FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) – Last month News13 reported on Florence County 911 dispatcher staffing shortage. Some shifts at Florence County dispatch are short both full-time and part-time employees.
Each shift should have 8 people but some only have 6.
Acting Central Dispatch Manager, Mitch Fulmore said even though they are short workers, they are prepared for a worst case scenario.
Fulmore explains the emergency plans for hurricane coverage depends on the severity of the storm and number of calls.
To be proactive Florence Emergency Management plans to make sure each shift has 8 people. They also plan to double that number, making 16 people on a shift for Friday and Saturday.
They will do this by adding extra staff, bringing in the shift that is off and part-time employees.
Fulmore said, “What we do in training our dispatch and tell them all the time if treat every call like it is one of your family members.”
“I trust our dispatchers to handle if my mom or my grandmom or any family member were to call into the 911 center. I have full confidence and faith in them to handle it,” Fulmore adds.