Comm Center News
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...
NC sheriff’s office dispatcher uses compassion to divert suicide attempt
Compassion. Telecommunicator Patti Yandle of the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office is said to have shown “a tremendous amount of compassion” for a caller talking about committing suicide with a shotgun. Yandle was able to make contact with the person who called the...
Sheriffs office dispatcher uses compassion to divert suicide attempt
BLADEN COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - Compassion. Telecommunicator Patti Yandle of the Bladen County Sheriff's Office is said to have shown "a tremendous amount of compassion" for a caller talking about committing suicide with a shotgun. Yandle was able to make contact with...
Mediation to begin in contact talks between BCs E-Comm, emergency dispatchers
RICHMOND, B.C.—A mediator has been appointed as emergency dispatchers try to reach a new contract with their employer, E-Comm Emergency Communications for British Columbia. More than 500 emergency dispatchers, call takers and support staff are members of CUPE Local...
911 dispatchers begin mediated contract talks
A mediator has been appointed as 911 dispatchers responsible for taking calls from the Peace region try to reach a new contract with their employer, E-Comm Emergency Communications for British Columbia. More than 500 emergency dispatchers, call takers and support...
911 dispatcher coaches man through delivery of friends baby at Newark home
LYONS, N.Y. (WHAM) - A 911 dispatcher in Wayne County helped a man in Newark deliver his friend's baby early Saturday morning. Dispatcher Paul Fera works at the Wayne County 911 Center in Lyons. He received a call around 12:40 a.m. from a man who said his friend was...
State 911 director focused on dispatchers
Like other public safety entities, the mental and emotional health of 911 dispatchers is becoming more and more of a priority for industry leaders. “The State of Indiana has invested a lot of money in the technical part of this and we’re now starting to push a...
Lincoln dispatch debuts new technology designed to find 9-1-1 callers
There's a seamless partnership of those on the front line and those behind the phones. Just a matter of seconds can change a life. A new computer system called Rapid SOS is significantly cutting down that response time.
Abilene PD looking to hire more dispatchers
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Potential career opportunities are available at the Abilene Police Department for telecommunicators. The dispatch department is currently operating with only about 30 people including supervisors, which Communications Manager Becky...
Educate kids on how and when to call 9-1-1 so they stay safe
The Charles County Volunteer Firemen’s Association, Inc, and Charles County Association of Emergency Medical Services, Inc. provided useful tips for teaching children, and even adults on how to call 9-11 and provide useful and needed information to the 911 call...
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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