MIKE TESTING OUT TECHNOLOGY YOU NEED WHEN EVERY SECOND COUNTS.
FOR WEEKS, WE’VE BEEN LOOKING INTO 911 CENTERS HOPING TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THE SYSTEM THAT FAILED KYLE PLUSH WHEN HE WAS TRAPPED IN HIS MINIVAN.
SHEREE: TONIGHT WE PUT A LOCAL 9 DISPATCH CENTER TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW FAST THEY CAN TRACK US WHEN WE NEED THE WHAT WE FOUND MIGHT SURPRISE
YOU.
WITH THE HELP OF HAMILTON COUNTY 911.
>> 911 WHAT IS YOUR EMERGENCY.
SHEREE: WE PUT DISPATCHER AUSTIN LEE AND THE TECHNOLOGY HE HAS AT HIS FINGERTIPS, TO THE TES WE START AT MERCY ANDERSON HOSPITAL.
DISPATCHERS WILL TELL YOU ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS TO DO, IS FIND SOMEONE WHEN THEY’RE INSIDE A LARGE BUILDING >> THE LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE IN THE DEAD END OF A DRIVEWAY OFF OF
NEWTOWN ROAD OVER IN ANDERSON TOWNSHIP.
IS THAT CORREC SHEREE: NO WE’RE ACTUALLY INSIDE MERCY ANDERSON HOSPITAL.
AUSTIN CAN’T PIN POINT WHAT FLOOR WE’RE ON.
BUT LET’S SAY THERE WAS A GUNMAN ON THE LOSE.
-- ON THE LOOSE.
IN LESS THAN A MINUTE AUSTIN HAD A GOOD IDEA OF WHERE TO SEND HELP.
LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE AT THE END OF THE BUILDING, OR IT APPEARS LIKE IT’S THE BACK OF THE BUILDING FROM THE FRONT ENTRANCE.
SHEREE: YOU ARE RIGHT.
I’M LOOKING OUT AND I CAN SEE THE WOODS BEHIND ME HERE.
AND WHEN WE MOVED OUTSIDE.
AUSTIN WAS ABLE TO FIND OUR EXACT LOCATION WITHOUT ME EVER SAYING A WORD.
>> I SEE SEVERAL CIRCLES WHERE THE PERIMETER OF WHERE YOU COULD BE HAS NARROWED DOWN.
SO I SEE A PRETTY EXACT LOCATION OF WHERE YOU MIGHT BE CALLING FROM.
SHEREE: YEAH YOU’RE RIGHT, WE’RE RIGHT OUTSIDE, JUST OUTSIDE THE PARKING LOT RIGHT ALONG THE RO HERE.
THE SAME THING HAPPENED DOWN THE ROAD, ON A POPULAR ROUTE TO CONEY ISLAND, ALONG SUTTON ROAD NOT FAR FROM 275.
CAN YOU SEE WHERE WE ARE?
EVEN IN A REMOTE AREA, WITH MINIMAL RECEPTION.
WE’RE ABOUT A MILE FROM SALEM.
WE’RE AT 537 SUTTON, RIGHT IN FRONT OF A HOUSE.
AUSTIN PINPOINTS MY LOCATION WITHIN 30-FEET.
>> IT DOES LOOK RESIDENTIAL BUT IT’S HEAVILY, HEAVILY WOODED.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SEE SHEREE: SO WE DECIDED TO MAKE OUR TEST EVEN MORE DIFFICULT.
A LOT OF TIMES THE PERSON CALLING 911 DOESN’T STAY ON THE PHONE.
SO WE MOVE TO 8-MILE ROAD AND ONLY STAY ON THE LINE WITH AUSTIN FOR 10-SECOND WE’RE GOING TO PRETEND THIS IS A REAL EMERGENCY AND SEE IF YOU CAN TRACK ME.
WITHIN 30-SECONDS HE’S CALLING ME BAC I KNOW I WAS ONLY ON FOR A FEW SECONDS.
WERE YOU ABLE TO TRACK ME?
AND IF I NEEDED HELP HE HAD A VERY GOOD IDEA OF WHERE I WAS.
>> WE HAVE A 95% CONFIDENCE LEVEL THAT YOU’RE IN THIS 10-METER AREA.
SHEREE OUR LAST TEST OF THE DAY A HIGH RISE OFFICE BUILDING.
SO WE SWITCHED LOCATIONS, WE’RE IN BLUE ASH NOW.
ARE YOU ABLE TO SEE US?
WE DON’T TELL AUSTIN ANYTHING ELSE.
>> IT DOES LOOK LIKE YOU ARE INSIDE THE BUILDING.
SHEREE: AT FIRST, AUSTIN CAN’T QUITE TELL WHERE WE ARE INSIDE THIS BUILDING, WITH MULTIPLE FLOORS AND WINGS.
BUT THE LONGER I’M ON THE LIN SO YOU CAN SEE ME BUT CAN YOU TELL WHAT FLOOR I’M ON.
HE CAN’T TELL WHAT FLOOR EXACTLY.
BUT HE IS QUICKLY ABLE TO HONE IN ON MY LOCATION.
THERE’S A LONG SECTION OF THE -- >> THERE’S A LONG SECTION OF THE BUILDING.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE IN THE LONG SECTION OF THE BUILDING.
I CAN SEE A PARKING LOT.
I CAN SEE TWO LARGE PARKING LOTS AND THEN I CAN SEE A SIDEWALK THAT GOES INTO THE BACK OF THE BUILDING AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE JUST INSIDE THE BACK OF THE BUILDING
IF WE WERE TRYING TO LOCATE YOU, THAT WOULD BE AN AREA WHERE WE WOULD START OUR SEARCHES ON ALL FLOORS OF THE BUILDING.
SHEREE: FOR US IT’S PEACE OF MIND.
FOR AUSTIN AND ALL OF THESE 911 DISPATCHERS.
IT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, EVERY SINGLE DAY, ON ANY GIVEN CALL THE MAN WHO RUNS HAMILTON COUNTY DISPATCH TELLS ME IT’S ALWAYS BETTER TO CALL 911 RATHER THAN
TEXTING, THE LONGER YOU CAN STAY ON THE LINE OF COURSE THE BETTER.
AND IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE SO ALREADY SIGN UP FOR SMAR