Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
A little more than a year after San Mateo County Public Safety Communications operators moved to the new Regional Operations Center in Redwood City, the number of 9-1-1 calls per day has reached 800 calls, 200 more than the call center received one day prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This was reported by the San Mateo County Administrator's office, which detailed in a statement that, as of March 16, 2020, the call volume for the emergency number operators increased significantly.
However, he noted that there are fewer calls about where to get tested for COVID-19 and which businesses can stay open during the pandemic; instead, there are more about vaccine questions, mental health crises and the need for general medical assistance, especially since there are more people on the road since the state of California lifted its stay-at-home order on Jan. 25, 2021.
In that regard, operators noted that resources such as the 2-1-1 call center, www.smcgov.org, social media postings and public service announcements continue to make a difference in decreasing the number of calls to the center.
"Protocol within the call center has also remained ongoing over the past year. Increased cleanliness, use of masks, temperature measurement and rearrangement of desks to allow for social distancing continues to keep everyone healthy," the administrator said in a statement.
Dispatchers also reported that the time spent on each call remains about the same from last year due to the COVID-19 screening protocol that was first implemented by the call center on February 6, 2020 to ask callers about recent travel and flu-like symptoms.
They also detailed that the call volume was particularly high last summer, not only to air quality issues and the fires in South County, but after the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which sparked protests across the United States, including the Peninsula.
And when San Mateo County imposed a nighttime curfew on June 2 to help prevent looting and civil unrest by profiteers, the call center answered 1,888 calls in just two days.
"Last year, it was a very challenging year both personally and professionally for our operators. Despite the workload and personal difficulties some experienced due to COVID-19 with their own families, they showed up every day to serve others, and we couldn't be more proud of our team's resilience and flexibility," said Natasha Claire-Espino, interim director of communications for Public Safety.
"They are extraordinary people. We survived 2020, which presented many historic challenges, and as first responders, we are ready to take on 2021 no matter what comes our way - we are here for San Mateo County," he added.
Therefore, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors presented a proclamation at its April 6 meeting designating April 11-17 as Public Safety Operators Week as part of National Public Safety Telecommunications Week.
