"I think the challenge is people understanding this is a career, and knowing what we do here,' she said. "And without them giving us that information, we don't always know what we're going into."Ĭrosswhite said one reason she thinks they're struggling to find workers is because 911 is a "behind-the-scenes" job. "We rely on them to pass that information to us while we're responding," Janes said. Jayson Janes, public information officer for the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, says that part of the process is crucial for their safety. Operators also give first responders details of the situation as they rush to the scene. The 911 operators dispatch all emergency calls to the sheriff's office, police, and fire and rescue agencies. "We're coming to work every day, and we're seeing it first hand, through our phone calls. Sara Crosswhite, director of Deschutes County 911, says call-takers will handle crises throughout the whole day, and it adds up. "Is there any serious bleeding?" asked the dispatcher. So what happens when the first first responders are short workers?Įmergencies still happen, so current employees are working longer, which is taking a toll on them - especially given the nature of the job. The national goal for 911 dispatch centers is to answer 90% in 10 seconds.Įven though they're keeping up with call volume, Deschutes 911 is facing challenges - like so many businesses and organizations these days, they need more employees. In the last 30 days, they've answered 97% of calls in 10 seconds or less. "I'm sending the paramedics now, so stay on the line and I'll tell you exactly what to do next," the dispatcher said, guiding the caller on the phone. If there are eight employees, that means they could answer 150 calls a day - each. They answer calls all day - many of which save lives.ĭeschutes County 911 gets 1,000-1,200 calls per day. The 911 call-takers function as the first first responders.
0 kommentar(er)
