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Committee member says St. Mary's County is boosting DES staffing, cites contracted 9-1-1 dispatchers
Summary
A member of the St. Mary's County board told colleagues the Department of Emergency Services has staffing challenges but is building a stronger chain of command and has contracted 9-1-1 dispatchers to address gaps; childcare issues have hindered recruitment, the member said.
A member of the St. Mary's County board said the county is working to bolster staffing and management at the Department of Emergency Services and has contracted 9-1-1 dispatchers to fill short-term gaps.
The remarks, given during the board meeting, came after the member said they met with DES leadership and found conditions "not as terrible as people make it out to be" while acknowledging the agency has struggled since its inception. The member praised "Director Utz" for building out a clearer chain of command to help resolve issues at lower levels of the organization.
The board member said staffing remains a concern and described recent steps to shore up the 9-1-1 workforce. "We had to contract out for 9 1 1 dispatchers to help out with the staffing issues we have over there," the member said, adding that the county plans to use employee services — including addressing childcare needs — as a recruitment tool.
The member recounted that "there was at least 1 very good senior dispatcher who left because of childcare issues" and said providing support for county employees could help retain and attract dispatchers needed to meet emergency response requirements.
The board member framed the changes as organizational as well as personnel-focused, saying a stronger chain of command should allow employees to resolve problems at lower levels and reduce animosity. They said the board has a responsibility to give DES "a little more attention" and that they will watch the department's build-out closely.
No formal motion or vote was recorded on staffing during the remarks.
The county did not provide additional details on the number of contracted dispatchers, specific recruitment benefits or a timeline for staffing improvements during the meeting; those details were "not specified" in the remarks.
