Situated in southwest Colorado, Montrose County is nestled on the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains, and is home to the Black Canyon National Park. Because of its location and proximity to the Telluride ski area, it is a popular place for tourists as well as the permanent residents.

The Montrose County Sheriff's Office in Colorado serves a varying size population that typically hovers around 55,000 people. Handling the emergency calls and dispatching for 23 agencies is a daunting task, and when the time came to upgrade their E9-1-1 call-handling equipment, the Sheriff's Office turned to Positron Public Safety Systems and Qwest.

Lt. David Learned knew that his existing equipment was no longer serviceable, and so began the search for new, state-of-the-art communication hardware and software. The Sheriff's Office decided to move to a computer-based call-handling solution, which would provide more flexibility and easier call control over Montrose County's 6 incoming E9-1-1 trunks.

There are many choices on the market today that offer call-handling solutions for the mission-critical E9-1-1 communications center. Lt. Learned looked at several solutions before deciding to select the system offered by Positron.

The solution was Positron's Life Line 100 ANI/ALI controller, a device that provides the highest level of 9-1-1 service and reliability to meet the strict demands of public safety. With a modular design and flexible configuration, the Life Line 100 provides a non-blocking design that ensures that all calls can be processed simultaneously, eliminating any potential bottleneck. System reliability is enhanced by Life Line 100's distributed microprocessor architecture allowing each module to operate under its own control. This independent operation ensures no single point of failure. Built-in redundant, hot stand-by modules ensure uninterrupted service and make the Life Line 100 ideally suited to critical 9-1-1 applications.

Coupled with the Life Line 100 is Positron's Power 911 computer-based call-handling application. Power 911 is an integrated Intelligent Workstation that provides call takers with on-screen control of both landline and wireless calls in a wide variety of telephony environments. Through an intelligent approach to information display and management, Power 911 enhances emergency call handling efficiency and consistency.

"I liked the GUI," says the Lieutenant. "It was clean, clear and easy to understand and use. It offered the best interface that I had seen out there."

Also included in the newly installed solution is Positron's Power MAP software. Power MAP is a dedicated public safety map viewer providing automatic display and management of calls, incidents, responses and resources. Power MAP's blend of sophisticated engineering and simplified operation allows agency personnel to locate callers and direct emergency responses quickly and accurately. Power MAP provides enhanced support of Wireless E911 calls and can configure each wireless provider's class of service to automatically search different data sources and display information that the operator needs - such as when to perform a repeat ALI.

Lt. Learned states that his agency currently does not receive Phase II wireless calls, but that he selected Power MAP for its capabilities to display those types of calls once they are ready to do so.

To generate administrative reports, Montrose County selected Power MIS, an advanced reporting and analysis tool that provides a comprehensive view of PSAP activity and personnel performance. Power MIS provides PSAP managers with the detailed information needed to support the decision making process. Power MIS provides an extremely easy-to-use graphical user interface that allows the Sheriff's Office to refine its report parameters and immediately see the results.

One of the elements that David Learned highlighted was his appreciation of the service he received from both Positron and Qwest. It is a type of partnership that is formed when a PSAP and vendor collaborate to install emergency call-handling equipment. The Montrose County Sheriff's Office's concerns were addressed promptly to ensure that service to the community was rendered in an uninterrupted fashion, and that the call-handlers and dispatchers were given the support and training they required to get their jobs done.

Montrose County looks forward to continuing to provide the critical service that its citizens and visitors require of public safety agencies in the area. Positron is proud to have the Montrose County Sheriff's Office in the family.