E911 Heroes get New Superpowers

Chatham's new CAD System for a Cutting-Edge E911 Call Center

October 10, 2023 / 5:00am:

That’s the exact minute Chatham County's public safety partners received powerful additions to their toolbox as the County launched its long-awaited, state-of-the-art Computer Aided Dispatch system. By streamlining the flow of information, the CAD system facilitates the dispatch of the closest first responder regardless of jurisdiction. It enables call takers and dispatchers to more efficiently handle calls for service, and most importantly, it improves response times.

A team of 86 people from 28 agencies have contributed to the meticulous development of the system, ensuring the seamless integration of these vital life-critical systems. Chatham County’s Project Manager, Kelvin Lewis reports, “this project has truly been a collaboration between the County and its public safety partners.”

Russ Palmer, Chatham County E911 Communications Deputy Director, also attests to the effort and attention to detail from every team member. “With over 13,000 training hours, collaborators are prepared for the new system,” he says. “It standardizes call handling, assesses resource priority based on caller responses, and facilitates the dispatch of emergency services while the call is ongoing.”

The new system came online with no disruption to service for the 28 partner agencies which include the 911 Center, County Police, Municipal police and fire departments, Chatham Emergency Services, the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System Police, Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport Police, and many others. System vendors and training team will stay on site around the clock this week to provide support to guarantee the continued seamless shift from one system to another.

“We were prepared. There was no disruption of services,” says Diane Pinckney, the Chatham County E911 Communications Director. “Our staff is excited about the new technology! Every one of our staff members is dedicated to making our community safer, and this tool will help us to do it more effectively.”

County Manager Michael Kaigler is proud of this team. “The investment of time and funding was worthwhile, as it ensures faster and more efficient service delivery by our public safety partners and the E911 Center to the community.” Chatham County’s new, cutting-edge Computer Aided Dispatch system is now the sharpest tool in the box when it comes to being ready and able to answer the call to assist our community as needed.

Awareness, Support, and Remembrance

CCPD goes pink and purple for Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence Awareness

For many people, jack-o-lanterns and bats make orange and black the go-to colors to wear for the spooky month of October. For too many others, though, October also has other associations that can be scary, and the colors for those are pink and purple.

In observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic

Violence Awareness Month, team members of Chatham County's Police Department have dressed several spaces around the Administrative Annex building in pink and purple for the month.

In the CCPD office area, a brilliant pink tree is decorated with pink ribbons, purple butterflies, and cards bearing the names or photos of team members’ friends and family whose lives have been touched by these concerns. In a special place of honor, you’ll see the smiling face of Police Corporal Lorraine "LJ" Jackson, who lost her fight with breast cancer in 2014 and is still fondly remembered by those she served alongside.

In the lobby stands a larger pink tree, this one for anyone passing by to tie on tokens of their own. Like the CCPD team members’ tree, it’s a vivid expression of loss and of triumph, of determination and concern, and above all of love for all who have been and may yet be affected by breast cancer or by domestic violence. 

Drive-In Movie Night

Family fun at Tom Triplett Park

Reservations are required, but if you've got a car, you've got a seat for the free showing of the family-favorite movie, Coco.

Drive into the field at Tom Triplett Park, grab some free popcorn, then tune your radio to the right FM station, recline your seats, and enjoy the show!

Saturday, November 4th:

FOOD TRUCKS arrive at 5:00,

COCO begins at dark (7:30ish).

¡Space is limited! Call Chatham County's Parks and Recreation Main Office at 912-652-6780 for more information on registration.

(BEHIND THE SCENES)

2023 CEMA Hurricane Exercise

Savannah Youth Hockey League

Follow SYHL on Facebook HERE

Chatham90 Coalition

Working to ensure that every pet in our community finds a loving home

Chatham County Animal Services is on a mission. Teaming up with local rescue groups, they’ve established the Chatham90 Coalition to help our furry friends find loving homes. Together with One Love Animal Rescue, Renegade Paws Rescue, Best Friends Animal Society, and The Humane Society, they are working to boost the County’s “live release” rate higher than it has ever been before.

If that term is new to you, a live release rate is the percentage of animals that enter the shelter for any reason and leave the shelter to be reunited with their owners (if they were lost) or to find new homes through fostering, rescue, or adoption. Over the years, Chatham has seen its live release rate climb from 50% to 60% and then to 70% -- but now they’ve set their sights on an ambitious 90% live release rate.

Enter the Chatham90 Coalition, which has just launched Chatham90.org, a one-stop shop for many things pet-related for our community. The Chatham90 website offers a lost-and-found pets section, information on adoptable animals, and resources for pet owners who may need support with care such as access to pet food, affordable vet care, microchipping, and low-cost spaying/neutering.

A standout feature of Chatham90.org is that it allows anyone who finds a lost animal to report it online and upload pictures to aid with identification and reunification. Dr. Jake Harper, Director of Animal Services is a fan: “Rather than bringing a found animal to the shelter, this allows the finder to keep the animal in their home. We can track the animal, and when owners come to the shelter, we can reunite them. Not only does this keep shelter space open, it allows the lost animal to be in a less stressful environment.”

Gina Burroughs of Best Friends Animal Society concurs, emphasizing the big picture. “This isn’t just an animal welfare problem. This is a community problem. You know, pets are part of our community, so we’re asking the community to be part of the solution. We’re really asking everyone to work with us to try to improve things.”

The collaboration of Chatham County Animal Services with local like-minded organizations to create Chatham90.org has poised our community to make a significant impact in the lives of animals and those who care for them. They challenge you to join them in this amazing approach to helping every pet in our community find a loving home and a happy life.  

Check This Out!

Local AMBUCS help Chatham rise to the challenge of inclusivity

Inclusive playgrounds go beyond wheelchair accessibility. Every facet is designed to ensure children and adults of all abilities have play options and can choose how they want to engage in each activity. Chatham County is committed to providing such options to our community and with a generous contribution from Savannah AMBUCS is well on the way to making that vision a reality at AMBUC Park.

The first phase of construction for the inclusive playground was awarded at the October 6th commission meeting, when Savannah AMBUCS president Kevin Sheehan presented a large check to County leadership.

The AMBUCS organization, whose mission is "Inspiring people to conquer challenges related to mobility and independence," is donating $100,000 with this check. That amount will be added to the $55,000 already fundraised from Savannah AMBUCS and other partnering organizations for the new fully inclusive playground.

The $324,371 playground will be equipped with an inclusive swing, merry go round, and other play structures that will help children of all abilities to develop physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially. It will provide just the right level of challenge to meet kids where they are, addressing all levels of ability, and creating play experiences for a variety of needs and interests.

Goals

How Chatham's Lake Mayer Park became the local Hub of Hockey

Georgia sports may largely be synonymous with football and baseball, but more and more these days hockey is building its own equally rabid fanbase in these parts -- and it doesn't even need ice to do it.

The roller rink at Chatham's Lake Mayer Park is home to Savannah

Roller Hockey League, founded by two Fort Stewart soldiers with a passion for the game and nowhere to play. Appealing to displaced players from points north currently residing in the southeast coastal area of Georgia and resonating with new-to-the-game southerners who took to the no-holds-barred sport like ducks to water, they have surpassed their goal of simply getting together to play. SRHL has grown to become an

organized, competitive sports league with a die-hard fan base. In short, they are hell on wheels.

And yet . . . find a space on the bleachers around the rink on a weekend evening, and you’ll be surrounded by what can only be described as a family get-together. A boisterous family at times, maybe, but the way they’re all connected to each other and to the sport that they’re crazy about can’t be missed.

Come before a match and you’re likely to see two-foot-tall little hockey players practicing their slapshots with sticks twice their height while the big guys give them pointers. Come by on a Thursday evening or Saturday morning and you’ll see some of those same competitive hockey players coaching their kids in the Savannah Youth Savannah Youth Hockey League icra that has branched out of SRHL.

Follow Savannah Hockey on Facebook HERE to join the roller hockey community. Check out these awesome Semco graphics for each team on this weekend's schedule HERE on the SRHL website, where you can learn all about hockey Savannah-style, now playing at the roller rink at Lake Mayer Park.