ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) – “We’re working them to the point of just breaking them,” said Albany Police Officers Union President Greg McGee.
McGee says the city’s dispatchers are beyond tired, they’re exhausted.
“Some of these guys are working four or five doubles in a row,” he said.
McGee says they’re dealing with a staffing crisis.
“We’re budgeted for 39 dispatchers, we currently only have….
The texting service is for emergencies only, when the caller has hearing and/or speech impairment or cannot safely call 9-1-1
Text to 9-1-1 is a new option that will help those who are deaf, hard of hearing, speech impaired, and anyone who feels unsafe speaking over the phone. County leaders and public safety personnel will announce the availability of Text to 9-1-1 services in most areas of Santa Clara County and speak about the significance of this option for the public, explain how it works and perform a live demonstration of Text to 9-1-1. Media outlets will have the opportunity to film b-roll and take photos of communications dispatchers working at the County 9-1-1 Communications Center. ASL interpreters will be at the event.
Supervisor Cindy Chavez, Vice President, County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors Jeffrey V. Smith, County of Santa Clara County Executive Miguel Márquez, County of Santa Clara Chief Operating Officer Chief Tony Bowden, Santa Clara County Fire Department Heather Plamondon, County 9-1-1 Communications Director Assistant Chief Reginald Williams, San Jose Fire Department Public Safety Officials from cities in Santa Clara County
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. (news conference, live demonstration, and b-roll of dispatchers)
County of Santa Clara 9-1-1 Communications Department 2700 Carol Drive San Jose, CA 95125
Dialing 9-1-1 in an emergency is still the preferred way to request help, and the public is reminded to “Call if you can. Text if you can’t.” The Text to 9-1-1 service is now available in the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County and most local jurisdictions to provide an additional layer of service to enhance the public’s safety. However, text to 9-1-1 should only be used during emergencies when callers cannot safely call 9-1-1 or have hearing or speech impairments.
There are different protocols a 911 operator must follow in order to handle each call properly.
Normally, when a person calls the emergency number, the operator or call taker will say, “911 what’s your emergency?”
A concerned citizen reached out to the Tahlequah Daily Press and asked why callers don’t get to speak to 911 directly. They said they called and got asked “fire, ambulance, or police,” and they had to explain the situation and were placed on hold.
CHOWCHILLA, California (KSEE/KGPE) – CHP Officer Ed Castaneda has given his final sign off after 26 years of service, but his last radio call was tinged with a little more emotion.
When Officer Castaneda made the call, on the other end was his daughter who is a CHP dispatcher. She wished him a happy retirement and honored his dedication to service.
You can watch the emotional final call in the video above.
ALBANY — It’s been a problem nationwide and in the City of Albany for years. A shortage of 911 dispatcher. However now the Albany Police Officer’s Union is urging Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and the Albany Common Council to take action.
Albany Police Officers Union President Gregory McGee wrote a letter, addressed to Mayor Sheehan, after he had been contacted by dispatchers working the midnight shift this past Sunday. He said only three dispatchers were working, two of them were working a double.
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The newest certified member of the Topeka and Shawnee County AMR team has an important job: helping first responders cope with trauma.
“They see bad things. They see death and devastation,” Jon Antrim, regional director of AMR Kansas, said. “It could be something simple that they see that maybe has triggered something from their past, so really the hope is to give them another avenue to de-stress and unwind from those critical incidents.”
Stryker, a 14-month-old goldendoodle…
