CLAYTON — St. Louis County welcomed 10 new emergency dispatchers Tuesday as the region seeks to improve response times following a deadly storm this summer.
County dispatchers answered roughly 700,000 calls to 911 last year. But when calls flood the system, dispatchers can be overwhelmed. A shortage of dispatchers exacerbates the problem.
In July, the mother of the 5-year-old Jennings boy who died when a tree came crashing through his family’s home during a storm said it took 45 minutes to get ahold of emergency services.
But Lt. Col. Gerald Lohr said at a County Council meeting Tuesday night he believes the new hires will alleviate a shortage of dispatchers.
People are also reading…
“We strive to put forth our best foot, and these are the men and women that do that,†Lohr said. “Their commitment to their community should be recognized.â€
Collin Breeding, 26, of Crestwood, is one of the new hires. He worked in a fast-casual restaurant in downtown Clayton before it closed. Some police commanders he used to serve at the restaurant urged him to apply to become a dispatcher. He did, and he said he’s excited to get started.
“I hope we can help save lives,†Breeding said.
