FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- The Fort Drum Fire and Emergency Services Division was recognized with a team award by the Association of Public Safety Communications Atlantic Region during a conference Oct. 26 in Burlington, Vt.
Deputy Fire Chief Shannon Anderson and Assistant Fire Chief of Communications Robert LaSalle accepted the award, which recognized quality improvements made within the 911 Dispatch Center on post.
Anderson worked with LaSalle on an initiative, under the direction of Fire Chief Donald Striejewske, to amend an issue regarding dispatch response time that was identified during the recent FES re-accreditation process.
"This was definitely a team effort all around," Anderson said. "We couldn't have done this without everyone's guidance and leadership in improving and continuing the quality of services at 911 Dispatch Center."
The team, which included fire, emergency services and law enforcement leadership weighing in, examined their processes and implemented changes that improved the response notification time by 52 percent to meet National Fire Protection Association standards.
"This means that emergency responders are notified within 60 seconds or less of all emergency calls for service being received by the 911 Dispatch Center," LaSalle said. "This reduces the response time to emergency situations, providing increased public safety for everyone on the installation."
The NFPA standard is that 90 percent of all emergent fire calls must be processed within 60 seconds, and 90 percent of all emergent medical calls, hazardous material responses and technical rescue emergencies within 90 seconds.
The Fort Drum 911 Dispatch Center meets the 60- / 90-second standard 96 percent of the time, which exceeds the NFPA standard of 90 percent.
"From the time the 911 dispatcher answers the phone, there is a lot of information they need to get from the caller in order to assure the appropriate resources are notified and sent in the proper response mode," LaSalle said. "The standards set forth for all emergency services are derived from years of research of emergency situations. These standards are set at a national level in order to best mitigate injury, loss of life and damage to property and to promote health and wellness."
Raymond Myers, deputy director of emergency services, said the acknowledgement from the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, or APCO, is no small accolade.
"They are the industry standard for public safety communications. I think receiving this award from them both reinforces and compliments the fire and emergency services excellence that our department has been providing Fort Drum for years," he said.
The communication center records roughly 15,000 dispatches annually that include law enforcement, fire and emergency medical situations. Additionally, the center monitors security alarms for arms rooms and buildings.
There are three supervisors and 10 dispatchers currently employed at the Fort Drum Dispatch Center. They receive additional support from three military policemen, which Myers, a former MP himself, said isn't common practice at most installations.
"What these Soldiers experience here, they won't experience at the average installation, so they're getting some great training there," Myers said. "They're supervised by the Civilians at the center, who are probably as well trained as any dispatch center staff you'll see, but the Soldiers are also highly valued members of our team. We couldn't execute our mission without them."
Despite the stressors inherent in such critical work, LaSalle said the dispatch staff demonstrates unmatched dedication to the Fort Drum community every day.
"Many of our dispatchers are trained emergency responders who are accustomed to being on scene to lead the fight against emergency situations," he said. "To only be able to talk someone else through a horrific time in their life is very stressful."
Dispatchers know that every second of the call counts, and that requires calm, decisive professionalism on their end on the line.
"Our dispatchers have demonstrated that many times over," LaSalle said. "They have instructed CPR, they have assisted with the delivery of babies, they have reasoned with suicidal people and hostage takers, all without skipping a beat during 911 received calls. To me, that is the example of a true professional."
David Berry, a dispatch supervisor, joined the Fort Drum team in 2004, but he had served as a dispatcher for Jefferson County Emergency Services since 1988. In his 27 years as an emergency dispatcher, Berry said there is no greater reward in his profession than knowing he has made a positive impact in the lives of others.
"Making a caller feel confident they are in good hands and somewhat relieving stress during an emergency makes the job well worth it," he said. "I also enjoy being part of a team charged with serving and protecting the Soldiers and Families who live and work on Fort Drum. This community is filled with people serving their country and protecting the American way of life. It is an honor to be able to support them and be a part of the Army's mission."
Anderson also credited their recent accolade to their partnership with local agencies.
"We work very closely with Jefferson County 911, and they are right there with us all along," he said. "This milestone couldn't be possible without our partnership with them."
LaSalle said that the emergency services community as a whole is very much a close-knit family, and the award represents a concerted effort from the garrison for providing outstanding resources and support to emergency response personnel and first responders.
"Be it dispatcher, firefighter, emergency medical technician or police officer, we are all in the fight together and stand side-by-side as brethren in the emergency services community," LaSalle said. "Our 911 dispatch professionals worked very hard to make the necessary quality improvements, and we could not have done it without the cooperation of our emergency services family."
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