"Speed Dial Nine” Campaign for Emergency Calls from Cell Phones

Monday, July 19, 2010

When an emergency situation arises in the Virgin Valley, a call to 9-1-1 can save lives and property. A recent local emergency illustrated how calls from cell phones are routed. Mesquite Police Chief Douglas Law is introducing the “Speed Dial Nine” awareness campaign and encouraging cell phone users to program (702) 346-6911 into speed dial to ensure prompt connection to Mesquite Emergency Dispatch.

“When emergencies happen, 9-1-1 is always a number you should call, but for cell phone users in Mesquite in order to save time, or potential confusion, we encourage users to program the Mesquite Dispatch direct line into their number nine speed dial on their cell phone,” said Chief Law. “If someone doesn’t know how to program the number for speed dial, we ask they consult the help desk of their cell phone provider for assistance.”

Presently, cell phone callers dialing 9-1-1 are routed to Las Vegas Dispatch and must ask to be transferred to Mesquite Emergency Dispatch. This can take time and if the caller forgets to say what City they are in, emergency crews could be dispatched to a similar address in the Las Vegas Valley.

According to Chief Law, the preferred method of calling 9-1-1 is from a land line since the call goes directly to Mesquite Dispatch and the dispatcher knows the exact location of the phone should a caller be unable to complete the call.

Routing summary of type of emergency calls from the Virgin Valley:

Cell Phone, dial 9-1-1: Routed to Las Vegas Dispatch, callers should immediately say their address and city; call is then routed to Mesquite Dispatch.

Cell Phone, dial 702-346-6911: Routed to Mesquite Dispatch

Land Line, dial 9-1-1: Routed to Mesquite Dispatch

The Desert Tortoise

Like many desert creatures, desert tortoises spend most of their lives "holed up." In spring and summer, they roam grazing on grasses and wildflowers, then head for their burrows when it gets too hot. In fall and winter, when it is cold and there is not much to eat, they stay burrowed in for six months or more at a time.

If you see a desert tortoise, you are seeing an endangered species. Please watch out for them on the roads. Tortoises live in washes and valleys where the soil is soft enough for them to burrow into, yet stable enough so they do not collapse. Remember, desert tortoises are protected under the Endangered Species Act and may not be handled or removed.

Golf in the Desert

The city of Mesquite combines calm, small-town flavour with big-city attractions and championship golf. The Palms and the Oasis Golf Clubs are only two of the half-dozen challenging courses in the area.

Golf Highlights in Mesquite

Golf built on the dramatic Virgin Foothills of Nevada makes for a unique landscape and golf setting.
Enjoy a spa treatment at the Spa at Casablanca or the Spa at the Oasis.
Mesquite serves as a gateway to the national parks of Southern Utah and Zion National Park, which is less than two hours away.

View more information about golf courses in Mesquite

The Speedy RoadRunner

Called paisano in Mexico, the roadrunner is a well-known desert resident that only superficially resembles its popular cartoon portrayal. The greater roadrunner has adapted to life on the run. Though it can fly well, it prefers to use its strong legs and X- shaped toes to run rapidly over the desert landscape. Active predators, roadrunners aggressively chase insects, lizards, snakes, small birds and mammals.

Tolerant of humans, they sometimes nest in protected eaves and garages when they are not building large stick nests in desert trees. Their vocalizations include bill clicking noises and a mournful cooing made during breeding seasons. They do not meep-meep.