Pierce County’s emergency dispatch center endures second COVID-19 outbreak
South Sound 911 is in the middle of its second COVID-19 outbreak, after seeing call response standards drop below national standards.
The agency has reported 28 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 since Dec. 17 and others are waiting for test results, South Sound 911’s spokesperson Kris McNamar said in a Wednesday statement.
Several of the affected employees likely contracted COVID-19 over the holidays, McNamar said.
The emergency dispatch center handles calls for fire and police departments across Pierce County, including Tacoma police and fire and the Pierce County Sheriff Department. From January to September 2021, the center responded to more than 742,000 calls.
Emergency calls are the priority, and those calling the non-emergency line may be on hold for longer than normal, McNamar said.
“The outbreak is not impacting the critical delivery of emergency 911 service or the dispatch of responders,” McNamar said. “Employee absences are being backfilled through overtime and South Sound 911 remains ready with contingency staffing plans to ensure emergency calls are answered and responders are dispatched.”
Twenty employees who tested positive have returned to work after isolating. No employees have been hospitalized, McNamar said.
This is the agency’s second COVID-19 outbreak in the last six months. Seventeen staff members contracted COVID-19 in late July into mid-August.
The agency has faced critical staff shortages that have affected its call performance. Last year, South Sound 911’s emergency call response dropped below the national standard. The National Emergency Number Association is the biggest organization dedicated to 911 response. The standard is that 95 percent of calls should be answered within 20 seconds. South Sound 911 has reported a 2021 rate of 93.6 percent.
As of Jan. 12, 78 percent of the agency is vaccinated against COVID-19, McNamar said.
South Sound 911 requires both vaccinated and unvaccinated staff to wear masks, encourages frequent handwashing and surface cleaning, and barriers between desk consoles.
