8-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, October 14, 1997 *~~mpton 1YUMs iN MRItT Emergency 911 operators handie ail sorts of calis By LISA TALLYN Special ta The Champion From violent assaults and robberies in progress to warn- ings about balloons in trees, Halton Regionai Police communicators neyer know what kind of situation wiil face them on the other end of the phone line during a i2-hour shift. For the 36 men and women who take the 911 calis that corne into, Haiton Regionai Police Service in Oakvilie, variety is the spice of life. "It's exciting," says communications supervisor Sandra Godfrey, who bas worked in Halton Police communications for 14 years. 'There's something different every day." Ms Godfrey says on average, during the summer about 161 911 calis corne into the police headquarters each day, and that drops sligbtly to about 155 daily in the winter. Communicators answer ail 911 calis in the region and put themn tbrougb to OPP, Milton, Oakville, Burlington and 1-lton His tire depariments and Halton/Mississauga ambulance, depending on the situation. For cails that require Halton police assistance the communica- lors dispatch olticers to where they are needed. Regular police complaint catis also go througb communica- tions. 'Conservatively 75 per cent of ail 911 cais are [aIse," says Ms Godfrey. Problem calîs Many of the [aIse catis are kids dialing 911 [rom pay phones at j'p mails for fun, and others are [rom people calling police witb titine complaints who say they don't know the administration Inher, or can't be bothered to look it up. Tbey are taking us away from someone who could really have týmergency," says Ms Godfrey. Ajmmers are busier in the communication room, so are houi- ,and nights when the moon is full. ~uring a full moon the callers are a tite bit more stressed and ~le bit tigbter wound," says Leanne Bail, who has been a com- -ator for 12 years. ~ail says tbey have some regular callers, including cbronic Swho vent their frustrations. Communicators have to ana- -' jcati individually, even from the dmunks, for the one time ,calletrliay actually nedemergency assistance. UFO reports J)tber regular callers include one woman who, phones to discuss tJFOs and the tact that she bas lined ber walls witb tin foil to reflect raya directed by visitors [rom other planets. Anoiber caller tells tbemn tbe balloona are in thse trees again. John Black, a communicator for tise paat seven years, says an elderiy woman used to call reguiariy to inform police about mil- lion-dollar transactions tbat took place St ber door frequentiy. Tbey wouid often tell ber police were responding ta reassure ber. He saya one day thse woman didn't sound like berseif on the phone an tbey sent a police officer to ber bouse. Her busband answered thse door. He wasn't sure wbere bis wife was and badt no ides she calied police reguiariy. They found her in a cioset witb tbe telephone. White some of the regular caliers keep the communicators HONDA »%rWIS PONT HAVE TO RE OR OUT 0F TOWN., Photo by LISA TALLYN Communications supervisor Sandra Godfrey la on of 36 mon and women who take the 911 cails that corne int Halton Regional Police Service headquarters in Oakville. Most catils are taise, others are tragic and the stress can be great. Communicators answer ail 911 cails in the region and put them tbrough to OPP, Milton, Oakville, Burlîngton and Halton His fire departments and Haiton/ississauga ambulance, depending on the situation. entertained, tbey stress, bowever that tbey are not there to chat, andI that witb no notice tbey bave to be prepared to deai witb stresaful situations tbat can often involve bystericai caliers. "If you bave to yeli at tbem, you yeii tbem," saya Mr. Black. "You cannot let yourself get too invoived in their situation other- wise you don't ask the rigbt questions and you don't get the rigbt information." The more information the communicators get tbe more pre- pared the emergency personnel wili be wben tbey arrive on the scene. Stressful job He says there is a lot of stress involved in tbe job, particularly wben they receive catis about bad accidents, or [rom police offi- cers in the midat of dramatic situations, like a pursuit or wben tbey've comered a suspect. Vicki Gravelle, a part-time communicator witb Haiton wbo bas 15 years of experience, says thse calia that stand oui in ber memo- NI I MILTON '4$ 693-9595 ry are the ones invoiving children. She recails one from a I 2-year-oid boy wbo bad juat been assauited by bis dad and cailed 911 [rom bis bedroomn white bis fatber couid be beard ranting outaide the door. She saya catis [rom police officers for immedigte belp are alan memorable. Dealing with tragedy A cail [rom a I 2-year-oid girl wbo found ber mom dead eariy one moming is a cali that Karen Hensbaw, a communicator witb Halton for the past four years, remembers vividiy. She also recalis one about a baby wbo was kidnapped in Burlington. White tbe communicators say the tact tbey don't icnow wbat tbey'il bave ta deal witb eacb time tbey take a eaul can be stress- fui, it s that vaniety tbat appeals to them moat about the job. F'OR IHONDAS kc. HONDA Exp.ri.nced 1 i