CyraCom is a partner for hundreds of 9-1-1 PSAPs across the country. One of our most valued partnerships is with Prince George County 9-1-1 in Maryland. We’ve worked closely with their decisionmakers for 15 years to customize and optimize their account and streamline dispatcher connections to qualified interpreters during emergencies.
About Prince George County 9-1-1
Maryland’s Prince George County 9-1-1 has been a CyraCom client since 2010. The PSAP is a single contact center for multiple emergency service agencies throughout the area, including police, sheriff, and fire departments. The PSAP uses CyraCom’s remote interpretation services to communicate with 30% of the county’s population who speak languages other than English, primarily Spanish, Mandarin, and Swahili.
Prince George County 9-1-1 often refers other PSAPs to CyraCom for phone interpretation, as they appreciate our fast service and ability to answer questions quickly. From fast, simple onboarding to ongoing support, CyraCom helps Prince George County 9-1-1 receive interpretation services that support their community.
Onboarding process
Prince George County 9-1-1 appreciated our efficient onboarding process, which was spearheaded by CyraCom’s dedicated 9-1-1 and Public Safety Account Manager, Bill Martin.
Bill has onboarded and served hundreds of PSAPS over the past 10 years and knows how important it is for PSAPs to feel self-sufficient with their vendors. He has perfected a hands-on implementation meeting that gives PSAPs the tools to use CyraCom’s interpretation service confidently and immediately.
His onboarding meeting with Prince George County 9-1-1 covered:
Accessing the Account Management portal, creating on-demand reports and invoices, and providing access/PINs to 9-1-1 and non-emergency users- Creating a custom dial-in menu for top languages
- Sharing access cards/badges with critical information such as login information, AM contact information, and how to reach out for support
Following the meeting, Bill sent a Welcome Email summarizing the onboarding discussion and providing the materials Prince George County 9-1-1 needed to get started. Bill then scheduled a quarterly check-in meeting, while reminding the PSAP that they could reach out to him directly with additional questions.
CyraCom’s speedy custom connection options
CyraCom’s priority queue for Prince George County 9-1-1 and other PSAPs helps ensure emergency call takers don’t waste precious time waiting to connect to an interpreter. We also tailor language menus and auto-authenticate accounts to remove extra steps.
How Prince George County 9-1-1 dispatchers connect with an interpreter
Bill set up Prince George County 9-1-1 for success by working with the PSAP’s specific needs, as well as employing and recommending custom settings based on his years of experience.
- Prince George County 9-1-1 shared that they primarily received calls in their top three languages: Spanish, Mandarin, and Swahili. Bill provided custom speed dials to connect dispatchers to these languages directly.
- For all other languages, call takers simply need to enter a three-digit language code. Bill’s extensive experience taught him that PSAPs prefer the non-verbal option for selecting a language due to how noisy calls can get, and he recommends this setting for every PSAP.
- Bill also recommended they remove steps to enter an account number and PIN, making the process even faster for Prince George County 9-1-1 call takers.
How does CyraCom’s priority queue work?
CyraCom’s priority queue ensures that calls from PSAPs are answered before non-emergency calls, helping dispatchers receive the help they need quickly. CyraCom interpreters are notified when they’re receiving a 9-1-1 call, so their introduction is abbreviated compared to non-emergency calls.
Additional 9-1-1 call customization options
We’ve worked with hundreds of PSAPs, and here are some of the other top customization options that we’ve developed for streamlining service:
Multiple PINs for different groups/departments: Some PSAPs want to track usage between departments or locations. We can set up different PINs for various uses, such as police, detectives, or jail staff.- Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Adding an automated greeting in other languages to your telephone line (i.e., Press/Say 2 for Spanish) helps LEP callers communicate their need for interpretation when they contact your staff.
- Dedicated toll-free numbers: These numbers make it easier for LEP callers to connect with your staff, with an interpreter already on the line.
- Call reconnection: If our interpreter disconnects from the call and you need to reconnect, we can add a recorded message to the end of your calls that lets you press 1 to reach the same interpreter or press 2 for a new interpreter.
Let's partner up
Do you want your PSAP to receive ongoing support and customized access, all at no extra cost from your language service partner? CyraCom has partnered with thousands of clients like Prince George County 9-1-1 over the past 30 years, and we’d love to be your partner too. Contact us today at cyracom.com/contact-us
