Roswell Emergency Communications Named 'Center of Excellence'

ROSWELL, GA -- The City of Roswell Division of Emergency Communications is taking center stage in recognition of achieving the most prominent distinction in 911 emergency communication services. The communication center is the 17th emergency dispatch center in the world and second in the state to attain International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) status as an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) for its use of the Police Priority Dispatch System (PPDS). This distinction places it among the very highest-performing emergency dispatch agencies in the world.

ACE inspires agencies to provide superior, industry best practices in public safety and to employ efficient use of resources when handling all emergency call situations. Accreditation requires an intensive self-assessment based on the IAED’s rigorous Twenty Points of Accreditation. In order to achieve accreditation, agencies must meet or exceed all twenty points of accreditation, which requires participation from the department director down to the individual emergency dispatcher. Because ACE agencies abide by these standards and have fulfilled these requirements, callers can rest at ease knowing emergency dispatchers will address their needs appropriately and that they will receive the right help in a timely manner.

Melissa Alterio, the 911 Director with the Roswell Police Department, said she is thrilled with the accomplishment in a release. She said this achievement confirms what she already knew about the talented, hard-working staff.

“I already knew this team of 911 professionals were amazing, knowledgeable, and passionate about what they do, but to have an official declaration of that fact for the rest of the world to see makes me extremely proud, grateful, and humbled,” she said.

For Alterio, taking the steps toward attaining ACE status has demonstrated the value dispatchers have in the chain of emergency response. She said it underscores the way the team handles each call and exemplifies why she and her colleagues are involved in this vital work.

“ACE announces to the citizens of the City of Roswell and the entire 911 industry that we process through calls for service with the utmost professionalism and standard of care,” she said. “This distinction solidifies the team’s pride and purpose for what we do. We chose this profession to make a positive difference in someone’s life, especially during a caller’s time of crisis. We worked toward this particular goal to assist us with that mission, continuing to grow and learning all that we can in order to make that difference for our community.”

The IAED’s Board of Accreditation reviews the center’s application and documentation of the Twenty Points and conducts a thorough on-site visit.

“There’s a tremendous amount of work that goes into achieving ACE status,” IAED Chair of Accreditation Christof C. Chwojka said in the release. “We’re certainly proud of Roswell and its accomplishment.”

Not only is this a significant milestone for the entire team at Roswell 911, but it can also bring peace of mind to local residents who call for emergency assistance.

“The vision of the Roswell 911 Center is to achieve the highest degree of public confidence,” she said. “Our personnel are recognized for their professionalism, integrity, exemplary customer service, commitment to public safety, leadership, and innovation. With the honor of being declared an ACE Agency, our residents can be secure in the knowledge of our allegiance to their safety.”

Alterio said getting to this point required communication, teamwork, commitment, and education. Every step and effort have been worth it, she said. In fact, center management and staff members are working toward achieving ACE in the IAED’s Medical and Fire emergency dispatching systems as well.

Currently, more than 220 centers throughout the world have the ACE distinction among the 3,500 centers worldwide using the fire, police, medical, and nurse triage protocols for safe and efficient response to the wide variety of emergency situations.