ANDERSON, S.C. (WSPA) – Anderson County is installing a new priority dispatch program designed to help 911 dispatchers answer medical calls.
The system minimizes mistakes by guiding the caller through a series of questions to determine the correct response level.
According to Assistant 911 Director Tyrone Glover, the new system is more structured and patient focused than the previous version.
The network allows calls to be easily transferred if more help is needed. Dispatchers can also see a ping location if the call drops in the middle of the assessment.
“Our system picks up your location and it leaves little breadcrumbs for us and also it gives the latitude and longitude for us as well so we can put it in our system to find you,” said Glover.
Dispatcher Coleson Hanks said he was able to help a mother save her two week old baby on the first day of the new system installation.
“I answered the phone and you could definitely tell that there was a caller that was very hysterical, screaming and crying. She was actually driving when I answered the phone call. I got her to get pulled over where she eventually ended up telling me that her child was no longer breathing. I got to walk her through the steps of the CPR. By the time first responders got there, CPR was started and I do believe the baby is doing okay,” said Hanks.
According to the Anderson County Dispatch Center, quality assurance employees review calls at random to make sure the system is being used to proper standards.
Anderson County said they answer about 100 medical calls in an average day.
