American Heart Association responds to alarming drop in 9-1-1 calls fueled by COVID-19 fears
July 20, 2020
Nashville, TN – As COVID-19 Coronavirus cases continue to increase and strain emergency departments nationwide, a recent U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) suggests ER visits in April were down 42 percent compared to the same period last year.
New campaign, Don’t Die of Doubt™, emphasizes symptoms of heart attack and stroke, need to access care by calling 9-1-1 even during pandemic. (American Heart Association)
911 Board adds training requirements for missing-children calls
February 26, 2011
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Emergency Communications Board (TECB) voted at its February meeting to add new training requirements for calls related to missing and exploited children for 911 dispatchers. The Board voted to add five hours of training for all new dispatchers and two hours of continuing education every two years – both specifically focused on handling calls about missing or exploited children.
“A call about a missing child is one of the most critical calls that come into a 911 center,” said TECB Chair Randy Porter. “When these calls are taken, the call-taker should have every available resource to handle it correctly. These new training requirements will ensure that dispatchers in Tennessee are properly trained and prepared to handle these calls.” [Read more]
