The Novi Regional 911 Center serves as the primary 911 answering point (PSAP)
for the City of Novi, the City of South Lyon and
Lyon Township. The service area is
approximately 70 square miles serving an estimated resident
population of 76,388. Public Safety agencies served by the 911
center include the Novi Police and Fire Departments, the South Lyon
Police and Fire Departments and the Lyon Township Fire Department.
The Novi Regional 911 Center is a modern and well-equipped facility that
is staffed by highly trained 911 personnel. Current staffing levels
are 12 dispatchers, four shift leaders, and a manager.
It is the mission of the Novi Regional 911 Center to provide a fast and
effective communications link between the citizens requesting public
safety services and the public safety agencies charged with
providing emergency and non-emergency services to those citizens.
911 Procedures
Let's look at how the 911 system works.
When you call 911 from any of the areas that are covered by the
Communications Center your call gets routed through the phone system
to a switching station located in Rochester Michigan. From that
switching station the call goes to a central station in Northville
Michigan, where it is then forwarded to our communications center.
If you have called 911 and it seems as though it is taking a while
to go through, this is due to the routing system which causes
a few second delay. When this occurs, stay on the line and the call
will go through.
Any 911 call that gets placed from a residence or business in
Novi goes directly to the Novi Communications Center. 911 calls
placed from cell phones are currently routed to the nearest Michigan
State Police Post or Sheriff's Department.
Your 911 call will print out on a computer screen showing the
address, phone number and homeowners or business name the call is
being placed from. The operator will verify this information with
you to ensure that it is correct, and depending on the assistance
needed, will then dispatch the police, fire and/or EMS. If the 911
call is a medical emergency, the call will then be transferred to a
private ambulance service for further instruction. During
emergencies it can be very difficult to remain calm due to stress,
however, it is very difficult to understand callers when they become
hysterical.
If a 911 call is placed in error, please stay on the
line until the call is answered then tell us that you have
misdialed. When a call is received and the caller has hung up, the
operator will call back to determine if there is a problem, or send
what we feel is the appropriate response. In the case of children
that call 911, we will call back and ask to speak with an adult.
Anytime that you change your phone number or move, please call
911 to ensure that the correct information is in the system. 911
programming is done by your phone service carrier according to your
billing information. The Novi Police Department will submit the
corrected information for you.
Severe Weather Information
The best defenses against a tornado are knowledge and
preparedness. Since 1987 the City of Novi has had two tornado
touchdowns. One tornado touched down in June 1987 in Chateau Estates
Mobile Home Park, taking the life of one resident, injuring others
and doing extensive damage. The second tornado took place in
September 1990 and touched down in the area of Ten Mile and Taft
Road. Several homes in the area were damaged along with the Civic
Center and Police Station.
Tornado watches and warnings are issued by the National Weather
Service. A tornado watch is issued when atmospheric conditions are
favorable for the formation of tornados. Warnings are issued
when a tornado has been sighted either visually or on radar.
Novi currently has eight tornado sirens in place, with three more on
order. The sirens are tested on the first Saturday of each month at
1:00pm starting in March and ending in November. Each test
consists of a three minute warning.
Before you hear the sirens you and your family should come up
with a disaster plan. Some things that should be taken into
consideration are:
- Know where to go. Mobile home park residents, check with your
park manager to find out where/if they have a designated shelter.
If they don't have a shelter, now is the time to determine where
your safest location is. It is preferred to find shelter somewhere
other than in your mobile home. In a frame home, your
shelter should be in the lowest level of your home, a basement is
preferred. If you do not have a basement, go to an interior room
away from windows such as a closet or bathroom.
- Do not open windows. Protect your face and head from flying
debris by covering them with a blanket or your hands.
- Have supplies on hand such as a battery powered radio, extra
batteries, bottled water, blankets and flashlights. In case of a
tornado touchdown gas lines can be damaged so it is safer to use
flashlights instead of candles.
If you are caught outside during a tornado warning, try to get
inside of a building. If you cannot find a building to seek shelter
in, lie flat in a ditch or low lying area and cover your head and
neck with your hands or a piece of clothing. Be careful to keep in
mind that water runoff can flood ditches quickly.
Don't try to out run a tornado in a vehicle, instead try to get
to the nearest building as soon as possible, or get out of the
vehicle and into a ditch as far away from the vehicle as possible.
Besides knowing what to do in various situations,
you should know the difference between a watch and a warning.
A tornado watch simply means conditions are favorable for tornadoes
to develop.
Tornadoes are most likely to happen in the late
afternoon on hot spring days. However, tornadoes have occurred
in every month at all times of the day or night. On average,
770 tornadoes are reported annually in the United States.
When a tornado watch is in effect:
-
Move cars inside a garage or carport, if possible,
to avoid damage from hail that often accompanies severe storms.
-
Move lawn furniture and yard equipment inside, if
time permits. Otherwise they could become damaged or act as
dangerous projectiles, causing serious injury or damage.
-
If you're at home, keep your radio or TV tuned to
weather reports and account for family members.
-
Above all, be alert for changing weather - that's
what a watch is all about. Tornadoes often - but not always
- occur in conjunction with a severe thunderstorm producing hail.
If you have any indication that a tornado may be approaching, take
cover immediately. Do not wait for a warning to be issued.
A tornado warning means a tornado has actually been
sighted. Realize that tornadoes can be deadly and devastating
storms, with winds up to 260 miles per hour. If a tornado
warning is issued for your area: Seek shelter immediately.
Don't wait until an emergency siren sounds to start
grabbing supplies and thinking about what you should do. Plan
ahead when it comes to tornadoes. Take responsibility for your
own safety. Plan to survive!
Click here to go to National Weather Service
Radar.
