WRAL Investigates the possibility of remote 911 dispatchers
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>> AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTION IS
ON THE TABLE TO TACKLE THE DIRE
SHORTAGE OF 9-1-1. OPERATORS.
THE SOLUTION IS ALREADY
UNDERWAY IN PARTS OF THE
COUNTRY, ALLOWING THOSE
DISPATCHERS TO WORK REMOTELY.
WRAL INVESTIGATES SARAH KRUEGER
EXPLORERS OF IT COULD BE AN
OPTION HERE.
>> I WANT TO BE REPORTING FROM
THIS UNASSUMING CO-WORKING
SPACE IN PERSON COUNTY, OK,
WHERE THIS CAR ACCIDENT
HAPPENED. AND YOU'D NEVER GUESS
INSIDE CONRAD SHADLE IS
DISPATCHING POLICE FIRE AND
EMS TO EMERGENCIES. THOUSANDS
OF MILES AWAY. WHERE WAS HER
CAR STOLEN FROM? HE'S A 9-1-1.
CALL TAKER FOR AN AGENCY IN THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST DOING HIS
JOB REMOTELY.
WAS THIS SOMETHING YOU EVER
THOUGHT WOULD BE POSSIBLE IN
YOUR FIELD? KNOW CHATEL HAD
BEEN LIVING AND WORKING AS A
DISPATCHER IN THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST. MORE THAN 8 YEARS,
HIS FAMILY WANTED A CHANGE OF
PACE. AND THIS REMOTE POSITION
MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR MY FAMILY.
JUST LOVE THE STATE. IT'S
ALWAYS BEEN A WONDERFUL PLACE
FOR US TO VISIT AND GO OKAY.
SHUN A STAFF FAMILY LIVE TEARS.
9-1-1, CENTERS HAVE STRUGGLE
TO FILL JOBS FOR YEARS IN
RALEIGH, A CITY SPOKESPERSON
SAYS 21% OF DISPATCHER AND
CALLED TAKER POSITIONS ARE
VACANT IN FAYETTEVILLE, 36%
IN DURHAM. 28%. WRAL HAS
COVERED A NUMBER OF INSTANCES.
THERE WERE PEOPLE TOLD US THEY
COULD NOT GET THROUGH TO 9-1-1.
LIKE THIS ONE JUST RECENTLY
WHEN A CALLER WAS TRYING TO
REPORT A CHILD WAS SHOT IN HER
>> SOMETIMES
>> WE DO HAVE A DELAY WHEN
FOLKS CALL 9-1-1, DURHAM MAYOR
LEA WILLIAM SAYS REMOTE WORKING
FOR DURHAM'S 9-1-1. EMPLOYEES
IS NOT POSSIBLE RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE OF NETWORK SECURITY
AND PRIVACY CONCERNS. BUT HE
LIKES THE IDEA OF IT. I THINK
THAT ULTIMATELY WE MAY VAULT
TO THESE OTHER OPTIONS. THE
YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO SET TO
WORK IN WORKPLACES,
>> AT HOME AS WELL AS IN THE
OFFICE. BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW,
YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS.
9-1-1. WHAT ARE YOU REPORTING?
THE CITY OF RALEIGH SAYS
THEY'RE NOT EXPLORING THE
OPTION RIGHT NOW.
>> FAYETTEVILLE, THOUGH, IS
LOOKING INTO IT AS A
POSSIBILITY. SHADLE CAN'T
RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH IF ANYTHING
CHANGES CAUSE BACK ON 9-1-1.
DO YOU THINK THIS IS A SETUP
THAT EVERY AGENCY SHOULD
BE CONSIDERING?
>> YES, I I REALLY THINK THIS
IS THE NEXT STEP IN THIS
INDUSTRY. SHADLE ULTIMATELY
PLANS TO WORK FROM HOME ONCE HE
HAS INTERNET SET UP IN HIS NEW
HOUSE, HE SAYS WHEN HE TAKES
A CALL, THERE IS NO DELAY IN
TERMS OF ANSWER TIME OR
DISPATCH TIME. THE 9-1-1
CALLERS HAVE NO IDEA. THEY'RE
TALKING TO SOMEONE SO FAR AWAY.
SARAH KRUEGER, WRAL, NEWS.
WRAL INVESTIGATES ASKED THE
STATE'S 9-1-1 BOARD. IT WOULD
SUPPORT ALLOWING AGENCIES HERE
TO HAVE REMOTE CALLED TAKERS.
AND IN A STATEMENT, IT SAID.
>> THE BOARD CONTINUES TO
EXPLORE SAFE AND RELIABLE
OPTIONS THAT CAN IMPROVE THE
STATE'S 9-1-1. SYSTEM. HOWEVER,
THE BOARD DOES NOT HAVE THE
AUTHORITY TO MAKE PERSONNEL
DECISIONS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
ANSWERING POINTS WHICH ARE
OPERATED BY AND UNDER THE
JURISDICTION OF COUNTIES AND