Carroll County communications center reports nearly 106,000 push-to-talks and average 5-second 911 answer time

Jason, a communications-center staff member, presented a midyear operational update that covered radio and phone-system metrics, staffing and training, recent exercises and planned equipment refreshes.

Key metrics and performance Jason reported the radio system logged about 105,000 push-to-talk transmissions for the first half of the year and roughly 9,805 minutes of talk time. The Zetron call-taking system received 2,109 911 calls during the same period; Jason said the center’s average answer time was about 5 seconds. The center met or exceeded common standards, answering 95.4% of calls within 15 seconds and 98% within 20 seconds; 99% of calls were answered within 30 seconds.

Jason flagged call-abandonment as a concern despite improvement: the abandoned-call rate fell from 14.7% in 2024 to 11.7% in the 2025 reporting period. He said the county will analyze peak periods to determine whether longer wait times at specific times of day or staffing shortfalls are driving abandoned calls.

Training, exercises and recognition The communications center continues an active training program. Jason described recent and ongoing training: online guided call reviews, in-person training, completion of a 40-hour communications academy by a new dispatcher (Mandy Hertz), attendance at regional conferences for several staff, and a communications-training-officer course completed by Lisa Graves. Graves was recognized with a state Communications Training Officer of the Year award at a conference; Jason said Graves revamped the center’s training program and led instruction for new hires.

Jason also summarized emergency-preparedness work: the center partnered with Carroll County Emergency Management and the county healthcare coalition on a hospital radio exercise (simulating EMS-to-hospital radio communications) and conducted a tabletop with nursing homes. Jason said the exercise will produce an after-action report that could support future grant applications.

Equipment and infrastructure needs Jason said the county’s backup radio (GAD) server is about seven or eight years old and needs refresh. He noted upcoming phone-system upgrades in Carroll that will require coordination to ensure continued integration with the communications center. Jason also mentioned planned console/furniture and electrical work tied to an eventual dispatch-area refresh; the center must maintain operations while performing upgrades.

Operational anecdotes and outcomes Jason described recent operational successes: the county’s early and frequent requests for medical helicopters by radio and the use of the ASICS radio system to speed coordination. He cited one response where a LifeFlight helicopter landed on scene about 24 minutes after the call, which Jason called a strong outcome given rural response times. He also described instances where dispatchers slept at the courthouse during severe weather to maintain staffing and praised individual staff for overtime and shift coverage.

Board response Supervisors commended the communications center and Jason’s presentation. The transcript records several supervisors expressing appreciation and calling the center’s performance "phenomenal." No board action on funding or staffing was taken during this presentation; Jason said additional analysis would follow regarding abandoned-call causes and that equipment refresh planning is underway.