The Office of Unified Communications (OUC) provides critical public safety services to residents and visitors of the nation’s capital. Because we serve as the city’s communications lifeline, it is mission-critical that we offer opportunities for our customers to learn about the many services that we provide.
OUC in the Community
Site Visits and Tours
The Office of Unified Communications operates three (3) sites and offers tours and overviews of our state-of-the-art facilities, mobile PSAP T.H.O.R., and 911 and 311 operations at the request of our industry partners, stakeholders, and residents. Request a Site Visit or Tour.
911 Youth Education Presentations
It is imperative that we talk to our children about what to do in the event of an emergency. Teaching them how to dial 911, when to dial 911, their address, and other important details about their parent or guardians could save someone's life. The Office of Unified Communications has developed a robust curriculum aimed at educated District youth about how they can be a 911 hero. Interested in 911 Education programming? Schedule a Presentation.
Smart911 Registration Events
Smart911 is a free service that allows participants across the US to create a Safety Profile for their household that includes any information they want 9-1-1 to have in the event of an emergency. Then, when anyone in that household dials 9-1-1 from a phone associated with their Safety Profile, their profile is immediately displayed to the 9-1-1 call taker providing additional information that can be used to facilitate the proper response to the proper location. For more information on Smart911 or to host a registration event, email [email protected].
Lunchtime Chat with Director McGaffin
Every second Thursday of the month, Director McGaffin hosts a Lunchtime Chat where she discusses relevant topics related to the 911 industry with external and internal stakeholders. All sessions are open to the public and are an opportunity for the director to engage with community members in real time and address any questions or concerns they may have.
Topics have included:
March 9: The Future of the Office of Unified Communications*
*The format of the inaugural chat was an open forum, no slide deck is available.
April 13: Location-based Routing for 911 Calls
May 11: OUC's Recruitment Strategy
June 8: 911 Calls in Queue
September 14: Walk-Through of 911 Performance Statistics Dashboard