BALTIMORE — Baltimore City emergency dispatchers are testing a new geo-fenced response system to handle 911 calls during a major conference, demonstrating innovative public safety technology while managing increased call volumes.
WATCH: Baltimore tests geo-fenced 911 system during conference to manage emergency calls
Inside Baltimore's Convention Center, 911 calls are being taken in real time as part of a partnership between Baltimore City emergency dispatchers and agencies from Harford County and Virginia during the APCO conference.
The temporary system focuses on the area between the Convention Center and nearby hotels, where thousands of extra visitors have increased emergency call volume.
"I didn't want to overload the 911 system with another 5,000 people being in town for the APCO conference. So that's why I was able to take a small area, group it in with the geo-fencing, allowing certain call takers to only handle calls for that area," said Tenea Reddick, Baltimore City 911 director.
"Whenever you dial 911, you wanna make sure you're able to get through; you wanna make sure you're able to get that call answered," Reddick said.
The city previously tested this technology during Artscape and plans to use it for other large events.
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