Clarion County has had the 9-1-1 emergency dispatch system in place for 50 years, longer than any other county in Pennsylvania and a number of dignitaries celebrated the anniversary earlier this month.
Speaking at an open house at the new Clarion County Sorce Building on Amsler Avenue near Shippenville Clarion County Commissioner Ed Heasley said that for the past 50 years county residents have benefitted from the 9-1-1 dispatch service. “The 9-1-1 dispatchers are a vital link between the emergency services and the people of Clarion County in their time of need,” he said.
The Clarion County Commissioners adopted a proclamation naming the week of April 9 through the April 15 as National Safety Telecommunicators week. In recognition of the event an open house was held at the Clarion County Sorce Building on Amsler Avenue near Shippenville.
“In Clarion, the calls would come into the jail and they put a light bulb above all of the traffic lights. That way the police knew something was happening,” he said.
Cumberland said that when he was elected as the Clarion County Sheriff he looked around to find what money might be available. With the help of the Bell Telephone and the Governor’s Justice Commission he was able to secure $100,000.
“Because of what he started thousands of lives have been saved,” said Heasely.
“Having worked for Sheriff Cumberland, I know that when he had an idea that he was going to get it done,” said Clarion County Director of Public Safety Jeff Smathers. “He saw the need, he saw it would help the community and he made sure it happened.”
Clarion County was recognized as the first county in Pennsylvania to have the 9-1-1 dispatching when Rep. Donna Oberlander presented a proclamation from the House of Representatives celebrating the opening of the Clarion center 50 years ago on April 13, 1973. At that time the center was located in the former Clarion County Jail.
He said 50 years ago his father ran one of the ambulance services in Venango County. “We had a family funeral service and we ran a free ambulance service. There was no such thing as 9-1-1. It was race to the person’s home and there were not a lot of services provided in those ambulances. My father advertised that oxygen was available. That was it. We have come a long way,” said the Senator.
“Sheriff Cumberland, you were a visionary and the Clarion County commissioners, you too are visionaries for putting together this quality, high tech center that will serve the people of Clarion County for a very long time,” said the Senator.
Rep. Donna Oberlander said a citation she presented from the House of Representatives made it official that Clarion County and not Butler County had the first 9-1-1 center in the state.
Tharan said the county commissioners searched for several years for a suitable home for the dispatch center before finding the 50,000-square foot Sorce building. Tharan complimented the county’s maintenance crew who did most of the work in the building and IT department who used 10 miles of wiring in the building.
“In 2022 Clarion County processed 49,377 calls,” said 9-1-1 Deputy Director Michelle Lander. “We talk to people on the worst day of their lives. We have heard the screams of a mother who wakes to find her child not breathing. We have heard the screams of someone who is stuck in a vehicle and can’t get out. We have taken calls from people who wake up and find their home full of smoke. These call are hard calls to take.”
Clarion County Commissioner Wayne Brosius read a proclamation from the county commissioners recognizing National Safety Telecommunicators week.
The reception was held in 300-seat conference room in the Sorce building. “This room can also be used as an emergency center,” said Tharan. “We realized during COVID that we had nothing like this. We can lodge 300 people and the restrooms have showers.”
The center also houses county records, equipment, offices for EMA and equipment for the Northwest Central PA. Emergency Response team.