Washington Parish Communications District

(A Component Unit of Washington Parish Government)

News Items

Franklinton, (02/27/08) - District issues Request for Information (RFI) for Washington Parish communications tower project.

Franklinton, (12/20/07) - District adds road map updates to this web site and on all dispatch positions in the system.

Franklinton, (07/20/07) - Louisiana Bond Commission approves $ 500,000 appropriations for Communications Center planning and construction.

Franklinton, (07/09/07) - District adds road map updates to this web site and on all dispatch positions in the system.

Franklinton, (05/18/07) - District adds road map updates to this web site and on all dispatch positions in the system.

Franklinton, (03/27/07) - District adds church and cemetery landmark GIS information to 9-1-1 dispatch mapping.

Franklinton, (02/28/07) - District Parish successfully implements Vonage VoIP 9-1-1 system utilizing I2, P1 technology.

Franklinton, (11/27/06) - Washington Parish EMS Comprehensive Review and Recommendations currently available for review..

Franklinton, (11/17/06) - Washington Parish Road Maps have been updated on this web site and on all dispatch positions in the system.

Franklinton, (6/26/06) - Communications District issues INVITATION TO BID, CLEARCUT SALE, 8.88 ACRE PARCEL, SECTION 39, T2S-R12E, GREENSBURG LAND DISTRICT, WASHINGTON PARISH LOUISIANA

Franklinton, (5/15/06) - Communications District board member is certified as an Emergency Number Professional (ENP) by NENA.

Franklinton, (3/22/06) - Mapping system for dispatchers now plots the location of  wireline 9-1-1 calls. This system now plots the location of both wireline and wireless (cell phones) 9-1-1 calls on digital map of Washington Parish.

Franklinton, (3/13/06) - Emergency communications plan for Washington Parish released to the public at LOUISIANA SPEAKS open house in Bogalusa.

Franklinton, (1/06/06) - Aerial photography of Washington Parish is now available for public viewing on this web site according to recent press release.

Franklinton, (1/03/06) - At its January 3rd meeting, the Washington Parish Communications District unanimously approved the following motion, "Upon receipt of documentation of successful completion, the Communications District will reimburse the course registration cost, not to exceed $350 per dispatcher, of any 9-1-1 or dispatch related training courses taken in 2006, by the full time law enforcement dispatchers employed by agencies in Washington Parish. The board is supportive of the efforts by the law enforcement dispatchers to improve their professional qualifications, and that by doing so, such will benefit their agencies, and the public."

Franklinton, (10/18/05) - URISA’s GISCorps volunteer Sarah Zapolsky working from her home in Washington, DC, has completed her assignment to prepare color maps of Washington Parish capable of being printed for use by emergency responders and hurricane recovery personnel.  Sarah is a full time professional with AARP.  These maps are based on field work by the District's mapping specialist.  Maps can be accessed at http://www.wpcde-911.com/washington_parish_maps.htm .  Next map revisions will be in January, 2006.

Franklinton, (10/013/05) - Request made to the United States Congress for funding to improve the communications and emergency management systems in Washington Parish to become part of Senate Bill S.1765.

Franklinton, (10/06/05) - Report made at NENA NG E9-1-1 committee meeting in Schaumburg, IL, on the Effects of Katrina on the Washington Parish Communication System .

Franklinton, (09/28/05) - "The Washington that FEMA Forgot", a story of Washington Parish after Katrina in Fortune magazine.

Franklinton, 09/26/2005) - Washington Parish's CML ECS-1000 9-1-1 system placed back into service.  Hurricane Katrina caused massive damage to Bell South and Wireless computer routing equipment.  Some wireless calls may still be default routed to ten digit telephones at PSAP's.

(Franklinton, 08/29/2005) - Hurricane Katrina causes massive damage to Washington Parish including all Bell System CAMA and T-1 circuits and selective routing from the Franklin tandem in New Orleans.  Washington Parish 9-1-1 calls being default routed to ten digit telephones at PSAP's.  

(Franklinton, 08/15/2005) - National Cellular Phone Official Visits Washinton Parish.

(Franklinton, 07/28/2005) - Cingular authorized to turn up tower in Enon  with Phase 2 service.

(Franklinton, 07/27/2005) - Request for Proposal for Architectural, Engineering and Construction Management Services for a Basic Communications Center for Washington Parish released to prospective firms.

(Franklinton, 07/08/2005) - Cingular authorized to turn up towers in Angie and Mt Hermon with Phase 2 in Washington Parish.  See Cingular press release.

(Franklinton, 06/30/2005) - The Communications District and Valarie Patterson from the Deaf Action Center of the Northshore announces sign language course for area emergency responders will be taught in the August - September, 2005

(Franklinton, 06/30/2005) - TDD Communications With the Hearing Impaired course taught to area dispatchers by the Deaf Action Center of the Northshore

(Franklinton, 06/29/2005) - Communications District moves to its new location at 805 Pearl Street, Franklinton, Louisiana

(Franklinton, 06/28/2005) - Cingular authorized to turn up towers in Angie and Mt Hermon with Phase 1 in Washington Parish.  Phase II to follow.

Franklinton, 06/23/2005) - TDD Communications With the Hearing Impaired course taught to area dispatchers by the Deaf Action Center of the Northshore

Franklinton, 06/08/2005) - Calling 9-1-1 taught to attendees at Progressive Farmer Farm Day Safety Camp http://www.edailynews.info/articles/2005/06/28/lifestyles/lif01.txt 

(Franklinton, 04/27/2005) - Phase II cellular telephone testing successfully completed for the TDMA portions of the Centennial system.

(Franklinton, 04/18/2005) - Request for Proposal for a Unified CAD system for Washington Parish released to prospective vendors.

(Franklinton, 12/07/2004) - Phase II cellular telephone testing successfully completed for Sprint and portions of the Cingular system.  Three new Cingular towers are not yet ready for testing.

(Franklinton, 12/05/2004) - Phase II cell phone location system allows Washington Parish Sheriff's Office to locate citizen in need of medical attention who was unable to give his address due to his condition.  Caller was using a Verizon cell phone. This is the first documented Phase II "save" in Washington Parish. For details see this link.

(Franklinton, 11/10/2004) - Phase II cellular telephone testing successfully completed for Nextel.  

Franklinton, 11/01/2004) - Washington Parish Communications District announces job opening to fill internal vacancy.  Position description can be found on this web site.

(Franklinton, 10/25/2004) - Phase II cellular telephone testing successfully completed for Verizon.  

(Franklinton, 10/17/2004) - All persons interested in "9-1-1 for the Hearing Impaired" are invited to an open house on Tuesday, October 26, 2004, at the Washington Parish Communications District, 1007 Cleveland Street, Franklinton, Louisiana, at 7:00 PM.  Representatives of all police agencies in the Parish will be on hand to discuss their efforts to improve 911 services to hearing impaired citizens.  Valarie Patterson from the Deaf Action Center of the Northshore will also be in attendance to facilitate communications.

(Franklinton, 10/14/2004) - Installation of Phase II 9-1-1 call taking and mapping system has been completed at all agencies.  Cell tower testing begins on October 25th.

(Franklinton, 10/05/2004) - The Washington Parish Communications District congratulates the Parish's three PSAP's on their continued improvement in 9-1-1 Ring Times (time to answer 911 calls) since the replacement of equipment in July, 2004.

(Franklinton, 9/22/2004) - The Washington Parish Communications District meets requirements and receives grant payment of $ 52,000 from the Public Safety Foundation of America to be applied toward the installation of a Phase 2 wireless location capabilities.  This system is scheduled for start up in October of 2004, and will be the third such system in the state of Louisiana.

(Franklinton, 9/15/2004)- In preparation for Hurricane Ivan, the Washington Parish Communications District installed a temporary, second 9-1-1 answering position at the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office in anticipation of increased call volume during the expected severe weather.

(Franklinton, 9/13/2004) - U. S. Attorney Jim Letten announced the settlement of a complaint brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act by a deaf woman who could not get through to her area 911 emergency service on her TDD (Telephone Device for the Deaf also known as a TTY).  

(Franklinton, 7/16/2004) -  The Washington Parish Communications District completed the replacement of all its original 9-1-1 equipment on July 16, 2004.  As of that date, the entire parish is linked together with a single integrated 911 telephone system.