LUDLOW, Vt. – Nick Sheehan addressed the Ludlow Rotary Club at their May 2 meeting at DJ’s Restaurant. As a Vermont 911 Dispatch Call Center Operator, he is responsible for taking emergency calls from around the state and correctly routing them to the state police, local police, fire departments, and emergency medical services (EMS). All dispatch centers in the state are capable of communicating statewide.
Nick does have a reference book to follow protocol and guide him on any call he might receive. After six years on the job, he no longer needs to use the reference manual. After routing a call to the appropriate entity, dispatchers stay on the phone with the caller to try to get more information for the responding agency, calm the caller down, and give appropriate emergency instructions. When asked whether he had ever had to deliver a baby on a call, Nick replied that is one thing he has not done yet in his 13 years as a public servant. He originally trained as a state police officer prior to moving to dispatch.
Ludlow Rotarians found the 911 protocols to be interesting. Nick reported the 911 recording starts before a call is answered and keeps recording until after hang up. There are about 3,000 calls per month in Westminster, where Nick is stationed. The location of cell towers directs the calls to the appropriate dispatch center. All calls are queued to be distributed to the next available dispatcher statewide. The caller location is determined by mobile phone or landline location, with landline being the most accurate. Voice over internet (VOIT) calls are the most inaccurate, and therefore a problem. Modem service in Vermont is an issue. Dispatchers can connect to other agencies in 30 seconds. Since Ludlow has its own dispatch, they transfer calls directly to Ludlow.
Nick’s most memorable call was for a lost child who the parents found under the ice in their swimming pool. He was able to talk them through life saving CPR. The most frequent calls are from the elderly, calling in a non-emergency situation. Often, they are lonely with no family. He transfers them to 211, Vermont community resource specialists ready to connect people with a wide variety of help.
In response to a question, Nick feels artificial intelligence may have a positive impact on dispatch if it could show live video of the scene, which would help first responders prepare before they arrive on site.
Anyone interested in learning more about joining Rotary is invited to contact Kevin Barnes, Membership Chairman at 802-228-8877, to receive an invitation to a meeting.