David Scott, Chief of Police
59 Main St.
Pepperell, MA 01463
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018
Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net
Pepperell Implements Program that Directs All Wireless 911 Calls to Local Dispatch Center
PEPPERELL — Communications Director David Stairs, Police Chief David Scott and Fire Chief Toby Tyler are pleased to announce that the town’s emergency dispatch center has made the move to a more modern system that will allow it to directly receive all wireless 911 calls dialed from town.
Pepperell Communications transitioned to the State 911 Department’s Wireless Direct program today, a move that should ultimately shorten the the Pepperell Police and Fire Departments’ emergency response time and provide a direct line between first responders and those in need of services.
Pepperell Communications will now receive all Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint 911 calls originating from cell phones within Pepperell, rather than having them first be routed through a State 911 Department dispatch center. The change reduces the amount of time it takes to initiate a police, fire or emergency medical response while only slightly increasing the department’s daily call volume. The change comes at no cost to Pepperell taxpayers.
“Every second matters in an emergency situation, so having our dispatchers receive every 911 call from phones in town will help us better serve our community,” Stairs said. “This upgrade reduces the number of layers that 911 calls pass through, and is ultimately going to improve our emergency response times.”
Pepperell is one of just a handful of communities statewide that have made the switch to the Wireless Direct program.
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