Have you ever wondered what happens when you call 911? On average, a person makes only one 911 call in his/her lifetime. That call is a unique experience for us so it is important to know that the person on the other end of the telephone knows what to do!
If you live in Matteson, Richton Park, Olympia Fields, or Park Forest, your 911 call will be handled by one of the 17 dispatchers working for SouthCom, the combined dispatch center for those communities.
On Wednesday December 13 at 6:30 pm at Park Forest Village Hall (350 Victory Drive), the League of Women Voters of the Park Forest Area will present a program by Ron Bonneau, the Director of SouthCom. He will talk about reasons for combined dispatch, the history of SouthCom, and the challenges of 911 services, which does have limitations. The public is invited to this one hour program and questions will be taken.
Mr Bonneau has a master's degree in Criminal Justice from Western Illinois University and is currently the First Vice President of the National Emergency Number (911) Association. Before taking this position, he was a captain on the Riverdale Police Department and has 27 years experience as a police officer.
SouthCom handles 100,000 emergency calls per year, dispatching 75,000 emergency vehicles. The center was responsible for handling all emergency dispatch during the 2003 US Open Golf Tournament. SouthCom and its supervisory personnel have been recognized in national publications for their exemplary service.
Please join the League of Women Voters at Park Forest Village Hall on Wednesday December 13 at 6:30 for an informative hour.
