Caption: 911 OperatorsBY JOYCE WALKER-TYSONFree Press Staff WriterThe call was one she received almost a year ago but the 911 operator recalls it as one of many that left her wondering what happened."Send a policeman over here - quick!" the woman had shrilled over the phone. "There's a man in the alley about to break into my house.""Yes, ma'am," answered the operator. "Could you give me your address and nearest cross street, please?""He just broke the window," the caller screamed. "He's coming in here.""I need your address, ma'am," the operator repeated. "I have to hang up now," the woman whispered. "He's really coming in here. Hurry."Here's How to Get Aid FastHere is a list of suggestrions for callers compiled by 911 operators to speed service and avoid errors:Avoid non-emergency calls. An amergency is something that presents an immediate threat to human life or property.Remain as calm as possible. The time it takes an operator to calm and incoherent caller could be much better spent in getting a police, fire or EMS unit to the scene. Be sure of the address and cross street. At least one life was lost last year partly because the officers had to spend time searching for the correct dwelling.Answer questions. Operators must know address, type of emergency, time of occurance and whether the caller was a witness to a crime.Keep in mind that an emergency service operator cannot guarantee service. The time it takes for a response to your call depends on its priority and the availability of scout cars.Don't hang up when you hear "Emergency Center." Citizens often mistakenly think they have dialed a wrong number when their call is answered with "Emergency Center" instead of "Police Department," "Fire Department," or "Emergency Medical Service."Inspector Harold Johnson, Emergency Center chief, calls his unit "the hub of the wheel," of the city's police operation."We have some of the most professional, most proficient and most learned personnel in the department," he said. "All we can offer is service, and we give the best we can."The center where 911 calls come in.
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