Week celebrates emergency telecommunicators locally
By Melanie Marshall

“911. What is the address of your emergency?”

Watauga County telecommunicators answer an average of 1,100 calls per month with this question. In addition they also answer approximately 7,000 non-emergency (administrative) calls for the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office.

April 12-18 is Telecommunication Appreciation Week in recognition of those who answer calls for the worst situations and ensure the proper agency is dispatched to the scene. The communications office is never empty regardless of time of day, holidays or weather.

Melissa Harmon, chief of communications for Watauga County, sat down with the Watauga Democrat to provide an overview of what to expect when calling 911.

The first question will be for the location. In the case of a vehicle collision, Harmon requests callers give the name of the road and a cross street, landmark and/or nearby house number. It is also helpful to note direction of travel.

The most helpful caller is a person at the scene of the collision, Harmon said. That person provides vital information, such as how many vehicles are involved, what type of vehicles (a motorcycle or large truck), whether or not the passengers are pinned in the wreckage, number of people in the vehicles and a general overview of injuries.

“If a person is the first to arrive at the scene of an accident, they can provide very helpful information by simply looking into the vehicles,” Harmon said.

This information is relayed to emergency room personnel, medics, first responders and police to ensure the proper agencies are dispatched and prepared to handle the situation.

In the case of a medical call, such as a fall, illness or injury, telecommunicators will ask multiple specific questions. Telecommunicators will also request a phone number in case the call is disrupted.

“It is important that every question be answered accurately and calmly,” Harmon said. “Those answers set the protocol for the level of dispatch and who will be sent.”

Harmon stressed that the call should be made from the location of the emergency.

In the case of fires, telecommunicators will first ask for the location and if the fire is a structure or wildfire. If a structure is burning, the caller will be asked if it is a residence or business.

The extent of the smoke, size of the flames and structure, and what is nearby will be noted. The answers provided by the caller help determine what equipment firefighters will need.

Calls that do not involve an emergency, potential injury or life-threatening situations should be directed to WCSO at (828) 264-3761. The line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.