This Job Isn’t for the Faint Hearted in Great Falls

This Job Isn't for the Faint Hearted in Great Falls

It has been a few years since I have worked in the retail business sector of the job life.  But what I remember from it is that people are horrible.  And now that the internet has made many people keyboard warriors, it seems that it has become even worse with customers.

via GIPHY

So, answering the phone at a place of business probably is about the same as I remember it.  Rude people, demanding something, and it was most assuredly my fault.  I couldn't imagine what it is like to try and be a 911 dispatch phone operator.

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Law Enforcement, Emergency and Fire All in One in Cascade County

The 911 dispatch center in Great Falls answers calls for all agencies in our county.  Law enforcement, emergency medical and fire agencies all depend on the agency.  The Communications Service Bureau consists of 23 employees, 19 of those as Public Safety Communications Officers.

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Between January 1st, 2024, and April 15th, 2024, the agency answered almost 8,000 calls to the dispatch center.  Those calls varied from hangups calling 911 to fires, accidents and medical code calls.

Which Calls Are the Most To 911 in Great Falls?

Of those almost 8,000 calls, 9 common things are most reported in Cascade County and Great Falls.  Traffic accidents lead the way, with 3,347 calls total for the time period.  Medical calls were second, with two separate categories:

• Medical Code 1 - 879 calls involving dizziness, minor falls and mental health
• Medical Code 3 - 1,563 calls involving chest pain, unconscious, overdose, head trauma, injury crash or amputation

Other categories included in the report from the Great Falls Police Department:

• Business checks - 1,273 calls
• Abandoned vehicles - 457 calls
• Missing person - 81 calls
• Hangups - 51 calls
• Structure fires - 40 calls
• Power line - 24 calls