Volunteer-run call center to help Emergency Management in Perry needs support

• Taylor County Sheriff's Office Division of Emergency Management is establishing a new volunteer-run call center for emergency situations. They are in need of new volunteers.
• Volunteers will receive training to operate phones and deliver information during big incidents including floods and storms.
• Watch the video to find out more about volunteer opportunities and how you can support safety efforts in our community.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

A push for more volunteers to eliminate a strain on Emergency Management operations during significant events.

The team are asking the community to lend a hand this hurricane season.

We're finding out more about these volunteer opportunities, and how you can support safety efforts in the community.

A County that's still applying lessons learned from Hurricane Idalia.

When Emergency Management discovered how difficult it was to answer the high volume of calls for information and for emergency service at the same time.

"We were starting at 6am or 7am in the morning, and it was busy every day," said Pat Straub, one of the volunteers who was answering the phone during Idalia.

"I couldn't even count them, honestly, there were that many," said Straub.

That's why Emergency Management at the Taylor County Sheriff's Office are setting up a new call center as part of their volunteer response team.

Phone lines will be staffed by civilians during significant events.

Now they need volunteers to fill these positions.

"We are a fiscally constrained County, we don't have 10 or 15 people we put on payroll to answer phones," said John Louk, Emergency Management Director.

Louk said they've learned, and lived through, the importance of a fully-staffed call center.

He said having this call center means he has "one less thing [to] worry about."

Volunteers will be trained and a schedule will be put in place so they're prepared ahead of the next weather event.

Straub said the goal is to take some of the weight off first responders and emergency services.

She said it will alleviate some of the stress. "The need to reach out to other people who do have jobs to do in other fields," said Straub.

Victoria Davis, another volunteer, said it also feels good to help her community out.

"It's just a small portion of your time, but it makes a really big difference," said Davis.

You can email the Taylor county Sheriff's Office Division of Emergency Management directly to sign up for volunteer opportunities: TCEM@taylorsheriff.org

Volunteers will need to complete the application form and pass a Level 2 background check.

For hurricane season, Louk also recommends neighbors buy a GMRS. That's a radio system that will help if you lose phone service. You can obtain your license to use this system through the FCC.