Ingham County’s new consolidated 911 dispatch center is set to open Wednesday. Its start comes after a brief court-ordered delay at the request of the dispatchers.
Dispatchers had asked an Ingham County judge to block the county center’s opening because they felt their training had been inadequate. The new center uses a telephone touch screen system that displays information about county emergency units and assets. The dispatchers had been trained in Livingston County, and said that information did not give an accurate picture of their duties.
However, Ingham dispatch center director Lance Langdon says the teams are getting up to speed.
"We actually did the first group of refresher training here this morning (Tuesday)," Langdon says. "I believe that from everything I heard, it went very well. I think they were surprised how much they did retain and really how easy the phone system is to work with."
A spokesman for the union representing Ingham County dispatchers says the staff is prepared to handle its first day in the new center.