Bureau Emergency Communications receives unexpected 911 call from Arizona

At 2:23 a.m. on Jan. 16 of this year, LEAD Telecommunicator at Bureau Emergency Communications, Dawn Porter, received a cellular 911 call that displayed zero information in the organization’s system.

Usually, landline 911 calls will display the phone owner’s name and address and exactly where they are located while cellular calls will show the address of the cell tower the call is bouncing off and the number. To receive no information is quite a rare instance.

When Porter asked the caller what their emergency was, she was answered by a Spanish-speaking caller. Porter attempted to ask questions but due to the language barrier they were unable to communicate.

Using her training and resources, Porter conferenced in a language servicing company that has interpreters available for almost every language.

Through the work of Porter and the interpreter, they were able to gather that the caller was with a group of immigrants who had crossed the border near the Colorado River in Yuma, Arizona. The group was lost in the desert and had no idea where to go.

Bureau Emergency Communications is unsure of how this call from Arizona was routed to Princeton and it is something they are working with the cellphone provider on.

From working with the interpreter and the cellular tower information, Porter was able to get a latitude and longitude in the area of where the caller was located. She then made contact with the Yuma Police Department to determine jurisdiction for the area.

The call was then transferred, with the interpreter still on the line, to the Yuma Sheriff’s Office who sent first responders to the caller’s location.

Bureau County 911 Director Diana Stiles said that Porter showed the skill, training and tenacity that 911 dispatchers should have when handling a 911 call.

“They will do everything in their power to get help to the caller while offering support and instructions,” Stiles said. “Bureau County is extremely lucky to have a team of 911 dispatchers who are very well trained and certified in Emergency Medical Dispatch, Law Enforcement and Fire Dispatching.”

“They are certified by the Illinois Department of Human Services and have continuing education all year long that helps them continue to do an amazing job for the residents and public safety responders of Bureau County.”