Vigo County 911 presses on during the pandemic

The covid 19 pandemic has brought different challenges to everyone.

Whether that's having to adjust to work from home... or maybe find a new job all together.

But some places don't have an option!

News 10's sarah lehman is live in our newsroom.

She has more on how vigo county's 9-1-1 dispatch center has adjusted during the pandemic.

First responders -- like 9-1-1 dispatchers -- have been going in and working throughout the covid 19 pandemic.

The director at vigo county 9-1-1 tells me it's been tough..

But it's a job that has to be done.

Pk} "911 what's the address of your emergency" it's a call no one wants to make.

"when people call us it's like that's one of the worst times in their life you know they don't usually call us to just to say hi how ya doing."

Vickie oster is the director for vigo county 911.

She said they haven't stopped since the pandemic started.

"911 is always there" but -- she says -- like many others -- they have faced challenges of their own.

Including staffing shortages.

"i've gone in and worked a couple of shifts when there was no one available.

It's just the stress of the normal calls but having short staff."

Oster says as far as 9-1-1 calls go -- they haven't gotten a hgher volume of calls.

But -- their calls have been different.

"a little more serious calls -- we've had you know as far as the mental health issues, the standoffs.

We've had several stanoffs this year -- this past year.

Domestics with people being quarantined together" oster says the best way to help dispatch is to be honest.

She says f you have had exposure to covid 19 -- or you're calling 9-1-1 because you have covid like symptoms you should tell them.

That's how they can keep you and the first responder coming to you as safe as possible reporting live in the newsroom.

I'm sarah lehman news 10.

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