Calls from Rocky Hill to take the same route
By: Jake Uitti
MONTGOMERY Beginning Feb. 1, emergency calls from Montgomery residents requesting fire services will be transferred to the Somerset County Dispatch Center in Somerville.
While the 911 calls are being transferred for dispatching services, Montgomery operators will stay on the line with callers to determine if Emergency Medical Service or police service will be required. If needed, the Montgomery dispatcher will call either Montgomery EMS or police.
This is advantageous for the township, said Bill Spohn, a volunteer at Montgomery Township Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 in Belle Mead, because once the call reaches the Somerset dispatch center, its system can alert neighboring towns, such as Hillsborough as well as either of the fire companies in the township much faster than Montgomery dispatchers.
Even if the call reaches Somerset dispatchers 30 seconds later than it would have reached Montgomery dispatchers, Mr. Spohn said, the time it takes to alert neighboring companies makes the whole procedure much faster. The county system has a bigger and better web of connections, he said.
Also beginning Feb. 1, all 911 calls from Rocky Hill residents will go through county dispatchers. The dispatcher will depending on the nature of the call alert Rocky Hill fire services, Rocky Hill EMS personnel or State Police.
Prior to Feb. 1, Montgomery will continue to dispatch Rocky Hill fire and EMS services, transfer 911 police calls to the State Police, as well as handle its own 911 dispatching.
Montgomery EMS will continue to be dispatched from Montgomery after Feb. 1, according to township Police Director Michael Beltranena.
The county offers dispatching services free of charge, Mr. Spohn said. The county has "a large team of dispatchers and offers the services to municipalities."
Mr. Spohn also explained that the type of communications that will become available would eliminate any transmission "dead spots." Furthermore, Mr. Spohn said, "the township encouraged us to move" dispatching services, since the dispatching software and manpower needed are an expensive burden on the township.
Montgomery also has borne the expenses of dispatching Rocky Hill fire, EMS and State Police calls expenses totaling about $271 per month.
With the dispatching of Montgomery fire services moving to the county, coupled with Montgomery no longer wanting to bear the expense of Rocky Hill’s dispatching services, Rocky Hill decided to opt into the county-dispatching route.