Emergency call center preps for major events

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Calls to 911 are what people depend on in case of emergency. This month marks 50 years since the first 911 call was made in the country. Now, with calls on the rise and the upcoming CIAA Tournament, Channel 9’s Stephanie Tinoco got an exclusive behind the scenes look of the work that goes into play.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police and dispatchers try to get as much information from callers in 90 seconds so emergency crews can respond quickly. There were close to 1 million inbound calls in 2017. The most common calls were accidents and domestic disturbances. Telecommunicators with CMPD say they see a spike in 911 calls when the city hosts major events like the CIAA Tournament coming up next week.

“We assess the calls as they come in and prioritize each call based on how urgent officers are needed. We ask different questions based on what type of call it is,” 911 dispatch officer Amy Powell said. “For example, an accident in a parking lot is going to be less of a priority than an active disturbance or a fight.”

Powell said when the city hosts big events like the CIAA Tournament, there is a spike in the number of calls they receive. The center adjusts staff as needed except they can’t pull officers from other agencies for help if needed. The job is so specialized only trained individuals would be able to fill in.

“We can’t send officers if we don’t have people to answer those 911 calls,” Powell said.

People in the call center go through extensive training to tackle every call coming in but it can be emotionally exhausting. That part of the department sees a high turnover rate and needs more people to apply to make sure necessary spots are filled at all times.

“It’s a really rewarding job,” Powell said. “We all have triggers though. It’s really difficult to talk to a child on the phone when they’re having an emergency or witnessing an emergency.”

In order to take calls alone, a person at the center has to go through eight weeks of on-the-job training, which includes two weeks in the academy. Six months of dispatch on-the-job training is also required.

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