We Answer The Call Newsletter

District of Columbia sent this bulletin at 09/25/2019 04:30 PM EDT

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We Answer The Call

The Office Of Unified Communications (OUC) provides centralized District-wide coordination and management of public safety voice radio technology, and other public safety wireless communication systems and resources. OUC handles over three million 911 and 311 calls for service annually and is focused on providing excellent customer service and satisfaction. For more information, visit ouc.dc.gov.

OUC CONSOLE INSTALLATION PROJECT

UNDER CONSTRUCTION - The Office of Unified Communications is currently undergoing major renovations! All existing console workstation furniture is being replaced with new console workstation furniture in the two call center facilities at the Unified Communications Center and the Public Safety Communications Center. The work began on September 3, 2019 and is expected to be completed by February 2020.

OUC DISPATCHERS WIN "SPRING INTO MOTION" FITNESS CHALLENGE

SPRING INTO MOTION - The "Spring Into Motion" Challenge, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, is a District agency-wide, six-week online wellness competition that aims to encourage employees to get outside and moving.

This year's winners of the "Spring Into Motion" Challenge were none other than the Office of Unified Communications' very own dispatchers Nebeyeluel Abrha, Cynthia Daniels, and Nury Hernandez.

With a total score of 216, the team averaged an incredible 25,916 steps per day!

Congratulations team! Way to get moving!

WHAT'S NEW WITH 311

Residents and visitors of the District of Columbia can now call 3-1-1 to report all police non-emergencies.

The OUC defines a non-emergency call as any call related to an incident that does not pose an immediate threat to the safety of individuals and/or incidents that occurred at least one hour before the initial request for police assistance is made.

DOWNLOAD THE DC311 MOBILE APP -

Please ensure that you have downloaded DC's official 311 mobile app which can be found here:

Google Play

Apple Store

Questions? Email us at 311info@dc.gov.

**Please note that after September 30, 2019 service requests submitted through the SeeClickFix mobile app will no longer be processed by DC 311.**

DRIVING D.C. FORWARD - Welcome the Department of For-Hire Vehicles (DFHV) to 311! Residents and visitors of the District can now submit the following two new service requests for DFHV via 311:

For-Hire Vehicle Concerns

This new service request is for anyone who wishes to file a complaint against taxi, limo or ride share operators like Lyft or Uber. The complaint can be regarding a trip or something you’ve witnessed. Once the complaint is received, DFHV’s Office of Consumer Complaints will investigate and resolve the complaint within 30 business days.

Lost & Found

For all inquiries regarding lost or misplaced items in a D.C. taxi, the public can now submit a service request via 311. Once the request is submitted, the Department of For-Hire Vehicles' Client Service Department will investigate and attempt to locate the lost item.

DGS IS NOW PART OF THE 311 SYSTEM - The Department of General Services (DGS) is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Office of Unified Communications (OUC) that will allow residents to use the District’s 311 Call Center to request grounds maintenance services for District-owned properties including schools, municipal facilities, and parks and recreation centers.

Effective immediately, District residents can report requests for grass mowing, bush/hedge-trimming as well as the removal of fallen trees by calling to speak to a 311 agent, submitting an online request at 311.dc.gov, through the DC311 mobile app, or by tweeting @311DCgov.

Learn more at ouc.dc.gov.

WHAT'S NEW WITH 911

RAVE PANIC BUTTON APP DEPLOYMENT

RAVE FACILITY AND PANIC BUTTON APP DEPLOYMENT - The Panic Button is one of many tools and new technologies which Mayor Bowser has invested in to ensure efficient communications between residents and government services.

The Office of Unified Communications (OUC) will continue to implement the Panic Button App across all District government agencies and facilities. This app immediately notifies on-site personnel during incidents and shares emergency information with first responders shortening response times and improves safety for all those in the immediate area.

The Panic Button has been deployed at the following District government agencies:

For more information on the Rave Panic Button, visit www.ravepanicbutton.com or email panicbutton@dc.gov

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

MEET DIAMOND -

Born and raised in Washington, DC, Diamond has been at the Office of Unified Communications since 2017. In fact, she celebrated her two-year anniversary in September!

Diamond’s life has truly been full of incredibly notable accomplishments. She finished high school early, graduated from Bennett Career Institute in 2017, and even studied to become medical assistant at Prospect College right here in the District. To say that Diamond is driven would be an understatement.

One piece of advice she would give to a new employee is not take any interaction with a constituent personally. “Always try to keep in mind that if the caller is upset, it’s at the situation and not at you.” Diamond is a very active member of the OUC’s Community Action Team, a team comprised of OUC staff members who participate in outreach events and community-based group meetings across the District. “I love to go out into the community and meet with constituents I talk to everyday.” Be sure to keep an eye out for Diamond at our next community event!

What brings her back to work each day? Caring for others. “One of my passions is helping people as much as I possibly can under any circumstances.”

Diamond is a mother – first and foremost, a certified hairstylist, and describes herself as a strong and caring black woman.

Thank you Diamond for all that you do! #WhoAnswersTheCall

To view more of our Employee Spotlights, visit our Instagram page!

GET CONNECTED

GET CONNECTED - Make sure you're following the Office of Unified Communications on social media!

Stay up to date with everything going on at DC 911 and DC 311! You won't want to miss a thing!

OUC IN THE COMMUNITY

911 Youth Education

Children as young as three and four years old are able to make life-saving calls for help in the event of an emergency. Accordingly, the OUC regularly participates in events geared toward youth to provide them with tips on how and when to call 911. We even provide literature and activity books to prepare children if they have to make emergency calls.

If you would like us to deliver a public education presentation for your organization, visit ouc.dc.gov.

Beat the Streets

This community outreach event serves as a traveling community festival and is a partnership between the Metropolitan Police Department, local social service agencies and community vendors. In a 3 to 5-hour block of time, community members (of all ages) enjoy musical performances from local bands and artists, as well as a street festival-like environment with local vendors and literature distributed by local social service agencies. This is an opportunity for members of the community to experience the lighter side of the police department while enjoying dancing, free food, and fun!

Smart911 Registration Events

The Office of Unified Communications introduced Smart911 to Washington, DC in July 2012 to improve our 9-1-1 services to residents. Smart911 is a free service that allows participants across the US to create a Safety Profile for their household that includes any information they want 9-1-1 and first responders to have in the event of an emergency.

DC Public Schools Back to School Block Party

The DC Public Schools Back to School Block Party is a 3-hour celebration to welcome students, parents, teachers, school administration, and community members to a successful start to the new school year. The Block Party is designed to engage the DC Community in a fun and welcoming environment while providing information and multiple resources from local partner organizations and District Government Agencies such as health & wellness, food access, and college & career readiness to name a few.

The Mayor's Office of the Clean City Roll-Off Days

3-1-1 has been enthusiastically collaborating with the Mayor's Office of the Clean City at their Roll-Off Days across the District. Roll-Off Days allow residents to dispose of bulk trash and other debris and learn about other DC government agencies. Meet 311 operators, report service requests, and learn about how you can reduce waste, save energy, and prevent pollution in our neighborhood and environment at the next event on October 12, 2019 in Washington Highlands.

National Night Out

On August 6, 2019, the OUC joined MPD and other community leaders to celebrate the 36th Annual National Night Out (NNO). This police awareness-raising national event introduces communities to local law enforcement, and highlights crime prevention, neighborhood watch programs, and other safety-related issues.