Metro Communications Agency

Serving the citizens and visitors of Sioux Falls and Minnehaha County

 

History

1980:   Metro Communications was formed. Prior to that time dispatch was provided by the Sioux Falls              Police Department.

 

1989:    Legislation passed the proposed $.75 surcharge on telephone lines in South Dakota to fund 9-1-1.

 

1993: E-911 (Enhanced 9-1-1) was implemented in Sioux Falls. Enhanced 9-1-1 allows the dispatcher

             to see the location and phone number the call is coming from.

 

2000:   Metro Communications achieved the honor of becoming the first Accredited Center of Excellence              (ACE) in South Dakota and the 45th in the world.  This recognition is given by the National              Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch.  911 Centers must meet a stringent set of guidelines,              policies and protocols to earn and maintain this accreditation.  In addition, individual medical              call taking performance is measured and must meet or exceed the compliance standards as set              forth by the Academy.

 

2000: Moved into the new Center, telephone system and radio consoles upgraded.

 

2003:   Re-accredited as a Center of Excellence by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch

 

2004:   Metro implemented New World CAD system.

 

Minnehaha County began implementation of the State Radio System. The system allows public safety officials radio communications with each other throughout the state.

 

2005:   Metro hosted their first 911 Citizen’s Academy.  The phone system in Metro was updated to the              CML Emergency Services Inc Sentinel 911. The new system has many features which aid in the              dispatch process, the biggest being Phase II capability.  Phase II allows the dispatcher to obtain              the location of a cellular phone within 100 meters of the caller’s location. The ability greatly              enhances public safety capabilities as the use of cellular phones continues to grow. 

 

The FCC mandated all cellular phones need to be GPS equipped, essentially meaning “Phase II” capable. 

 

 2006:  Re-accredited as a Center of Excellence by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch

 

2007:   State Radio implementation complete.

Additional call taker positions are installed to accommodate the increasing number of incoming calls within our area.

Metro is established as a stand-alone agency.

 

2008:   Non-management staff joined AFSCME and began working under their first union contract.

 

2009: Radios are added to additional call taker stations, making them fully functional dispatch stations.

Dispatch consoles upgraded to match the new consoles installed in 2007.

Three year labor contract signed with AFSCME 3516

Re-accredited as a Center of Excellence by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch

In November, the operation of the radio shop was discontinued

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