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LISBON -- The number of 911 calls in Columbiana County remained average in 2020 but decreased in the usual busiest months in previous years.
Brian Rutledge, the county Emergency Management Agency deputy director and 911 coordinator, said the number of 911 calls dropped in the months of July, August, November and December. Those same months saw the highest number of calls in both 2018 and 2019. Rutledge said during Thursday's 911 Emergency Service Committee meeting he isn't sure why there was a drop during those months but assumes it is due to the pandemic.
In total, agencies in Columbiana County received 22,672 calls in 2020.
Members of the committee praised dispatchers throughout the county for how well they have communicated with first responders during the pandemic. 911 officials receive information from the health department about COVID-19 infected county residents and a "health alert" is added in the system's address database for the residence. This way first responders are aware if they are responding to call where a positive COVID-19 case is present in the residence.
Members said that dispatchers, specifically those in the county sheriff's office, are doing an excellent job of letting first responders know if a health alert is present. Rudy Sacchet, member of the committee, said that information from dispatchers about health alerts makes it easier for first responders to do their job in a safe and effective manner.
Rutledge noted during the meeting there appears to be less shame when it comes to having the virus. Last year, it appeared that 911 callers were afraid to admit if they were exposed to the virus.
"Initially, I think people were afraid to admit they had it when they called. Now, I think the callers are more open to saying, 'Hey, I possibly might have been in contact with someone,' or they actually had it," Rutledge said.
In other business, the committee discussed last year's enactment of Kari's Law and Ray Baum's Act. Kari's Law is named after Kari Hunter, a Texas woman who was killed by her estranged husband in a motel room. Hunt's 9-year-old daughter tried to call for help four times from the room phone, but tragically the call never went through. The daughter was not aware that the phone system required callers to dial "9" for outgoing calls. The law was signed in 2018 but did not go into effect until 2020.
Rutledge said that the laws are in place to make it easier for dispatchers to narrow down a 911 caller's location by requiring multi-line phone systems to be capable of directly dialing 911 and requiring there to be a dispatachable location. In order to become compliant with the Federal Communications Commission, updating the multi-line phone systems is done in two phases based on the type of system. According to Rutledge, the county is done with the first phase and the second phase has until 2022 to be completed.