Director: EMS hit hard by staffing shortage (TN)

Director: EMS hit hard by staffing shortage (TN)

by | Aug 24, 2021 | Comm Center News

Like much of the country, Sumner County is feeling the effects of a nationwide shortage of healthcare professionals like nurses, EMT’s and paramedics, EMS Director Greg Miller told members of the county’s Emergency Services Committee recently.

“We’re facing critical staffing issues. COVID has changed all of our lives,” said Miller. “It’s definitely changed the face of health care.”

The department that responds to medical calls across the county is short 14 full-time employees at a time when its call volume is the highest it’s been since the department’s inception in the early 1970’s.

“Our responses are out the roof,” said Miller, adding that each of the past five months has been the busiest the department has ever been with more than 2,300 response and transport calls a month….”

State board: City, county responsible for 911 mergers (AR)

State board: City, county responsible for 911 mergers (AR)

by | Aug 24, 2021 | Comm Center News

A report presented to the state 911 Board earlier this summer recommended a consolidation of the two primary public safety answering points in Garland County, but the board’s executive director said the county and city of Hot Springs would decide how to merge their 911 call centers.

C.J. Engel said presenting a plan to consolidate 101 primary PSAPs to 77 is the board’s focus, a responsibility delegated to it by the Public Safety Act of 2019. The plan is due by Jan. 1.

Primary PSAPs, which the 2019 law defines as locations that receive 911 communications and dispatch two or more public safety agencies, are funded by a public safety surcharge collected and remitted by telecommunications providers…

Lawrence County Sheriff Mike Branham proposes pay raises for staff (IN)

Lawrence County Sheriff Mike Branham proposes pay raises for staff (IN)

by | Aug 23, 2021 | Comm Center News

LAWRENCE CO. – The budget process for Lawrence County offices has begun and several officeholders made their appearance before the Lawrence County Council making their case for their budgets in 2022.

These office holders included the Recorder, Clerk, Surveyor, Treasurer, and Lawrence County Sheriff Mike Branham who made a request. Sheriff Branham talked to WBIW about the need for some of the requests he made in the 2022 budget for the Sheriff’s Department, Jail, and Dispatch Center.

Part of the request was for an 8 percent increase in pay for the entire staff. Branham attributed the request based on the high turnover rates within the department. He stated many of the staff ranging from road officers, corrections officers, and 911 dispatchers had left their positions with the county due to seeking better-paying jobs…

Soldotna, Kenai to mull partnership for 911 dispatch services (AK)

Soldotna, Kenai to mull partnership for 911 dispatch services (AK)

by | Aug 23, 2021 | Comm Center News

When you dial 911, who picks up on the other end will depend on where and what you’re calling from.

For many in the central peninsula, the person who picks it up is a dispatcher at the Soldotna Public Safety Communications Center (SPSCC) in Soldotna. For others, that dispatcher may be more local.

That SPSCC has been jointly run by the Kenai Peninsula Borough and the State of Alaska for decades, but a new agreement that went into effect last month phased out state employees. Now, the center is run entirely by borough employees and the fees municipalities pay for services are being restructured…

Durham 911 misdirected ambulance woman needed, firefighters she didn’t need (NC)

by | Aug 23, 2021 | Comm Center News

Durham, N.C. — Durham’s 911 center continues to be plagued by problems even after bringing new staff on in recent weeks.

In emergency communications radio traffic sent to WRAL News in Monday, first responders note someone called a Durham fire station directly after being unable to reach 911.

“This resident just called and said they couldn’t get through to 911. Only thing we know is the patient has cancer and she’s been unresponsive for roughly 15 to 20 minutes,” one firefighter told paramedics…