Make sure your home is listed in the 911 system

I am writing this letter as a way to let the public know about problems with our county?s 911 system.

My father passed away on June 29. The thing I?m trying to make the people of our community aware of is that, after living in the same house for over 30 years and having the same phone number, my parents were not in the 911 system.

Mind you, the house has been there for over 100 years. The county actually changed their address several years ago, from Viola Road to S. Chancery Street to be better served by 911, but, they were still not in the system.

After two phone calls, and playing 60 questions with the person on the other end of the phone at 911, my father stopped breathing. It was at that time, and only then, we actually heard them call for first responders to come to the address on my parent?s scanner.

Please realize, my father’s health had been failing for awhile and I am confident June 29, 2006, was his time to go. What I’m trying to make the public aware of is please make sure your loved ones are in the system. I can’t help but wonder, what if it had been someone who lived alone that had called and, during the interrogation by the dispatcher, the person who made the 911 call lost consciousness? Would an ambulance be sent or would they be found by a friend or family member too late?

I don’t care if everyone in the county calls. Make sure 911 has your address on the computer screen when the caller ID shows your number to the dispatcher.

Tonjua Austin

The family of James Jones

S. Chancery Street

McMinnville