Employee Spotlight
Metro 311 Customer Service Representative Receives Emergency Medical Call; Quickly Conferences with 9-1-1 Dispatcher
On Thursday, January 29, Metro Public Works employee Rhonda Moore received a call from an elderly gentleman who stated he was having difficulty breathing and needed help fast. Rhonda realized he had mistakenly dialed 311 instead of calling 9-1-1. Understanding she had a real emergency on her hands, she conferenced him in with a 9-1-1 call taker.
9-1-1 call taker James Raymer found out he had his work cut out for him. The caller couldn't recall his address and Rhonda didn't know his whereabouts. Unlike direct calls into the 9-1-1 center, 311 phone lines do not automatically display location information. The caller was able to obtain his address from a piece of mail and dispatch sent help immediately. Both James and Rhonda stayed on the line in order to keep the caller calm and talking until the paramedics arrived.
Both remained calm under pressure and helped save a life...a job well done!
On Sunday, February 1, 2009, ECC Director Duane Phillips received the attached email from a Goodlettsville citizen praising ECC Call Taker and Trainer Jackie Vincent for saving her husband’s life when she recently called 9-1-1.
After reading the letter, Jackie was most appreciative and said “it’s all in a days work!”
Mr. Phillips -- At times 911 receives criticism, but I have nothing but praise for my recent encounter. Approximately 7:30 am, Tuesday, January 27th; my 63 year old husband who has COPD, woke suddenly and was having difficulty breathing. I was trying to get the albuterol from the nebulizer into his lungs, but he could not inhale enough to get the medicine into his lungs.
I called 911 and as soon as I could tell the dispatcher our address and what was happening, he collapsed on the bed and his entire face turned blue. She calmly and firmly talked me through chest compressions and helped me count when I lost count. It seemed like minutes, but I am sure it was only a few seconds, his mouth opened and he began to gasp for air. When the paramedics arrived, he was breathing and beginning to come around. The doctors think he had a mucus plug in his airway, that the chest compressions helped dislodge.
My husband is alive today because of the wonderful woman on the other end of my phone line. Please find out who she is and share this praise and our indescribable gratefulness.