NENA Reveals Sobering Results from 911 Call Center Survey

911 call centers are meant to connect someone in distress with someone who can help. It’s ironic, then, that the call centers themselves are bastions of immense stress and are dealing with enumerable issues that could thwart their competency.

That was the overriding message of a survey of administrators, supervisors, dispatchers and call-takers conducted by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and Carbyne.

“It’s an extremely insightful report on the current state of 911,” Brian Fontes, CEO of NENA, said in a press release. “I believe it will be a springboard for important discussions and, more importantly, actions to improve 911.”

Among the results of the Pulse of 911: State of the Industry Survey was that a staggering 82 percent of call centers reported being understaffed and struggling with hiring and retention. Low pay and incredible stress were the culprits preventing centers from finding and keeping staff. Women are predominant in roles across the industry and younger workers are increasingly difficult to get to replace those who are retiring or leaving because of burnout.

Nearly 75 percent of respondents said that their 911 center is plagued by staff burnout and mental health warning signs, including anxiety and fatigue, and although more than 90 percent of call center employers offer support services, just 18 percent of call takers use them.

Technology was a major issue, as a “substantial number” of respondents indicated that they are unfamiliar with emergency technologies, which can curtail their ability to solve problems. Fewer than half said they could get accurate location information from mobile callers, and fewer than 20 percent can accept video.

Lack of diversity and lack of training were other critical issues among the respondents.

“For more than 50 years, the 911 community has done a remarkable job of serving the public, answering millions of calls a year, and dispatching aid where it is needed,” Fontes said. “However, the 911 landscape is changing dramatically and 911 centers must adapt.”