Policy Text
Communications Page 1 of 5 3/04.0 (REV 10/93)
911 ISOLATION INCIDENTS
The purpose of this order is to outline the procedure for handl ing 911 isolation of a
community serviced by the Pacific Telephone Company.
I. Definition
911 isolation, also referred to a s “stand alone mode”, is the r esult of damaged
telephone equipment in a communi ty that causes the failure of t elephone calls to
go beyond that community’s central office. When this occurs, an y 911 calls will
not reach their PSAP resulting in no emergency telephone commun ications for
the isolated community.
II. Initial Notification of an Occurrence
When 911 isolation is detect ed by the telephone company, the fo llowing will
occur:
A. The telephone company repres entative will phone the Communic ations
Center to advise the supervisor that a particular community is in 911
isolation and to activate the St ate of California OES van whic h is stored at
the Sacramento Regional Fire/ EMS Communications Center.
B. If the isolated central offi ce is located outside the Sherif f’s Department’s
jurisdiction, and the telephone company representative has not notified the
proper agency, the Communication s Center supervisor will notif y the
proper agency.
C. The telephone company represent ative will ident ify the locat ion of the
central office to which Sheri ff’s personnel and the OES van ar e to respond
and provide information regardi ng the nature of the problem an d estimated
time of repair.
III. Communications Center Not ification Responsibilities
After being advised by the respons ible telephone company of the 911 isolation,
the Communications supervisor shall:
A. Contact the Sacramento Regio nal Fire/EMS Communications Cent er.
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B. Advise the Fire/EMS supervisor that a community is in 911 is olation and
have the supervisor activate t he OES van. Provide the location for
response and obtain an estimat ed time of arrival, if possible.
C. Notify the Communications Cent er commander and on-duty Patro l
commander.
IV. Responding to the Scene
When notifications hav e been completed, the Communications supe rvisor shall:
A. Assign a Sheriff’s dispatcher and Sheriff’s Service Represen tative (SSR)
to respond to the central office location with one Communicati ons
sergeant. One dispatcher shall be assigned to begin tactical o perations of
Sheriff’s channel four.
B. In the event there is only one Communications sergeant assig ned at the
time of the 911 isolation:
1. Call in an off-duty Communi cations sergeant to respond to
supervise the Communications Cent er. Designate a dispatcher t o
assume supervisory responsibilities of the Communications Cen ter
until the call-in sergeant arrives.
2. In the event no off-duty Comm unications sergeant can be loc ated
for response, the dispatcher and SSR shall respond to a Patro l
supervisor who has been contac ted and dispatched to the centr al
office location.
C. A marked vehicle shall be obt ained for transportation to the central office
location to be used for radio communications when a Communicat ions
sergeant is able to respond. In th e event a Communications ser geant is
unable to respond to the central office (see Section IV, parag raph 2
above), the vehicle of the res ponding Patrol supervisor, or de signee, shall
be used for radio communications.
D. The following equipment/supplie s (contained in the case mark ed 911
Community Isolation Kit ) shall be taken to the central office location. This
kit is stored in the supervisor’s office.
1. Cassette recorder with telephone microphone 2. Note pads, pens, pencils 3. Thomas Bros. map book 4. Departmental telephone directory
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5. Dispatch cards (Form 109) 6. Two single line tele phones with modular jack
7. Cellular telephone (not in kit)
V. Arrival at the Scene
Upon arrival at the scene of the 911 isolation, the Communicati ons sergeant, or
in the absence of the sergeant, t he dispatcher, shall act as th e scene
commander and shall:
A. Meet with the repr esentative of the local fire agency and ve rify that the
“Knox” box has been opened and access to the central office ha s been
made. The local fire agency is responsible for accessing the K nox box.
Immediately plug in the two si ngle line telephones into the ja cks located in
the central office 911 isolati on box. This box is located on t he inside wall
just left of the front door to t he central office. Initiate 91 1 call answering
procedures (see paragraph VI).
B. When the OES van arrives, est ablish the communications link with the van
by connecting the OES van telep hone cable to the receptacle lo cated in
the 911 isolation box. Initiat e 911 call answering procedures (see
paragraph VI). Note : Instructions for connecting procedures for both
paragraph 1 and 2 above can be f ound in the central office 911 isolation
box.
1. Use of a two-way radio within the central office may damage
equipment and is forbidden. All radio communications must
take place outside of the central office