Orleans Parish Communication District-OPCD

Congratulations to three OPCD team members awarded RPL scholarships through the APCO International Silent Key & Commercial Partner program! This scholarship award program will allow Asst. Operations Managers Brandon Myer and Michael Triplett, and CAD Manager Byron Meredith, to pursue APCO's Registered Public Safety Leader (RPL) designation to better serve our community and fellow first responders.

Although this year's forecast predicts a less-active Hurricane season, as we know all too well: It only takes one. We join NOLA Ready in urging you to map out your family's plan & preparations *now*, well ahead of any possible disruptions caused by tropical systems in the months to come.

5 years ago, New Orleans Emergency Medical Services was among the first agencies in the nation to pioneer the Prehospital Blood Program, giving critical, life-saving blood transfusions to trauma victims in the field. It is a major success story, making a huge difference in the survival rate for hundreds of critically-injured people in our city.

For every minute blood is delayed, your death rate goes up by 11 percent. New Orleans EMS paramedics have just reached 400 life-saving blood infusions through a pioneering program that brings transfusions directly to the scene, boosting survival rates to around 70 percent.
https://www.wwltv.com/article/entertainment/events/america-250/how-new-orleans-ems-brings-blood-to-patients-reaching-400-infusions/289-d97c1533-9351-4ec4-b6e7-f055b65d46f9?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WWLTV

Congratulations to OPCD Assistant Ops Manager Brandon Myer on earning his Master of Arts degree! Brandon joined our OPCD family in 2021 as an Emergency Communications Specialist who answers incoming 9-1-1 calls. As he steadily advanced through our ranks to Dispatcher, then Supervisor, and then to Assistant Ops Manager, he simultaneously pursued and completed his undergrad, and then graduate, studies in Criminal Justice from Southern University of New Orleans.

“Joining OPCD gave me the opportunity to serve my community in one of the most critical ways possible: being the voice people hear during some of the worst moments of their lives,” Brandon says.

Brandon says his daily work in hearing 9-1-1 calls and working with first responders profoundly influenced his decisions and directions his higher education. “Those experiences motivated me to further my education in Criminal Justice because I wanted to better understand the systems, leadership, and policies that directly impact public safety and the communities we serve. My studies have strengthened my commitment to making a meaningful difference both inside and outside of emergency communications.”

Happy 💙⚜️🚑to all EMTs, paramedics, and their families for their dedication and tireless service to our communities! The proud professionals of New Orleans Emergency Medical Services have served New Orleans for four decades, providing critical care and transport 24/7 to our residents, visitors, and fellow responders. We're honored to work with you, and all emergency care providers, day after day to help keep our city safe.

On this , our deepest thanks & appreciation are with the New Orleans Police Department and every law enforcement officer working to keep our neighbors, visitors, & communities safe. National Police Week is a time of solemn remembrance of those who have fallen, as well as a celebration of the men and women serving with integrity and bravery every day.

This week and year-round, please take a moment to thank a police officer for their service. Behind every badge is a year-round story of service, sacrifice, love of community, and family.

We're so happy to report that all continuing members of OPCD Recruit Class 26-01 have been released from training!

After many weeks of intensive classroom education & simulations, our recruits moved directly to many more weeks of mentored 1-on-1 live shifts with our Certified Training Specialists. In learning every aspect of this very unique (and often stressful) public service role, there is no substitute for the actual hands-on environment of our call center.

To every one of our newest OPCD Emergency Communication Specialists, as well as all our Heroes under the Headsets, we are so thankful and honored that you have chosen this vital career in becoming the literal lifeline serving our residents, visitors, and responders.

Please join us in congratulating:

Regeane’e Armwood
Allison Delong
Demi Durden
Shakari Hayes
Jayante Haywood
Javonda Hill
Oschelle James
Destiny Jones
Gerald Miller
Myesha Simmons
Bianca Williams

Congratulations and welcome to incoming Orleans Parish Sheriff Michelle Woodfork. The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office is one of the many local public safety agencies in partnership with OPCD year-round to ensure life-saving emergency communications for our responders, residents, and visitors.

This week we had a great visit from Knox TN 911 colleagues, the Emergency Communications District serving Knoxville & Knox County, Tennessee. We’re always glad to show off the great work of our New Orleans 9-1-1 Heroes Under the Headsets, as well as discussing how our tech infrastructure from Carbyne & other partners keeps things running 24/7 with extremely low downtimes.

We are incredibly proud to share the news of our OPCD Squad A-Nights team being honored as the statewide Team of the Year by Louisiana Chapters of APCO and NENA!

During the Bourbon Street terrorist attack, Squad A–Nights demonstrated exceptional professionalism, coordination, & attention to detail while managing a complex and rapidly-evolving mass-casualty incident. Their response was nothing short of extraordinary, working together seamlessly to handle a high volume of 9-1-1 calls and radio traffic, rapidly creating and updating multiple CAD incidents, and coordinating the deployment of police, fire, EMS and mutual aid resources.

This close-knit team of call-takers, dispatchers, supervisors, and managers put aside the emotions of the moment and immediately delivered critical support for responders and incident commanders, ensured public safety and medical care, and maintained effective operations throughout. Their professionalism during such an unthinkable, fast-moving tragedy reflected their year-round commitment to training, improvement, and excellence.

Our deepest thanks to OPCD Squad A-Nights and all our “Heroes Under the Headsets” for upholding the highest standards of our profession during this historic and unthinkable attack on our city.

OPCD Squad A-Nights team members recognized as Louisiana Team of the Year:

Police Dispatchers: Dominic Falcon, Simona Moore (Supervisor Now), Kachetta Thompson, Deangela Walker, and Kyara Naquin.

EMS Dispatchers: Kiara Smith and Patricia Simmons.

Fire Dispatchers: K'lynn Maxmillion and Shatasha Noel.

Emergency Communications Specialists: Tondra Brown, Keithera Graps, Donyelle Hankton,
Alexis Harris, Korie Maxmillion, Nigel Tapp, Brittany Smith.

Supervisors and Managers: Operations Manager Neliska Hewitt, Asst. Operations Manager Michael Triplett, Operations Supervisor David Adams, and Operations Supervisor DaRhonda Griffith.