Communications Officers:
Just A Phone Call Away

By Melanie Davis

“Must be able to multi task.” That would be the first line of a help wanted ad for the Watauga County Communications Office. Officers sit at a station loaded with electronics: four monitors, a multi-channel radio and two telephones. The center is the heart of emergency response and the protection of the citizens of Watauga County.

Melissa Harmon is at the helm of the Watauga County Communications Office. Photo by Mark Mitchell

They manage 9-1-1 calls, sheriff’s officers communications and requests for records, answer general calls to the Watauga Sheriff’s Office as needed, animal control calls, and keep track of magistrate schedules. After hours, weekends and holidays, crisis hot lines in the area are also routed through the communications office. Calls for service within the city limits of Boone and Blowing Rock are transferred to their respective communications office.

At the helm of this busy office is Melissa Harmon, chief communications officer. In addition to working a station, Harmon is also responsible for scheduling, statistic compilation and is the Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) protocol coordinator for the county. In her EMD coordinator position, Harmon works with officers of the Boone and Blowing Rock offices, as well as those in the county office.

EMD is an international standard for handing medical calls. A book containing instructions for specific injuries and situations are located at each call station, allowing 9-1-1 officers to give step-by-step instruction to callers, for example CPR or the Heimlich maneuver, when necessary. These procedures are particularly useful in situations where the incident is located several miles from emergency stations. “They are very rare, but I have experienced a situation when talking a caller through CPR resulted in a saved life. It is an incredible reward. A few minutes with someone can make all the difference,” said Harmon.

The computer systems allow for one-click dispatch of all first responder, medic, rescue, fire department and law enforcement agencies in the county. The GPS system allows communications officers to locate a caller when they do not know their exact position, such as a person lost in a wilderness area calling from a cell phone.

While these tools help the officers efficiently handle emergencies, they do not make the personal aspects of the position easier. Communications officer is a high-stress position. “We don’t talk to people when life is good. We talk to them when something bad has happened, like car accidents, injuries or home break-ins,” said Harmon.

Communications Officer David Hill said, “You have to learn how to deal with the stress and not let yourself get pulled into the scenario. Despite the situation, we have to remain calm to do the job.”

Each of the officers has that one situation that can be difficult to handle. Harmon, as a mother of four and one step-child, said, “Emergency calls involving children can be very hard for me handle, but we work as a family and help each other when those emotional calls come in.”

Five out of the nine officers in the county center also volunteer with fire departments, rescue squads or first responder organizations. Most of them were volunteers prior to working in communications. “It’s very beneficial to know what it is like on scene when we are dispatching the rescue and fire departments,” said Harmon.