Brazos County 911 Press Conference May 28th
Please join Brazos County 911, Brazos County District 2 VFD, and County Commissioner Russ Ford for a press conference this Friday, May 28th at 10:00 a.m. as we debut a new tool for residents in the rural areas of Brazos County to help reduce response time when they call 911.
Date: 5/28/2021
Location: Brazos County Administration Building – 200 S. Texas Avenue – Bryan, TX 77803
Time: 10:00 a.m.
During an emergency, each second can mean the difference between life and loss. When first responders arrive to a property, valuable time is often lost trying to actually access the property, particularly in rural areas where many residents have gates and long complex driveways. The Brazos County District 2 Volunteer Fire Department, Brazos County 911, and Brazos County Precinct 2 Commissioner Russ Ford encourage Brazos county property owners to help reduce response time by logging onto https://info.bc911.org/ and providing detailed instructions for first responders to access their property once they arrive.
The Brazos County District 2 Volunteer Fire Department noted that responding to emergencies in rural areas presents unique challenges not faced by first responders within the city limits. If the reporting party does not provide a gate code or precise directions once first responders have actually entered the property, first responders are often forced to cut locks, remove gates, or even be faced with forks in the driveway while trying to actually locate the incident. While some residents have previously called dispatch to provide this valuable access information, many residents are
not aware this is an option. The additional access information was also not communicated in an efficient manner to county area firefighters and medics who lack the vehicle computer systems used by city departments.
Personnel from District 2 VFD recently met with Brazos County 911 system Associate Director Laura Blackburn to develop a solution. Property owners can now enter access information such as gate codes, property layout, and other emergency contact information on a secure BC911 website. Blackburn also developed a process that takes the access information and automatically uploads it to the dispatch system when a call is generated. The automation frees dispatcher time for answering calls and eliminates the need for follow up calls from first responders for access codes and other pertinent details. District 2 VFD and BC911 have conducted beta testing to ensure the new systems and procedures work seamlessly, while keeping property information secure.
Commissioner Ford praised the solution developed by BC911 and District 2 VFD personnel, noting that it will benefit volunteer fire departments throughout the entire county.
Commissioner Ford wants all Brazos County residents to be made aware of the importance of uploading their pertinent information to the website before an emergency occurs. When seconds count, first responders already having the information can mean the difference between life and loss.
For questions and to RSVP, please contact Captain Rick Wagner with the Brazos County District 2 Volunteer Fire Department: rwagner@district2vfd.org
The District 2 VFD, Brazos County 911, and Commissioner Ford are asking our media partners for assistance in getting this important message out to the community.
A Press Conference will be held on Friday May 28th, 2021 at 10:00 AM, at the Brazos County Administration building located at 200 S. Texas Ave, Bryan, TX 77803 outside by the fire engine or if inclement weather, the conference will be held in the commissioners courtroom. Please notify Captain Wagner if you plan on sending a representative.