MOUNT VERNON — Steps were taken this week to improve communication between Mount Vernon and Knox County 9-1-1 dispatchers, and the firefighters across the county.
According to Arlin Bradford of Vasu Communnications, which provides radio equipment and services to the city and the county, adjustments were made at each dispatch center to ensure that dispatchers hear all emergency radio traffic, including the traffic of all fire channels. Issues were raised last week at the Knox County Fire Chiefs Association meeting, regarding whether dispatchers were lowering the volume on fire traffic, particularly Mount Vernon city fire communications, at the county dispatch center.
“The issue at the chiefs’ meeting was not so much the county being heard at the city, it was the city being heard at the county dispatch center,” Bradford said.
On average, three dispatchers are at both the county and city dispatch centers. The dispatchers will have a role in the new May Day protocol throughout the county, which involves an emergency beacon from the radio of a firefighter who has become injured, trapped, or has run into another emergency. Bradford said two new ID boxes have been placed in the dispatch centers to identify which firefighter has activated the “man down” button. Dispatchers should be able to communicate to people at the emergency scene which firefighter is in trouble.
Bradford said 9-1-1 dispatchers monitor approximately 14 different radio frequency channels all the time.
“It’s very difficult for that to happen,” he said.
EMA Director Marie Blubaugh asked Bradford last week to reset the scanners at the dispatch centers so that the volume on fire traffic could not be turned lower by the dispatchers.
“The adjustments I made at the dispatch centers will make a huge difference,” Bradford, who also works as a firefighter in the county, explained.
“Dispatchers strive to do an excellent job,” said Bradford. “Fifty-eight thousand people rely on the dispatchers to answer appropriately when they call 9-1-1, so that they can be assisted. Those dispatchers are a lifeline.”
Mount Vernon Fire Assistant Chief Chris Menapace agreed that dispatchers have a crucial role in emergency services.
“I do not doubt the dispatchers’ work ethic or efficiency,” Menapace said. “They are very good at what they do.”
However, Menapace said, improvements in training are called for.
“I believe there has been a lack of training by their supervisor,” he said.
Menapace and Blubaugh had a heated discussion at last week’s meeting when Blubaugh told the fire chiefs that dispatchers in the county center do not always monitor Mount Vernon fire traffic. Blubaugh is on vacation this week, and could not be reached for comment.
“My priority is the safety of my men,” Menapace said. “Any action that potentially jeopardizes their well-being must be addressed immediately. I in no way believe that dispatchers are or were intentionally placing my men in harm’s way. However, I do believe that this is again, a training issue, and their supervisor must do a better job at stressing the importance of properly monitoring our traffic.”
