The new Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG 9-1-1) emergency response system in Chatham-Kent (CK) is ready to handle the wave of extra data coming in the future, but are the Emergency Communications Operators (ECOs)?
The service is preparing for the wave of additional data expected in 2027 as part of the new system.
Chatham-Kent police chief Kirk Earley told the media at an NG 9-1-1 information session on Thursday that starting in 2027, the system will be able to accept texts, videos, and photos from the public, and that could take a greater toll on the Emergency Communications Operators (ECOs), who already have a highly stressful job.
The new system will allow for faster response times and give emergency responders the precise location of a distressed caller. However, the chief calls the system a "double-edged sword" because of the negative effects it could have on the well-being of his ECOs.
Earley said staff wellness will need extra attention due to the heavier workload and more exposure to the graphic evidence in videos and photos sent to the ECOs.
"I'm excited, but there could be a lot of information coming in, and our Emergency Communicators are busy now. It's a very stressful job sitting at a desk for 12 hours answering phones. Sometimes it's tough for them to get closure when they deal with a very serious call because once the phone is shut off and the officers are there, they sit and wonder," said the chief.
Earley said more ECOs may have to be hired to handle the volume and the graphic nature of the evidence that would come to them through the NG 9-1-1 emergency communications system.
"When that D-2 [additional data, such as texts, videos, and photos] drops, and we're getting text messages with videos and different things, it's going to expose our communicators to more trauma. So, we now have to prepare for that to get them prepared. We're hiring more communicators to get to six, that might be more, so they can take more breaks because once you start to see that it's tough to look at," Chief Earley noted.
Amy Dawson, CK Police Emergency Communications Centre Manager, said her operators get an average of 3,000 9-1-1 calls each month.
