Comm Center News
911 dispatcher tells man not to call again for fried chicken mishaps
TORONTO -- A humorous 911 call has a Toronto-area police service reminding people only to call that number in emergency situations – and not when upset with sandwich toppings. Peel Regional Police released audio of the call Saturday. It's not clear when it was...
911 center deal: six months, six people, $297 an hour
Six months of management consulting services at the York County 911 Center will cost taxpayers $297 per hour for 2,524 hours of work, according to the contract the York County Commissioners approved on Wednesday. IXP Corp., a New Jersey-based company specializing in...
Smart911 online profiles personalize emergency responses in Dublin, Hilliard, Upper Arlington
Residents, workers and visitors in the Dublin, Hilliard, Upper Arlington and, soon, Worthington communities will have the opportunity to submit information that can be accessed by 911 dispatchers during emergencies. Representatives of the Northwest Regional Emergency...
Did You Know You Can Text 9-1-1 in Davies County, Kentucky?
Have you heard this mantra here in Daviess County? "9-1-1 Call if You Can - Text If You Can't." Daviess County Circuit Court Clerk Jennifer Besecker is reminding residents here in Owensboro/Daviess County that texting 9-1-1 is an option in emergency...
Martin County has ribbon-cutting for new communications center
WILLIAMSTON, Martin County — Martin County held a ribbon-cutting for its new Regional Communications Center on Wednesday. The new center will house the Martin County 911 Communications Center, which has relocated from the Martin County Courthouse. Officials say the...
Murder of Pierce Co. deputy leads to new South Sound 911 center
TACOMA, Wash. -- Communication delays in the killing of a Pierce County deputy is leading to a new 911 center. A groundbreaking event was held Thursday on the new South Sound 911 Center in Tacoma, which will put all call takers and dispatchers under one roof. Read...
Williamson County seeks to fill 17 vacancies in Emergency Communications Department
AUSTIN, Texas — Despite Williamson County expanding its telecommunicator training academy, several positions in the Emergency Communications Department remain unfilled. Williamson County said that the reason for the vacancies is that employees would stay for the...
Kootenai County dispatcher recognized for handling potentially dangerous call in ‘exemplary fashion’
COEUR d'ALENE, Idaho - One north Idaho emergency dispatcher is being recognized for her calm demeanor and ability to use protocols in the face of a potentially dangerous call. Jenny McMorris, who works for the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, got a call that...
Minneapolis officials eye whether certain 911 calls can be handled by someone other than the police
A 911 operator answers emergency calls at a Minneapolis dispatch center. Diverting 911 calls deemed less serious to other government agencies could allow police to focus on more urgent calls that demand immediate response. Read More...
Dorchester County is looking to hire fulltime 911 dispatcher positions
DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office is looking to fill five fulltime 911 dispatch positions. They say they need to accommodate the growth of the county.
Broome Emergency Dispatchers May Get Shorter Shifts
The first person many Broome County residents talk to in an emergency situation could be less tired in the future under plans to return 911 dispatchers to a standard eight-hour day. Emergency Services officials have been working 12-hour shifts since 1999 when a lack...
Kootenai County dispatcher recognized for handling potentially dangerous call in exemplary fashion
COEUR d'ALENE, Idaho - One north Idaho emergency dispatcher is being recognized for her calm demeanor and ability to use protocols in the face of a potentially dangerous call. Jenny McMorris, who works for the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, got a call that...
Program to help 911 dispatchers comes to central Ohio
If you are in a situation where you need to call 911, chances are time is of the essence. “In times of an emergencies, a lot of times, you get frantic and your mind doesn't work in ways, and Smart911 gets that information to us so you don't have to,” said Adam Smith,...
North Charleston Police withdraws from reporting system designed to free up dispatchers for 911 …
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The North Charleston Police Department confirmed Thursday it had pulled out from an incident reporting system the Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch Center launched in November. The system lists active law enforcement calls by agency and...
Young Professionals Spotlight: Leslie Corbet, Guilford Metro 9-1-1
Leslie Corbett partakes in a ride-along with Climax Fire Department (NC) during her fire dispatch training.
The APCO Young Professionals Taskforce recognizes Leslie Corbett as our young professional for the month of September. Leslie is twenty-seven years old and has been an emergency communications specialist for one year with Guilford Metro 9-1-1, an agency located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Most of her career has been as a call taker, but recently she has moved into fire and law enforcement dispatching.
Leslie was nominated by her supervisor, despite having been with her agency for only a year, because she stands out from the crowd. She strives for high quality assurance scores, has been an ideal trainee—receptive to any and all feedback—and is said to always have a positive attitude. According to her supervisor, “Leslie displays the qualities we strive for in our employees.”
Leslie enjoyed a cake she received acknowledging her first save on the job.
The most enjoyable aspect of Leslie’s job is the sense of accomplishment she gets when helping those who need it. In her short time with Guilford Metro, she has helped save two lives by providing pre-arrival instructions during cardiac arrests. Then, during her shift on December 25, 2018, she was able to provide instructions for a patient which resulted in an out-of-hospital birth.
We asked Leslie what advice she would give as a young professional to others her age who are entering 9-1-1 careers. “Listen to your team, don’t be afraid to ask questions or for help,” she said. “Make sure to find a quiet moment for yourself amid the chaos. And when in doubt, send them out!” Leslie volunteers for public relations events to promote the profession, especially to younger generations. Youth has its benefits within the profession, Leslie explained: Young people grew up typing on computers, can deal with the long, grueling hours — especially those that run overnight — and they also tend to be ambitious and are eager to learn.
But why are 9-1-1 centers not getting more young people through the door? Leslie believes this is largely due to a lack of accessible information about the profession, including its benefits and rewards. Like many in the profession, Leslie agrees that burnout is a leading cause of attrition in the industry. “We initiate CPR, we talk people down off ledges, we help calm the storm, and a lot of that puts a toll on a telecommunicator.”
Despite the difficulties of the job, Leslie prides herself in bringing positivity and encouragement. She loves to remind her teammates that they are doing work worth doing. Her Nanna used to say, “Try not to stress, do your best, and always remember: never forget to shake the ketchup,” which helps Leslie smile through it all. Her cheerfulness lifts the spirits of those around her and she transmits joy—in the ECC, on the phone, and over the radio. Leslie Corbett is a great asset, not only for Guilford Metro 9-1-1, but for public safety and young professionals across the country.
Montgomery County 911 Call Centers Inundated with Non-Emergency Calls
Montgomery County officials want to remind everyone on behalf of both MCHD and the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management that 911 services should only be utilized in true emergencies. If you have a true medical emergency, if you have water coming into your...
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Wayne Co. 911 dispatcher helps with birth
LYONS — A Wayne County 911 dispatcher is being commended for helping with an out-of-hospital birth last weekend. Greg DeWolf, the county’s 911 operations manager, said a call to the 911 center came in at 12:40 a.m. Saturday from a person in Newark reporting that his...
Sheriffs office recognizes dispatcher for saving a life
BLADEN COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The Bladen County Sheriff’s Office is recognizing a team member for saving a life. The sheriff’s office says a call came into their crisis hotline earlier this week from a person talking about committing suicide. Telecommunicator Patti...
St. Pete 911 dispatcher takes final call from police sergeant daughter
Her last role with the department was being a 911 call taker. She took her final call last night and it came from her daughter, who is a police sergeant.
Summit County faces shortage of dispatchers, reports exceeding overtime budget by 400 percent
PARK CITY (ABC4 News) – They are the voice you hear in your most urgent calls, trained to handle your emergencies. But the Summit County dispatchers are struggling to keep up, working up to 60 hours a week in an effort to make up for a shortage. Tanya Odenbach, the...
Upcoming Webinar
4.9 GHz Band: Review of the FCC Order
On October 22, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) released its Eighth Report and Order (Eighth R&O) regarding utilization of the 4940-4990 MHz (4.9 GHz) band that protects incumbent users as requested by us, the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance (PSSA). This Eighth R&O addresses a number of issues related to the use of this band by public safety. Please join us for a briefing on this order and how it impacts public safety.
This presentation will be led by Chief Jeff Johnson (ret) and Attorney Jason Karp, one of the nation’s leading experts in public safety spectrum regulations.
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