BOC Addressed 911 Call Handling Issues; Meetings Announced
Published on September 05, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sampson County Board of Commissioners Addressed 911 Call Handling Issues; Upcoming Meetings Announced
Sampson County, NC, September 5, 2024 – The Sampson County Board of Commissioners held a special meeting on Tuesday afternoon, September 3, 2024, to address recent issues with 911 call handling. During the meeting, Emergency Services Director Rick Sauer acknowledged that protocols were overlooked in one call and an incorrect address was given in another. The call on Saturday August 31, regarding a motor vehicle accident on I-40, was determined to have been handled correctly.
To address these issues, Mr. Sauer detailed the steps being taken to improve the situation. This includes ongoing training for staff, with a recently hired training officer focused on developing and implementing training programs to enhance protocol response.
When inquiring about current staffing, the Board was informed that there are currently 13 fully trained positions out of a total of 20. Three individuals are currently in training. With 113,000 calls received over the past year, the staffing and training challenges are significant, similar to those faced by other departments both within the county and nationwide. The Board emphasized the importance of addressing these issues to ensure that all calls are managed efficiently and correctly moving forward.
Following the discussion, the Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt a motion in support of the Emergency Services Department and its staff.
Upcoming Meetings
Board of Commissioners Meeting
Emergency Services Director Rick Sauer will present on recent issues as an add-on item during the Board of Commissioners meeting. This meeting will be held at 6:00 PM on Monday, September 9, 2024, at the County Auditorium, 435 Rowan Road, Clinton, North Carolina. The meeting will be livestreamed on the County’s YouTube channel @sampsoncountygovernment.
Process Improvement for Communication Meeting Sessions
In-person Process Improvement for Communication meeting sessions will be held in the county administrative board room, 406 County Complex Road, Clinton, North Carolina, on September 12, 2024. The general public, government officials, and the media are welcome to participate and ask questions with the Sampson County Emergency Services Director, 911 Communication Staff, County Manager, and County Commissioners.
To ensure that everyone’s questions are addressed effectively, attendees must pre-register for 30-minute slot meeting sessions, with a maximum of 3 attendees per session. Please contact the County Administration Office at 910-592-6308 ext. 2222 to schedule your slot.
We encourage all interested parties to attend the meetings to stay informed and engage in discussion on improving our emergency services. Your participation is vital as we work together to enhance community safety and service quality.
Thank you for your attention and support.
# # # # # #
Press-Release-09-05-2024_.pdf(PDF, 186KB)