Jennifer Swift, New Haven Register (Conn.)

The ringing on the phone heard when a resident calls 9-1-1and is connected sounds the same as before a $1.65 million upgrade at police headquarters, but to dispatchers there’s a world of difference.

The town is among a few municipalities in the state that do all dispatches — fire, police and emergency medical services — from one location, police Capt. Geoffrey Morgan said.

The last update to the telecommunications office came in 1995. The new update was more difficult, Morgan said, because it had to be done while the room was still functioning as a 9-1-1center.

The project began Feb. 25, but already Anne Ballard was dispatching and making calls with a “roger that” over the radio.

The replacement of the telecommunication consoles is one phase in the town’s plan to update and replace much of the communications equipment for the police and public works departments.

In the telecommunications room, two dispatchers now use seven monitors and four computers each. Prior to the upgrade, they used two computers and four monitors.

The new furniture and consoles allow for customization for each dispatcher, which makes work more efficient and comfortable, Morgan said. They often work shifts longer than eight hour, up to 16 hours.

The ability to dispatch everyone from a central location keeps things reliable and efficient, Morgan said. “Every 9-1-1call to Branford is answered and handled right here.”

An upgrade had to be done because much of the equipment and technology was so outdated it could no longer be fixed or replaced.

The next step is replacement of the portable and mobile radios police use, and updates in communications in each patrol car.

The Public Works Department is also receiving an update and will operate on the same radio frequency, Morgan said.

Having it on the same page allows for a better collaborative effort, Morgan said, especially during major events such as snowstorms.

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