"It's probably the worst day of your life when you have to call 911," said Carol Sexton, Warren County Joint Communications administrator. "We are the front line." When a 911 call comes in to the communications center, dispatchers never know what kind of emergency they will face. It could be a medical emergency, a domestic violence situation, a fire or automobile accident. Sometimes it involves hogs or horses in the roadway or a kitten stuck in a storm drain. Whatever the incident, dispatchers said there are few dull moments on their 12-hour shifts - especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Since November 2007, the center has been equipped with a global CAD system. Up to four stations are manned by dispatchers trained in a variety of critical skills, including medical dispatch, call taking, fire dispatch, hazmat, CPR certification, law enforcement dispatch, emergency management, and mapping and addressing. Other areas of training include domestic violence, suicidal calls and stress management. Each operator has four computer consoles at their fingertips to obtain critical information needed for a particular call, such as outstanding warrants, license information or stolen property reports. Medical information is readily accessible to guide a frantic caller through an emergency. "We can calm somebody down and give the caller pre-arrival instructions," said Sexton. "You keep them busy during a tense time. You feel like you are helping." Sexton said the atmosphere in the 911 center can be stressful, but her staff is "unusually close for a dispatch center." "This one is truly like family," she said. "I attribute our board of directors for a lot of this. There is no politics - just do your job." Jokingly, the dispatchers on duty pulled out some tools of their trade - air fresheners, antacids and Tylenol. The job can be very tense, especially when a victim is a family member or law enforcement personnel. Laura "Sparky" Seger, a 13-year employee, recently experienced the horrible dread of knowing family members were involved in a serious accident while she was on duty and didn't know the outcome for a time. Seger's sister-in-law is Amy Heggemann, who was seriously injured in a car accident last September. Seger's nephew, Carson, was killed in the accident. Seger said you just handle the call and fall apart later. "I'm probably worse when I'm not on duty," said Seger. "At least I feel like I'm doing something while I'm here." Sexton said there are a lot of times when dispatchers don't feel a sense of closure, not knowing what happened to the victim they had such intimate and dramatic conversations with for a short time. Privacy laws keep them from finding out further details after their contact ends. "The most tense you'll ever hear us is when it concerns a child," said Seger. Warren County dispatchers keep their voices pleasant and under complete control most of the time. But when an incident involves one of the emergency personnel who they know and serve with, a little tension can be detected. Agencies served by the communications center include Wright City, Marthasville, Warrenton and Truesdale police, Warren County and Marthasville Ambulance districts, Warrenton, Wright City and Marthasville fire departments, and Warren County Emergency Management. They also monitor State Highway Patrol cars on duty in Warren County. It's a lot to juggle and it takes the right stuff to make it as a 911 dispatcher according to Sexton. Each applicant faces a three-hour test, which includes reading scenarios and coming up with solutions. Accurate speed writing can be necessary and computer skills are critical. Sexton can usually tell during the testing if a candidate can handle the pressure. The test alone is stressful. Each applicant must pass "just about every background check there is" according to Sexton. Excellent hearing in both ears is a prerequisite. Sexton said county residents can help dispatchers by knowing where they are when making an emergency call. If the caller is using a cell phone, it is even more critical to let dispatchers know right away what county they are calling from. If a tower is down, the caller could be in another county and a street name may be the same. All 911 hangups are checked by law enforcement according to Sexton. In some instances, an attacker will hang up and when called back claim everything is OK. Children are often caught playing with the phone or practicing dialing 911. Time is critical in an emergency. Accurate information can speed up response time. Sexton said the new 911 addressing system, although annoying to residents, makes pinpointing addresses almost instantaneous. By using five-digit numbers, the county is way ahead of possible growth in communities. Every 10 feet of the grid is a different number. If someone were to build a house in a neighborhood, a number is already available. Future plans for the center include a radio upgrade project, allowing seven total towers to be simulcast at the same time on the same frequency. During a recent audit, six employees were awarded for their commitment to quality in the area of emergency medical dispatch. The center was recognized as an Accredited Center of Excellence in March 2007 by the National Academy of Emergency Dispatch.

911 Dispathers Serve Critical Role

911 Dispathers Serve Critical Role