Dispatch Tools

The Rawlins Police Department Communications Center dispatches the Rawlins Police De­partment, Rawlins Fire Department, and Rawlins Ambulance services to the citizens of Rawlins. When contacting the police department dispatch center, whether by calling the non-emergency line at 307-328-4530 or by calling/texting 9-1-1, there are several things to remember. 

  • The most important information we need is your location. Have the address available for the dispatcher when you call. If you don’t know the address, look around you at street signs and landmarks such as parks, grocery stores, and restaurants. 
  • It is important to stay as calm as possible so that the dispatcher can get the information necessary to send you the proper help as quickly as possible. 
  • Remember to listen carefully to the questions the dispatcher is asking, there is a specific reason we ask the questions in a certain order. Answering the dispatcher’s questions does not delay response by emergency services, while you are answering the questions, the dispatcher is relaying the information to the officers, firefighters, or ambulance crew, either by radio or sending it to a computer in the officer’s vehicle.
  • Try to remember as much information as possible such as descriptions of vehicles or peo­ple involved, directions they may be headed, or things they may have said. 
  • If you are calling from a cell phone, it is best to stay in one place if possible, so you don’t get disconnected, causing a possible delay in response. 

Did you know that the Rawlins Police Department can receive text messages to 911? This is a fantastic service if you are unable to speak or not comfortable talking to a 911 dispatcher with others around. Simply type 911 in the To: field on your phone. When typing your message let the dispatcher know where you are and what the emergency is. They will continue to text until help arrives or until you feel safe enough to make a voice call. In some cases, we can also find your location, but it is better if you can give your location.

 

Additional Tools the RPD Communications Center Uses to Improve Response 

RAPID SOS

Rapid SOS provides the dispatcher with the location of the cell phone you are using in most cases. It has a 90-95 percent accuracy rate within 10 feet of your location. At times it will give us an address you are calling from and in large buildings we can narrow it down to a specific area. If you have emergency data, such as emergency contact information in your phone that information is sometimes relayed to the dis­patch center. This is automatic and does not require you to sign up for anything. 

 

RAVE SMART 911

Rave Smart 911 is an app for your cell phone or you can sign up with a computer. This allows the individual user to share important information with the dispatch center to provide a better response. To sign-up visit smart911.com or download on the Apple App Store or Google Play today. 

You decide what personal information you want to share, including: 

  • Addresses of home or work.
  • Any members of your household with descriptions and photos if you wish.
  • Any health concerns for anyone in your household, such as oxygen use, wheelchair use or immobility. 
  • If you have a member of your household that is deaf, hard of hearing, or otherwise challenged this would be great information for anyone responding to an emergency at your home. 
  • What vehicle or vehicles you may drive. This is important, especially if you call from somewhere other than your home. 
  • Do you have pets? This app allows you to list what pets may be in the home as well as a place to share their photo. This would alert firefighters or police that they need to look for your pets. 
  • We can also respond by text message to cell phone users. In some instances, this works when a phone may have very little cellular service.
  • If you are in a building that has several floors, we can get a good idea of your exact location.
  • If you travel anywhere that has Rave Smart 911 in their dispatch center, they will also receive the information you have provided. 

 Your information is only shared if you call 911. There is no access to private information except when you call.

 

RAVE SMART 911 FOR BUSINESS LOCATIONS

Rave Smart 911 also allows local businesses to share im­portant information about their business. Such as keyholder information, emergency contacts, alarm company informa­tion, and whether there are dangerous conditions or chemi­cals stored in the building. For further information, contact Valeta at the Rawlins Police Department Dispatch Center at 307-328-4530.

 

BACK COUNTRY SOS

Back County SOS is an app developed by Teton County Search and Rescue. This app is available in areas where text to 911 is available. If you have the app on your phone and get lost, hurt, stuck, or in any other emergency, you can utilize the app to notify emergency services without using a lot of your phone’s battery power. It also works where there is very little cellular service when a phone call may not go through. It will provide your location, the type of emergency, and the battery power you have remaining. You can then text back and forth with the dispatcher to get help without using all your remaining battery power. There is nothing to do other than install the app on your phone, no need to sign up for anything. The website lists the counties in Wyoming and other states where this is available. This App is a must-have for outdoor sportsmen in all seasons, so download it for iPhone and Android today! 

 

ALERT SENSE

Alert Sense has replaced Code Red for our community and is provided by Carbon County Emergency Management. Users can sign up at www.rawlinswy.gov/alertsense or by downloading from Google Play or the Apple App Store. AlertSense alerts citizens of ongoing emergency situations in the county before they are eligible for Reverse 911/IPAWS alerts. It also utilized the IPAWS alerting system for weather-related issues, amber alerts, and national security issues. By signing up for AlertSense, you will receive more of the alerts that matter to you, as you can select between dozens of choices when you sign-up. 

 

VOIANCE LANGUAGE SERVICES

For our non-English speaking citizens, we subscribe to Voiance. With a quick phone call, we can get an interpreter on the line to help us better understand the needs of the caller with very little delay or frustration. This service aids in many different languages. This service is also available to our officers on the street if they encounter a language barrier. 

 

Want to know more?

If you would like us to share any of this with your local groups, busi­nesses, clubs, etc. Please contact Valeta Rodabaugh at 307-328-4530. We’d be happy to show up and help your members sign up. For further information on any of these tools or for help signing up please contact the Rawlins Police Department Communication Center at 307-328-4530