The Communications Center is the hub of all emergency service traffic for the City of Salem citizens and guests.  The Center’s personnel handle calls from eighteen telephone lines, record data into the computer system for each request for service, monitor and transmit on three Salem Police radio frequencies, one joint Salem Fire and Rescue frequency, one Salem Fire frequency, one Salem Rescue frequency, two municipal frequencies, one State Inter-agency Radio System (SIRS), and one Roanoke College Campus Police frequency.  Personnel also monitor an Integrated Flood Observing and Warning System (IFLOWS) computer.  The Telecommunicators enter warrants, accidents, and citations into the computer system on a daily basis.  During the year they processed 1,953 warrants, 1,062 accident reports and 3,509 citations.  They also enter or query numerous wanted or missing persons and stolen items into the Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN) computer system.  Telecommunicators are trained in both CPR and Emergency Medical Dispatching.  This allows them to provide Salem’s citizens and guests with pre-arrival instructions or emergency telephone instructions on all medical calls when practical prior to EMS personnel arriving.  The Center is equipped with a 20-channel recorder for telephone and radio traffic and instant replay recorders for all telephone lines and most radio frequencies.  The Center's personnel dispatched 27,663 police complaints, 1,855 automobile accident investigations, 1,778 fire calls, 3,282 rescue calls, 2,419 animal control requests, and 1,394 burglar alarms.  In addition, the Telecommunicators provide courteous information to the public and provide the vital link between necessary emergency service and the public.

             During the past fiscal year, personnel in the Communications Division furthered their training by attending several classes.  The Sergeant in charge of Communications graduated from the Administrative Officers Management Program of North Carolina State University and participated in Windows NT Administration training. All Telecommunicators received VCIN Recertification. Nine Telecommunicators received Emergency Medical Dispatch Desertification, and four Telecommunicators received Emergency Services Communications Specialist training.

A new Telecommunicator receiving training

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