By Derrick ForsytheRecord Features EditorLocated west of Warrenton on Highway U, is a nondescript facility that is probably overlooked by motorists. But the people who work there provide a vital service to area residents.The Warren County Emergency Services Center, commonly referred to as 911, is essentially a lifeline. At least three trained staff are on duty at all times of each day to assist residents with minor to the most extreme emergencies.Chances are, members of the general public aren’t aware of how much information is processed at the 911 center on a daily basis.Administrator Amy Ellard says it’s important for the community to be aware of the services provided and how best to utilize them. It starts with the most basic action of reporting an address change to the center’s database and extends to knowing which line to call in a given situation.“We need to be able to access your information quickly and accurately when you call,” said Ellard.While the 911 center’s most well-known purpose is to assist those in need of emergency personnel, their duties reach beyond dispatching EMS and firefighters.“I do think many people don’t realize exactly how much we do here,” said Ellard.Staff at the center communicate with law enforcement on traffic stops, relaying driver history and warrant information. They take numerous calls each day regarding questions about laws or requesting phone numbers.But not all situations warrant dialing 911. And many calls are unintentional.Operations Manager Renee Berry encourages persons to stop and consider what type of call they are making and whether it’s an inquiry or an actual emergency.“We have to handle each call as an emergency, and sometimes our lines can get pretty busy,” explained Berry. “We can get 10 or more calls on one wreck, but we have to take each one and determine that it’s not a separate incident.”She says the center receives about 11 hang-up calls per day. Most of the time the caller is unaware they have accidentally commanded their phone to make an emergency call.“I think sometimes people are trying to dial 411 instead,” says Ellard. “But those (hang-up) calls take so much time away from actual emergencies.”Regardless, the dispatcher must send law enforcement to make contact with the individual, ensuring his or her safety. If it’s a hangup, they will attempt to reach the caller and even resort to checking call logs and information associated with that number in the center’s extensive database.Ellard says many do not realize there is also a non-emergency line for 911. She says there can be a gray area when it comes to determining if a person should call 911 or the non-emergency line.“That’s a judgment call on that person,” said Ellard. “We’re here to take the call whether we deem it an emergency or not. Everyone’s emergency is different.”General calls regarding crimes no longer in progress or controlled burns should be directed to the nonemergency line at 636-456-7088. The same could be said for child custody exchanges or peace disturbances.Ellard says every day at the call center presents new challenges and experiences. At times, dispatchers find themselves guiding a caller through life-threatening situations. Other times they are trying to maintain professionalism by taking seriously a peace disturbance call about mooing cows.“We go through spurts where we’ll have one person who calls quite a bit,” added Ellard.Some calls can be comical yet disheartening, as in the case of a senile individual who called frequently to report extra-terrestrial activity under their mobile home. Nonetheless, the matter must be treated as any other emergency, with an officer responding to the scene.Ellard says one of the setbacks for dispatchers is that they rarely know the outcome or validity of the circumstance once the call is handed over to the proper personnel.“With law enforcement, fire and EMS they have closure,” said Ellard. “We don’t really have closure. We take the call, hand it off and don’t really know what happens.”Berry says the most important piece of information the call center needs is the address of the emergency.“If we don’t know where you’re at, unfortunately, we can’t help you,” said Berry.There are towers positioned throughout Warren County that relay the approximate locations of a caller and longitude and latitude coordinates can also be used.Berry says the addition of GPS devices in phones has been the most revolutionary advancement during her time on the staff.“People need to make sure they have the GPS activated or otherwise it doesn’t help us,” Berry noted.Otherwise, pinpointing an individual’s location can prove very difficult, as in the case of local teacher Christian Wenzel, who had to provide specific, turn-by-turn directions to responders after falling from a deer stand in a remote location.Berry says the GPS only provided a general location for Wenzel, so his involvement was needed for an exact location.“If somebody calls from a landline, it will automatically show their name, address and phone number,” explained Ellard. “It automatically tells us what fire, police and ambulance serve that address.”She says another common misconception is that you must have a cellular contract to make an emergency call. Ellard says that all phones are required to be able to dial 911 regardless of whether they have an active provider.Ultimately, Ellard encourages callers to use common sense when considering whether their circumstance is an emergency that requires dialing 911 or a lesser situation that can be handled on the non-emergency line.“If you feel your life is in danger, don’t hesitate to call 911,” said Ellard. “It’s always best to err on the side of caution.”Residents Urged to use Common Sense with 911 Calls