in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson counties

SHERMAN, June 7, 2018 – Dr. Susan Thomas, Executive Director of Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG), announced today that Text to 9-1-1 Services are available in Cooke, Fannin, & Grayson Counties.

“Text to 9-1-1 will allow citizens to send a text message directly to 9-1-1 in the event they are unable to make a voice call,” said Dr. Thomas. “Simply send a text as you normally would and enter 911 in the recipient field. This will start a text session between 9-1-1 and the individual needing help.”

It is important to remember that text to 9-1-1 services should only be used in an emergency situation, when someone is unable to speak. Examples include if the person is deaf, hard of hearing, speech impaired, or when speaking out loud would put the individual in danger. Text-to-9-1-1 also provides a silent alternative in cases such as a child abduction, active shooter or domestic abuse.

When texting 9-1-1, you need to know your exact location and the nature of your emergency. Use simple language and no abbreviations or slang. Please do NOT TEXT and DRIVE! Pull over to a safe location before sending a text to 9-1-1. If you are able, please call 9-1-1. It takes longer to get all the information when communicating through text messages.

Currently you can only Text-to-9-1-1 with the four major wireless carriers: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless™. If you are in an area where texting service is not available to 9-1-1, you will receive a ‘bounce-back’ message telling you to make a voice call. If you would like more information about Text-to-9-1-1, please visit the COG’s website at www.tcog.com.

The Texoma Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the local governments in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson Counties. Established in 1968, the Texoma Council of Governments promotes economy and efficiency in the coordinated planning and development of the tri-county region through its community and economic development activities. Either directly, or through contractors, the Council provides housing, utility assistance, and weatherization services for low-income citizens in the region and assists the elderly through a variety of Area Agency on Aging programs. The Council also facilitates the delivery of grant funding for homeland security and criminal justice.

Text to 9-1-1 is now available in your area!

What is Text to 9-1-1?

Text to 9-1-1 service allows you to send a text to reach emergency call-takers from your wireless phone or device for help.

Keep in mind, you should always make a voice call to 9-1-1 whenever possible for the quickest help. A 9-1-1 call-taker is waiting to help you.

PLEASE REMEMBER: Do NOT Text and Drive!

AUSTIN, Texas, July 12, 2017 – Commission on State Emergency Communications — Owners of multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) in Texas are now required to provide direct-dial access to 9-1-1 without having to dial an additional digit such as 9 first before getting an outside line. Business service users (BSUs) of MLTS have until September 1, 2017, to comply. Senate Bill 788, also known as Kari’s Law, which requires direct access to 9-1-1, was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 15, 2015. On March 1, 2016, the Commission on State Emergency Communications adopted Rule 251.16 (Direct Access to 9-1-1 Service) to implement Kari’s Law.

“I signed Kari’s Law to ensure that all Texans have the ability to access 9-1-1 services no matter where they find themselves during an emergency,” said Governor Abbott. “This important change to Texas law is only as good as the compliance that follows. The use of multi-line telephone systems should not impede on anyone’s ability to make a life-saving phone call, and I am urging all business service users employing an MLTS to ensure they are compliant. Lives depend on your cooperation.”

The law represents a culmination of efforts in the aftermath of the murder of Kari Hunt in a motel room in Marshall, Texas who was attacked by her estranged husband. Kari’s 9-year-old daughter tried to call 9-1-1 for help four times from the motel room phone. Unfortunately, the call never went through, because she did not know to first dial “9” for an outbound line before dialing 9-1-1. Tragically, Kari died before help could arrive.

Since Kari’s death, her father Hank Hunt and his family have made it their mission to educate the public and elected officials across the country about the need to change multi-line phone systems to provide direct access to 9-1-1. Their concerns were heard by representatives of the Texas 9-1-1 authorities, elected officials in Texas, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Texas was the third state to enact a Kari’s Law. The states of Illinois, Maryland, Tennessee and New York City have passed similar legislation.

MLTS owners must do their diligence and provide direct access to 9-1-1 and comply with Kari’s Law. If the existing MLTS cannot be re-programmed or replaced to meet the direct access requirement, a one-year waiver shall be granted upon timely submission of an affidavit. Business owners should contact their MLTS provider to learn if their phone system is compliant. Some new phone systems need to be reprogrammed (not replaced) and costs, if any, should be minimal. For more information on the history of Kari’s Law, the requirements to comply or to request a waiver, please visit www.texas911.org.

Related Document:

Download Press Release (PDF)

Sherman/Denison 9-1-1 Municipal Emergency Districts Join Effort

SHERMAN, JUNE 9, 2017 – Dr. Susan Thomas, Executive Director of Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG) has announced that TCOG’s 9-1-1 Program will implement upgrades this summer to the current 9-1-1 Host/Remote System as part of another transitional step to Next Generation 9-1-1. The current equipment was installed in the spring of 2014 and supports all six of the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in TCOG’s Program. These PSAPs include: Bonham Police Department, Gainesville Police Department, Whitesboro Police Department, Cooke County Sheriff’s Office, Fannin County Sheriff’s Office and Grayson County Sheriff’s Office. Due to a recent collaborative project with the two local 9-1-1 municipal emergency districts, Sherman Police Department and Denison Police Department will now be included in the upgrades as well.

Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1) provides new, state-of-the-art technology to facilitate a variety of options for service collaboration between local public safety agencies which is essential to fully transition to NG 9-1-1. Benefits of this collaboration include: better caller location information when calls are transferred between agencies, ability to deploy regional text-to-911, and enhanced fiscal responsibility to citizens.

“The first and foremost job of government is to provide for the safety and security of its citizens, which is a goal this TCOG program addresses head-on,” stated Sherman City Council Member Kevin Couch. “I’d like to commend the excellent work of TCOG staff to bring this cutting-edge technology to the citizens of Grayson County. There’s no doubt that lives will be saved through this program.”

In the spring of 2015, TCOG’s 9-1-1 Program began working with the region’s two local municipal emergency districts, the cities of Sherman and Denison, to add both public safety agencies to TCOG’s 9-1-1 Host/Remote System. The Commission on State Emergency Communications (CSEC) approved the TCOG Strategic Plan Amendment allowing TCOG to extend 9-1-1 service arrangements to both Sherman and Denison in August 2015. Since then, both agencies have joined the TCOG 9-1-1 Host/Remote System, saving the jurisdictions approximately $100,000 in costs each.

“The Sherman Police Department is pleased to be a part of the TCOG Host/Remote System,” stated Tracy Stenger, Sherman Police Department Dispatch Supervisor. “This effort has provided remarkable benefits for the City of Sherman and the community in which we serve. Moving forward together to provide Next Generation 9-1-1 will ensure our citizens continue to receive an elevated level of service.”

While the Texoma region has not yet implemented “Text-to-911”, the upgrade is necessary to deploy a new class of service to the region. Implementing text-to-911 across all jurisdictions in the region at the same time will eliminate inconsistencies in service delivery and prevent confusion for end users. “This is the smartest way to implement the new technology,” noted TCOG’s Executive Director Susan Thomas. “We want to prevent having a system where you can text from one city in the region, but not the other. In an emergency, citizens don’t always know their exact locations, so the service level needs to be consistent.”

TCOG’s 9-1-1 Program has been working with all of the 9-1-1 PSAP agencies in our region with the goal of collaborating to develop a regional solution. Without the mutual efforts and support from area PSAPs and the Sherman and Denison 9-1-1 municipal districts, the project wouldn’t be where it is today. TCOG anticipates implementing text-to-911 by the end of 2017.

“Technological advancement requirements and new means of communication create an ever-changing moving target for emergency services. Public safety providers must meet these challenges to ensure we are delivering those services expected by the community we serve,” Denison Police Department Lieutenant F.C. Tillman stated. “Text-to-911 is one of those new venues societal expectations warrant. Denison is proud to join our area partners for delivery of those services.”

The Texoma Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the local governments in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson Counties. Established in 1968, the Texoma Council of Governments promotes economy and efficiency in the coordinated planning and development of the tri-county region through its community and economic development activities. Either directly, or through contractors, the Council provides housing, utility assistance, and weatherization services for low-income citizens in the region and assists the elderly through a variety of Area Agency on Aging programs. The Council also facilitates the delivery of grant funding for homeland security and criminal justice.

SHERMAN, February 10, 2017 –The TCOG 9-1-1 Program hosted the annual Texoma Regional 9-1-1 Telecommunicators Awards Banquet on Thursday, February 9, 2017. Each year awards are given to Telecommunicators in our region for the important role they play in public safety.

Tina Chaffin

Guest Speaker

“It is important that we recognize our Telecommunicators for their professionalism and dedication where public safety is concerned”, said Dr. Susan B. Thomas, Executive Director of Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG). “When citizens call 9-1-1 these Telecommunicators work hard to make certain that help arrives as quickly as possible.”

The awards and recipients are as follow:

The Texoma Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the local governments in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson Counties. Established in 1968, the Texoma Council of Governments promotes economy and efficiency in the coordinated planning and development of the tri-county region through its community and economic development activities. Either directly, or through contractors, the Council provides housing, utility assistance, and weatherization services for low-income citizens in the region and assists the elderly through a variety of Area Agency on Aging programs. The Council also facilitates the delivery of grant funding for homeland security and criminal justice.

SHERMAN, August 23, 2016 – Susan B. Thomas, PhD, Executive Director of Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG), would like to notify business owners about a new law requiring owners of multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) in Texas to provide direct-dial access to 9-1-1 without having to dial an additional digit such as 9 first before getting an outside line. Providers of multi-line telephone systems have until September 1, 2016 to comply. Senate Bill 788, also known as Kari’s Law, which requires direct access to 9-1-1, was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 15, 2015. On March 1, 2016 the Commission on State Emergency Communications adopted Rule 251.16 (Direct Access to 9-1-1 Service) to implement Kari’s Law.

The law represents a culmination of efforts in the aftermath of the murder of Kari Hunt in a motel room in Marshall, Texas who was attacked by her estranged husband. Kari’s 9-year-old daughter tried to call 9-1-1 for help four times from the motel room phone. Unfortunately, the call never went through, because she did not know to first dial “9” for an outbound line before dialing 9-1-1. Tragically, Kari died before help could arrive.

Since Kari’s death, her father Hank Hunt and his family have made it their mission to educate the public and elected officials across the country about the need to change multi-line phone systems to provide direct access to 9-1-1. Their concerns were heard by representatives of the Texas 9-1-1 authorities, elected officials in Texas, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Currently, Illinois, Maryland, Texas and Tennessee have all passed similar legislation.

“Seconds count, and when a 9 year old little girl is mature and brave enough to attempt to dial 9-1-1 for help, she should be answered,” said Mr. Hunt.

MLTS owners must do their diligence and provide direct access to 9-1-1 and comply with Kari’s Law. If the existing MLTS cannot be re-programmed or replaced to meet the direct access requirement, a one-year waiver shall be granted upon timely submission of an affidavit. Business owners should contact their MLTS provider to learn if their phone system is compliant. Some new phone systems need to be reprogrammed (not replaced) and costs, if any, should be minimal.

For more information on the history of Kari’s Law, the requirements to comply or to request a waiver, please visit texas911.org/KarisLaw. A PSA on Kari’s Law can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/ilvrLNGwZ-c

The Texoma Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the local governments in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson Counties. Established in 1968, the Texoma Council of Governments promotes economy and efficiency in the coordinated planning and development of the tri-county region through its community and economic development activities. Either directly, or through contractors, the Council provides housing, utility assistance, and weatherization services for low-income citizens in the region and assists the elderly through a variety of Area Agency on Aging programs. The Council also facilitates the delivery of grant funding for homeland security and criminal justice.

SHERMAN, JANUARY 20, 2016- Dr. Susan Thomas, Executive Director of Texoma Council of Governments announced that TCOG hosted an awards banquet for 9-1-1 Telecommunicators in the Texoma Region on Saturday evening, January 16, 2017 at Grayson Hall in Sherman, Texas. The banquet was held to honor Telecommunicators for their commitment and service to our community.

“9-1-1 Dispatchers play a vital part where public safety is concerned.” said Dr. Thomas. “They are the ones that gather crucial information from the caller and with that information send the appropriate emergency responders.”

Craig Northcutt and James Dry from Post Up were guest speakers at the banquet. Post Up is a non-profit organization that promotes hunting safety and the use of helmets while riding ATVs.
The following awards were given at the banquet:

• Dispatcher of the Year
  Megan Robinson of the Bonham Police Department
• Supervisor of the Year
  Lisa Whitten of the Whitesboro Police Department
• Team Award of Merit
  Channa Campbell, Shanna Kenney, and Lyra Webb of the Denison Police Department
• Life Saver Award
  Stacey Bee of the Fannin County Sheriff’s; Joyce Sturgess of the Denison Police Department; and Crista Rosado of the Cooke County Sheriff’s Office
• Silent Hero
  Lori Dilday of the Cooke County Sheriff’s Office, April Culley of the Van Alstyne Police Department; Dean Paddock and Joyce Sturgess of the Denison Police Department; and Deisiree Harston of the Sherman Police Department.

The Texoma Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the local governments in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson Counties. Established in 1968, the Texoma Council of Governments promotes economy and efficiency in the coordinated planning and development of the tri-county region through its community and economic development activities. Either directly, or through contractors, the Council provides housing, utility assistance, and weatherization services for low-income citizens in the region and assists the elderly through a variety of Area Agency on Aging programs. The Council also facilitates the delivery of grant funding for homeland security and criminal justice.