Use 911 to get help fast, VCAD director cautions

Vernon County Ambulance Director James McKenzie is concerned that calls to the district are not going through properly and worries that calls are getting dropped since the change-over to the new dispatch center.

"The (417) 667-5070 number is not working correctly right now and I'm just worried that someone might not get the help they need, when they need it," McKenzie said. "We had a woman call in on that number and the call got dropped, and we didn't know about it. About 15 minutes later she called in on our other number and asked if she was going to get an ambulance."

McKenzie said that he understood that when migrating to new technology there would be glitches but worried that residents of the county might not be ready to change completely to the new system just yet.

"There are going to be glitches, we understand that, but we need to make sure people are getting the service they need," McKenzie said. "We may do away with that number in six months or so but for now I think we need to keep it usable. You don't just do away with a number that's been used for 30 years at the drop of a hat."

McKenzie said "I think people should use the 911 number to make sure their calls get through," McKenzie said. "That goes directly into the dispatch center. They say the problem is going to be fixed today but I'm not comfortable with that, I'd like to be sure people can get through with no problems."

Nevada Police Chief Gary Herstein, a member of the Western Missouri 911 Dispatch Center, said that it was his understanding that the calls were going to the dispatch center as they should but weren't also ringing at the ambulance district.

"It's my understanding it's ringing in the dispatch center as it should," Herstein said. "I think they want it to also ring at the ambulance district and the phone company is working on that."

Herstein agrees that people should call the nine-one-one number since it is now the standard emergency number for all services within the county.