911 Center Works Around The Clock To Help Neighbors

From medical issues to disturbances, the McDonald County 911 Center is ready to handle any emergency.

Highly trained staffers work around the clock to help their McDonald County neighbors, making sure each emergency is handled efficiently.

The center, which handles calls for a number of agencies, dispatches approximately 55,000 calls for service every year, according to Lisa McCool-Rataczak, Center director.

The staff of 12 full-time dispatchers handles calls for six police departments, 10 fire departments, and one ambulance service, she said.

Covering 600 square miles in McDonald County, the 24-hour operational facility in Pineville oversees a volume of calls made in emergency situations. For each 12-hour shift, two dispatchers and one shift supervisor are on hand to tackle calls.

McCool-Rataczak said that dispatchers undergo extensive training, which is imperative for the wide range of calls received. The center requires professional certifications for anyone who dispatches or answers an emergency phone, she added.

Training includes Basic Dispatch APCO or ETC 24-hour classroom and exam; MULES certification 40-hour classroom and exam; EMD 24-hour classroom and exam; healthcare provider level CPR; basic NIMS, a minimum of 452 hours of in-house training hours and ongoing training to maintain those certifications.

In addition, staff members assign addresses, maintain seven radio tower locations, equipment and backup power equipment; create and install blue road signs; and maintain call and dispatch records for all 10 fire departments, six police departments, the McDonald County Sheriff's Department and Freeman Ambulance, she said.

Staff members also enter and maintain the warrants, orders of protection, stolen property and missing persons records that are entered into the Missouri Highway Patrol and NCIC databases, as well as stay current on security and training requirements for these systems, McCool-Rataczak said.

Other duties include maintaining an in-house accounting department, maintaining their budgets and complying with all audits, while maintaining their meeting minutes.

The center is also responsible for handling the 911 Board of Directors' paperwork, implementing a notification system, and establishing and maintaining the testing of the storm sirens throughout the county.

A system enabling texts to 911 helps dispatchers communicate with callers through silent communications. Such a service helps handicapped callers or callers who may be placed in further peril through voice communications, she added.