St Joseph County Central Dispatch

06/20/2026

Don’t forget to come see our 911 for Kids crew today at Scidmore Park from 10a-1p!

Come visit our 911 for Kids Crew at these upcoming community events!

Kids can learn when and how to call 911, explore what happens when they dial for help, pick up some fun giveaway items, and even meet our beloved emotional support K9, Bolo!

We love connecting with our community and helping children feel confident about calling 911 in an emergency.

We can’t wait to see you there! ❤️🚑🚒🚓

06/17/2026

Come visit our 911 for Kids Crew at these upcoming community events!

Kids can learn when and how to call 911, explore what happens when they dial for help, pick up some fun giveaway items, and even meet our beloved emotional support K9, Bolo!

We love connecting with our community and helping children feel confident about calling 911 in an emergency.

We can’t wait to see you there! ❤️🚑🚒🚓

06/16/2026

A heartfelt thank you to Bridges Community Church for your unwavering support of our dispatch center and first responders! Your kindness and generosity never go unnoticed. We were truly touched by the personalized drink coasters you created for our team. It’s thoughtful gestures like these that remind us how fortunate we are to serve such a caring and supportive community. Thank you for standing behind us and for the encouragement you continue to show us. We are incredibly grateful! 🩷

06/12/2026

****Warning Cancelled as of 11:45 p.m.****

⚠️ WEATHER ALERT ⚠️

A Tornado Warning has been issued for St. Joseph County until 11:30 p.m.

Residents in the affected area should seek shelter immediately.

Reminder that sirens turning off is not a sign of all clear - Stay tuned to trusted weather sources and monitor local alerts for further updates.

06/10/2026

Guess who’s back?! Back again!

I needed to take a step back after the March tornado event. Parts of our community needed time to heal, and honestly, so did I. But I’m back and ready to bring my weather posts to all of you once again.

First, it’s going to be hot over the next few days. Not just summer hot. Hot, hot. The kind of hot where you walk outside and immediately question every life choice that brought you there. Heat indices could approach 100 degrees.

A few heat reminders:
• Stay hydrated.
• Take breaks in the shade or air conditioning.
• Never leave children or pets in vehicles.
• Be mindful of what you’re plugging air conditioners into. Overloaded outlets and extension cords can create fire hazards, and we definitely don’t need a structure fire on an already hot day.

With the heat comes the chance for severe weather.

Right now, there’s potential today, but the greatest concern appears to be Thursday evening into early Friday morning. Forecasts can and do change. Weather is rude like that. That’s why it’s important to stay weather aware and continue monitoring trusted weather sources as we get closer.

A few severe weather reminders:
• Make sure weather alerts are enabled on your phone.
• Have a weather radio if possible.
• Follow your preferred trusted weather source for updates.

Storms are often our busiest times, and we can’t always post updates immediately. Contrary to popular belief, we do not have a giant weather crystal ball hidden at dispatch. That’s why we like to give everyone a heads-up ahead of time. The more prepared you are before a storm arrives, the better.

And let’s talk about tornado sirens for a moment.

They are “outdoor” warning sirens. Their purpose is to alert people who are outside to seek shelter and get more information. If you hear a siren, go inside and tune into a trusted weather source immediately.

Our sirens are activated countywide. That’s simply how our system is designed to operate. So yes, I know the siren may be sounding in Sturgis while the storm is near Three Rivers. Again, that’s just how it works. You hear it? Get inside and check a weather source immediately for more information.

Finally, if you come across a downed power line, stay away from it. Assume every line is energized and dangerous. If your first thought is, “I wonder if it’s live?” the answer is yes. Treat it that way and give it plenty of space.

Stay cool, stay weather aware, and try not to melt.

Oh, and it’s good to be back. 😎

05/18/2026

Community Awareness Post:

This young man will be in the area going door-to-door selling books over the summer right here in St. Joseph County. He has made contact with local agencies, including the Sheriff’s Department and the Clerk’s Office, and us here at Dispatch to make us aware he will be in the community.

We simply wanted to pass the information along so residents are aware if he comes to your door. As always, please use your own discretion with any door-to-door sales.

05/10/2026

Behind many of the headsets at our center are moms balancing long shifts, missed holidays, school events, homework, sports schedules, and everything in between.

To the moms, moms-to-be, and bonus moms of St. Joseph County Central Dispatch - Thank You & Happy Mother's Day! We hope today reminds you just how appreciated you are. 💐

04/23/2026

Here are 6 ways you can receive weather warnings.

1. EAS alerts on your phone.
You will find this setting in the notification settings on your phone, usually under “government alerts” or “weather alerts”

2. Weather radio (Midland WR120 is a good model)
This is a great option for the home and office and be ran by battery or power cord, making it a seamless way to ensure you never miss a warning. It can also be programmed for your exact county and for exact alert you want to hear, and none that you don’t! That way, you don’t have to worry about receiving tons of alerts you don’t want.

3. MSC live feed or other local network live feed
Here at Michigan Storm Chasers, we are ALWAYS live streaming to YouTube, Facebook, X and Twitch TV whenever there is a severe or tornado warning active in the state of Michigan. The easiest platform is YouTube, and you can also click the notification bell on our channel after subscribing so you’ll get sent alerts whenever we go live! Subscribing is free to do, and you can do so by clicking this link and hitting the subscribe button on our channel! https://youtube.com/?si=am-ewQflkF68RMZi

4. A secondary weather app that has alert options
As much as we do not recommend using weather apps for severe weather, snow, or any advanced type of forecasts, they do serve a purpose if you use them for alerts. Many mainstream weather apps have an alert feature you can turn on for your location. The Red Cross Emergency app and the FEMA app are both solid options.

5. Friends and family
Relying on the “buddy system” can work. It starts with you! Whenever there is a threat for severe weather, let your loved ones know! You may just save a life someday by doing so.

6. Outdoor warning sirens
Outdoor warning sirens should be your LAST line of defense. Again we will repeat and capitalize this for emphasis. DO NOT RELY ON SIRENS. They are meant for outdoor use only, and are largely unreliable as a way to receive consistent warnings. Some counties sound their sirens for any and all warnings, others only sound them for certain criteria, and others rarely sound them at all. Due to the wide array of criteria, they are largely unreliable and you should not rely on them to give you warnings. They are NOT meant to be heard indoors or wake you up.

As we push further into severe weather season, these tips and explanations should be shared and referenced as needed. Feel free to screenshot, share, or whatever you need to do if this information is helpful for you.

Lastly, we would appreciate a like and/or share on this post as the more interaction a post gets, the more it gets pushed out into other people’s algorithms. This information is valuable, and the more people we reach with it, the better.

04/20/2026

Before we officially call it a wrap on National Telecommunicator Week, we're proud to introduce you to our fun, dedicated, and extremely talented team!

We also want to say thank you to those who reached out, dropped off treats, or took a moment to recognize our dispatchers. We appreciate it more than you know!

04/13/2026

It’s National 911 Telecommunicators Week… and I get the absolute privilege of bragging on one of the best teams out there 💛

These are the voices you hear on the other end of the line on what is quite possibly the worst day of your life. They are calm when things are chaotic, steady when everything feels out of control, and somehow manage to ask all the right questions while typing, dispatching, and thinking ten steps ahead (seriously… it’s like a superpower).

What most people don’t see is what happens behind the scenes: long shifts, back-to-back calls, weather events that don’t quit, and those moments when it feels like the entire county needs help all at once. And yet… this team shows up. Every. Single. Time.

They take care of the community, and just as importantly, they take care of each other. When things get tough (and they do), they pull together, dig in, and get it done. No complaints, no hesitation… just professionalism, heart, and a whole lot of grit.

I may be a little biased, but I truly believe St. Joseph County MI has the BEST telecommunicators around. And as their boss, I couldn’t be more proud (or more grateful… or more impressed on a daily basis).

Also, let’s be honest, they can go from helping deliver a baby, to giving CPR instructions, to dispatching a structure fire… all before finishing their coffee. And yes, that coffee is probably cold ☕️

To my team: you are appreciated more than you know. You are respected. You are needed. And you are making a difference every single day, even if you don’t always get to see the end of the story.

Thank you for being the calm in the chaos. I love this team.

To my 911 homies all over Michigan and beyond, know that you are something very special in the grand scheme of first responders!!

911 Telecommunicators all over the state of Michigan and the US are very special people that do a job that many can't. If you know any, make sure you take time out of your week to let them know how appreciated and needed they are.