Orion residents can give General Motors a figurative pat on the back and a big thank you.
On Monday, representatives from the GM’s Orion Assembly plant presented a $24,000 check to the Lake Orion Village Police Department, on behalf of the 911 dispatch center.
The money was promptly used to upgrade the village dispatch center, which handles emergency calls not only for the Village Police Department, but also emergency calls on behalf of the Lake Orion Fire Department.
‘On the behalf of the LO Police 911 Dispatch Center, we appreciate these funds,? said Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh.
Narsh said the new recording equipment purchased was a ‘much needed piece of equipment.? The new system will record all ingoing and outgoing emergency calls at the dispatch center.
‘Safety is our overriding priority, both in the plant and in the community,? said Pamela Mader, plant manager of GM Orion Assembly Operations.
According to Kurt Fechter, district chief for the Orion Township Fire Department, the new equipment ‘can do instant relays,? which can help clear up any misunderstandings.
‘It is an aid for getting information, like addresses, on emergency calls,? he added.
The idea to speak with GM came from Narsh, who worked there over 20 years ago. While working there, a co-worker was injured on the job. Narsh, who was also working with the police department at the time, spoke to the plant director about installing recording devices at the plant to make sure everyone would be safe.
When the dispatch center started looking into replacing their old equipment, Narsh said ‘the GM idea came back into play.? He spoke with Orion Township Supervisor Gerald Dwysauk about going to the car company to see if they were interested.
Without the assistance from a private business, the Orion area residences would have paid higher taxes to fund the new equipment.
When Cori Salmons, a dispatcher at the LOPD, heard that GM was going to help out with funding, she and her husband purchased a G6 to ‘support the company for supporting Orion.? Salmons has been working with the new equipment. ‘It’s great!?
As part of the presentation of the check, representatives from GM brought a 2008 G6 GXP to police department, which is not yet at dealerships. ‘It’s the kind of car you’d want to be stopped by,? joked Narsh.
The new recording device has been installed and is currently being tested. According to Chief Narsh, the company that makes the equipment works well with the station in updates and suggestions. He hopes to finish the transition to the new equipment within the next 30 days.