Nashville’s 911 phone line scored a lower level of satisfaction among callers last year, according to the annual report for the Emergency Communications Center, or ECC.
The center handled 1.5 million calls in 2015, with police dispatches accounting for the bulk.
Of the people who called, 86 percent said they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the experience. That rating has fallen two years in a row, and is down 7 percentage points since 2013.
ECC Director Michele Donegan said some who were surveyed felt emergency dispatchers asked them too many questions.
“Sometimes people call in and they’re having a very traumatic situation and they may not understand our process of why we’re asking the questions we’re asking,” she said. “I would love to see it at 100 percent … when people are calling, especially on 911, that’s a traumatic experience in their life. And they need resolution and they need quick service.”
Donegan said dispatchers send rescuers as soon as they can, but often stay on the line to learn more details while they’re en route.
She said the ECC also works on educating residents about its role. For example, the center is separate from the police department, so dispatchers are unable to answer some police-specific questions.
The annual report says the typical 911 call was answered in 12 seconds. That’s a speed Donegan considers good. But it’s slightly behind the national standard, of 10 seconds, which she wants to meet.
“I would like to see it better,” Donegan said.
2015 ECC Calls By Type
- 1,351,341 police
- 121,435 fire/EMS
- 37,006 office of emergency management
- 13,692 sheriff’s Office
- 1,523,474 total (477,599 to 911)
In her first year as director, Donegan’s budget was approved for five additional call-takers. She says that was crucial after a wave of retirements had reduced the ECC by 23 dispatchers.
While Donegan is the first to admit that emergency dispatching is challenging work, she anticipates more recruits because of a change to the hiring process. In the past, an ECC orientation and two different tests were spread out over three days. That has been condensed to a single day to accommodate applicants who are already employed or applying from a distance.
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