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UPDATE: Alley Naming Discussions
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To the 200 Block of 11th St: Looking back at the emails that the listserv has received, we realized that a majority of the discussion involving the 10th St email group did not make it to your inboxes. Therefore, we wanted to summarize a couple key takeaways from the other group's discussion: - Several neighbors suggested organizing a Covid-friendly get together to discuss names. Zoom was offered as an option, but we'd love other suggestions as well. If anyone is willing to help us put something together, please let us know! - There was some sentiment that things were moving too quickly, so we delayed the name suggestion deadline to March 31st to give people more time. Hopefully everyone received our email about the updated timeline and voting process. - In the discussion, we mentioned that part of the reason we started this initiative was so that 210-REAR 10th St and 211-REAR 11th St alley homes could receive valid addresses instead of being misunderstood as attached to 210 10th St and 211 11th St main street homes. This has resulted in many questions about our personal mail situation. However, there are problems greater than just receiving mail (for example, see Gregory's analysis below), and naming the alley is much greater than any problem. This is an awesome opportunity, and we shouldn't let it pass! Hope this helps clarify some of the emails you may have been receiving. We will do our best to summarize and share discussions across listservs as they occur. Many thanks to everyone who is listening, watching, and sending us their support. Sincerely, Haley & Corey 210 REAR Current names: ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Gregory Rohde <glr@...> Date: Thu, Mar 4, 2021 at 9:36 PM Subject: RE: alley naming To: Eow <eowlaw@...>, johanna.bockman@... <johanna.bockman@...>, tinagiffin@... <tinagiffin@...> Cc: kenicholls@... <kenicholls@...>, haley.huang.0329@... <haley.huang.0329@...>, [email protected] <[email protected]> Dear Neighbors: ? I wanted to share some considerations related to the safety aspects of this discussion over naming the alley in the 200 block between 10th and 11th streets, SE.? As some of you know, I work in the public safety communications industry and I have been involved in the development and deployment of 9-1-1 call center technology.? Some neighbors have asked me whether the question we are all discussing related to establishing a name for the alley and creating a specific address for a house in the alley between 10th and 11th Street on the 200 block has any impact on 9-1-1 calls in the event of an emergency.? The answer is: Yes, this address issue could have an impact on a 9-1-1 call.? ? The database that the DC United Communications Center (the 9-1-1 call center that manages all 9-1-1 calls in the District) references will reflect whatever address DC has in its records.? If Haley and Corey call 9-1-1 from their landline phone, the call taker in the 9-1-1 call center will see their phone number and the address associated with that phone number.? Currently that means that 9-1-1 dispatches will give first responders ¡°210 10th Street, SE Rear, DC¡± as the address to respond to.? The first responders will have the same information the USPS has and therefore they will encounter the same difficulties related to the mail delivery.? Knowing exactly where to go will depend on the first responder (EMT, police, or fire) and their knowledge of what ¡°210 10th Street Rear¡± means.? In an emergency, this could be a serious difference. (e.g., Consider a crime in progress when the police show up at the front door of 210 10th Street, SE with sirens and the crime is occurring in the alley ¨C the assailants would have time to get away). ? On the other hand, if the 9-1-1 call comes from a mobile phone, the location information is provided by the mobile operator using a combination of GPS and cell tower triangulation data.? In a mobile 9-1-1 call, the call taker receives location data on a map that shows the location of the call in a more imprecise manner (usually starting with a circle within 100 meters in diameter then increasingly shrinking as the call continues, but it may never be accurate enough to locate the call within 50 meters).? The call taker in the 9-1-1 call center may be able to provide first responder dispatchers with an estimate on the address using the same database referenced above, comparing against the circle or dot appearing on their map based on the GPS and triangulation data provided by the mobile operator.? The accuracy depends on wireless systems which are not always accurate or confirmation from the caller. ? However, all DC residents can sign up for Smart 9-1-1 (at no cost) and register their mobile phone numbers (everyone in the household is possible) with their street address.? For Haley and Corey, that takes them back to the original issue of the street address. ? While this address issue has a direct impact on Haley and Corey with respect to their safety, it also effects the rest of the community as well.? ?The more precise the DC address database is, the better off all of us are in the event of an emergency because the 9-1-1 call taker we are talking to will have more precision to relay in dispatching first responders.? First responders can only deal with the information they are provided in responding to a 9-1-1 emergency.? Sometimes, the person calling 9-1-1 can be very accurate and clear on directions.? But sometimes, the location information is less clear in situations where a mobile device is being used.? The more accurate the database that DC has, the better the chances are that first responders will have more precise location information.? ? The most important thing I have learned in the 9-1-1 business is that in every emergency, the single most important information in any emergency is ¡°location.¡± ? Feel free to call me to discuss if you wish. ? Gregory L. Rohde 222 10th Street, SE Washington, DC? 20003 +1.202.292.4600 (office) +1.202.246.9004 (mobile) |