A day on the job at MedStar: What’s it like to be a paramedic or 911 dispatcher? (TX)

For first responders at MedStar, no day is ever the same, and not every day is high-intensity. But there’s one thing that remains the same day in and day out when they clock in for their 12-hour shifts — maybe they’ll help save or change a life that day — and that alone is enough to make them love what they do. The Metropolitan Area EMS Authority, also known as MedStar, serves millions of people in Tarrant County across 15 cities. The ambulance service responds to upwards of 155,000 calls per year with its 65 emergency vehicles, 550-person staff and an efficient operations system that other ambulance service providers from 46 states and five countries have come to Fort Worth to pick up tips from…

Broward Commissioners To Vote On Dispatcher Pay Raises Amid Shortage (FL)

Broward Commissioners To Vote On Dispatcher Pay Raises Amid Shortage (FL)

Pay raises could soon be coming to Broward 9-1-1 dispatchers as commissioners address the critical shortage in the call center. There are dozens of vacancies and that means emergency calls are delayed or could go unanswered. Broward Mayor Michael Udine says they already have the 4-million needed to boost salaries and increase morale. And once they address the staff shortages they can look into running the center more efficiently. Besides raises, Sheriff Tony says he would like to hire at least eighty-three dispatchers to have the 534 he wants on staff. The current starting pay in Broward is around 37-thousand-dollars a year, compared to 51-thousand to start in Palm Beach County…

Concerns raised over 911 center system viability (KY)

Concerns raised over 911 center system viability (KY)

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PADUCAH- Millions of dollars of improvements are needed to get the Paducah-McCracken County 911 Center up to standard. Members of the joint city-county 911 Oversight Committee had a very candid conversation during their meeting on Monday about what would happen if the system were to fail.

The center is imperative to keeping the public safe. Paducah Fire Department Chief Steve Kyle informed the board, if the current Windows XP system used in the center goes down the impact would be huge…

Lawrence County 911 operators honored for saving lives (PA)

NEW CASTLE – Two telecommunicators from the Lawrence County Department of Public Safety this month received letters of commendation for saving someone’s life in two separate incidents.

Public Safety Deputy Director/911 Coordinator Richard Hoover said during the early morning hours of Feb. 18, after two days of rain and melting snow, Telecommunications Supervisor Brynn Waylonis received a call from a female who was stuck in her vehicle in floodwaters… READ MORE

Staff at Minneapolis 911 call center log more than 4600 hours of overtime in 3 months (MN)

Minneapolis 911 dispatchers and operators combined to log more than 4,600 hours of overtime over a three-month period this year, according to records obtained by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.

Of the 50 Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center employees listed, 16 individually logged more than 100 hours of overtime over the months of February, March and April. One has put in 380 hours, another 265 hours and a third 245 hours of overtime…

911 dispatcher recognized for helping parents deliver newborn baby in Algonquin (IL)

911 dispatcher recognized for helping parents deliver newborn baby in Algonquin (IL)

File Photo – Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District | Photo: Tyler Tobolt / Lake and McHenry County Scanner

A 911 dispatcher will be honored Wednesday for helping parents who called 911 with delivering their newborn baby until paramedics arrived in Algonquin.

Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District Deputy Chief John Knebl said that Southeast Emergency Communications (SEECOM) Telecommunicator Jodi Kaalaas will be honored at Wednesday evening’s Fire Trustee meeting.

Kaalaas calmly provided emergency medical instructions to the Algonquin parents over the phone when they called 911 from a husband stating his wife was in labor…