| Before 2002, a water main break might have | | | | have redundancy plans where each is the backup |
| crippled the Lincoln, Neb., Law Enforcement and | | | | for the other should one go under. Since the |
| Justice Center. Until then, the city had neither a | | | | centers nearly mirror each other technologically, |
| backup center nor contingency plans in place to | | | | staff at either center can substitute at both |
| evacuate people and keep the 911 call center on | | | | centers. |
| line in the face of an emergency. | | | | "The backup plans I'm referring to are redundant |
| "We would have been in bad trouble," said Julie | | | | plans," Hall said. "Let's say we had the pandemic |
| Righter, communications coordinator of the Lincoln | | | | come in and 50 percent of our people are out. |
| Emergency Communications Center. "We would | | | | That means the community is going to be sick |
| have been scrambling." | | | | and our 911 call volume is going to be high. We |
| But when a water main broke in September | | | | can't take a 50 percent reduction, so you |
| 2005, the staff transitioned effortlessly - no 911 | | | | combine resources. That way you have one fully |
| calls went unanswered, and service was | | | | staffed center. You can get your well people in |
| uninterrupted. For 12 weeks, the center's staff | | | | there and you have your redundancy there." |
| operated in the backup center - thanks to prior | | | | In the case of a pandemic or another disaster, |
| emergency planning and preparation. | | | | dispatchers are commodities, and the competition |
| Preparedness is ideal, but plans aren't formulated | | | | sometimes gets in the way of cross-training. "The |
| unless someone has the foresight to build | | | | biggest issue we have with that as a nation is |
| redundancy into the operation. But if every U.S. | | | | with 911 staffing shortages," Hall said. "We're |
| Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) - dispatch | | | | scared to go out and cross-train people, and |
| offices that receive 911 calls from the public - | | | | scared to go to other centers because we're |
| was forced to evacuate, the results wouldn't | | | | hiring each other's people left and right." |
| always be so easy to accept. | | | | Adrenaline Junkies |
| "There are a lot of PSAPs across the United | | | | Most PSAPs recognize the value of the dispatcher |
| States that are prepared and have emergency | | | | and develop contingency plans that account for |
| plans that include backup PSAPs," said Terry Hall, | | | | the dispatcher's life outside the 911 center. "To be |
| communications manager for York County, Va., | | | | quite honest with you," Hall said, "when you're |
| and former president of the Association of | | | | here taking care of other people, you need to |
| Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO). | | | | know that your own home is taken care of so |
| "Do most in the nation have those plans?" he said. | | | | they're not up here worrying about that." |
| "The answer is no." | | | | Most PSAPs have plans and supplies in place to |
| It's becoming more common for PSAPs to either | | | | care for their personnel, recognizing that there |
| create redundancy in the form of backup 911 | | | | may be times when dispatchers are on the job |
| centers or cultivate relationships with neighboring | | | | for extended periods, and family, transportation |
| PSAPs to share resources should one PSAP | | | | and food are issues. |
| become disabled. | | | | "You hear stories about people staying at PSAPs, |
| Having a backup PSAP or a relationship with | | | | and management having to pry them off the |
| another PSAP where resources can be shared is | | | | consoles and make sure they get breaks," Hall |
| critical, as is involving staff in contingency plans in | | | | said. "We need to make sure they get counseling, |
| case of an emergency - one of the many lessons | | | | make sure they have the same things afforded |
| learned during Hurricane Katrina. | | | | to them as other public safety agencies do." |
| Coveting Staff | | | | That was a message that came through loud and |
| The idea, Righter said, is to have a level of | | | | clear during Katrina. "If you listened to some of |
| redundancy that doesn't diminish your level of | | | | the lessons learned and what went on down |
| service and keeps your staff out of danger. | | | | there from the personnel point of view, |
| "We've got to cross-train people," Hall said. "We've | | | | dispatchers are adrenaline junkies," Hall said. "They |
| got to have a backup and we've got to have | | | | do their best work when things are hot. Well, how |
| good emergency plans for them so they can | | | | long can you take things being hot? We're used to |
| take care of their families." Cross-training involves | | | | having a tornado, structure fire or another event, |
| training employees from one PSAP on how to | | | | then the dispatcher goes off and smokes a |
| work at another PSAP. | | | | cigarette, eats 40 pounds of chocolate and they |
| The backup PSAP was critical to Righter and her | | | | sit back down behind the console and they've |
| staff, but might not be necessary for every | | | | blown off the stress. Now do that for 24, 36, 48 |
| jurisdiction. "A smaller entity," she said, referring to | | | | hours, and then get to sleep only five hours and |
| a jurisdiction smaller than Lincoln's 250,000 | | | | go do it again." |
| population, "might not need what we have, but | | | | There were stories from Katrina of 911 |
| we've got to have it. If we were to send all of | | | | dispatchers having to work days on end without |
| our phone calls to the county to the west of us, | | | | breaks and supplies. "One of the things we learned |
| they would be crushed. They just can't handle | | | | is that we quickly run out of things we need," Hall |
| 900 phone calls a day. They don't have the | | | | said. "I've heard stories of some places that keep |
| equipment or staff. There are areas across the | | | | canned ravioli, and then once a year or twice a |
| country that may not need a backup center; they | | | | year they throw a hurricane party and eat |
| may have an agreement with the neighboring | | | | everything they've got so it doesn't go bad. Some |
| jurisdiction." | | | | dispatch centers say you have to come to work |
| In the case of a pandemic, PSAPs would be in | | | | prepared for 24 hours, and the ones with some |
| jeopardy if contingency plans aren't instituted to | | | | training were saying three days; but now as an |
| deal with the absenteeism, Hall said. "If predictions | | | | agency, we have to stock up and plan on them |
| are right, 50 percent of your staff is going to be | | | | being there for seven to 10 days." |
| out," he said. "Most centers don't have extra | | | | Many companies now supply meals ready to eat |
| people running around. In fact, most centers are | | | | (MREs), and most PSAPs are stocking up on |
| understaffed." | | | | them. "I spent 28 days down South after the |
| During Hurricane Katrina, PSAPs had to deal with | | | | hurricanes and I can't begin to tell you how good |
| the problem of dwindling staffs. "When the | | | | an MRE tastes," Hall said. "If you don't believe it, |
| hurricanes hit, already your 911 centers have | | | | don't eat anything for a day and see what it |
| sharply reduced staff," said Rick Jones, Operations | | | | tastes like the next day." |
| Issues director for the National Emergency | | | | Though a backup center isn't necessary |
| Number Association. "At the same time, the | | | | everywhere, some form of redundancy and |
| reduced staff in some of the hardest hit areas | | | | planning for having additional dispatchers on hand |
| not only had to take up the slack, but had to deal | | | | for an extended period is essential. Righter is glad |
| with personal problems. They had houses that | | | | she attended an APCO conference in 1999 that |
| were damaged, family members who hadn't been | | | | gave her the idea to propose construction of the |
| found - all these kinds of things. It was about day | | | | backup center. |
| three or four when things really started to take a | | | | She's also glad for the 24-hour exercises the |
| mental toll." | | | | center executes three times a year to help make |
| Hall said working with other PSAPs is necessary in | | | | evacuations go smoothly. "Now," she said, "the |
| case of the loss of staff during a crisis. York and | | | | drills will be a piece of cake. |
| James City counties, Va., are 45 miles apart, but | | | | |