The Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) is the cornerstone of the County's comprehensive public safety response system. The OEC provides command, control and information support services to the law enforcement agencies and fire and rescue services. OEC personnel are often the first representatives of County government to assist citizens in need. Without leaving the communications center, they are usually the first public safety persons to 'arrive' at the scene of a crime, fire, medical, or other emergency. Emergency medical care has a virtual '0' response time because call takers are trained to provide immediate medical care instructions over the telephone before response services arrive on the scene. Using all of their acquired skills, they gather information concerning emergency and non-emergency problems and complaints, and relay information to police and fire and rescue services who decide on appropriate courses of action. OEC personnel track each incident, and process updated information as a situation progresses.
The communications center is located in the heart of Bentonville, and staff members are standing by for calls 24 hours a day, every day.
The main objective of the OEC is to facilitate the flow of information in a seamless and rapid manner, and to provide aid, comfort and
instructions to the public prior to the arrival of police, fire and rescue field resources.