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Laura Webster says Knox County 911 handled 4,587 dispatches in March, new stations set for June
Summary
Laura Webster, Knox County 911 operations director, told commissioners the center handled 4,587 CAD calls in March, plans new dispatch stations starting June 2 and expects to join the state's SCET system in May; Webster said hiring reduced mandated overtime and highlighted upcoming Telecommunicator Week.
Laura Webster, Knox County 911 operations director, told the Board of Commissioners on April 9 that the county handled 4,587 computer-aided dispatch (CAD) calls in March, including 1,935 emergency 911 calls.
“We had 4,587 calls for service,” Webster said, adding that non‑emergency calls numbered 587 and dispatchers placed roughly 3,580 outgoing calls during the month. Webster said the center’s peak 911 hour was around 4:00 p.m.
Webster said four existing desktop stations have already been replaced and a new set of dispatch stations is scheduled to be installed beginning June 2. She said Knox County is preparing to join the state’s SCET network, which she described as a system that will “make transferring of calls and location and all of that a lot easier” and enable text and video to 911; county staff are coordinating backend accounts and a launch window in May has been discussed but no exact date was provided.
On staffing, Webster said the center has hired two full‑time and one part‑time dispatcher recently and is recruiting for three more full‑time positions. That increased staffing, she said, has reduced mandated overtime; overtime shifts are largely being covered voluntarily.
Webster closed by reminding the board that National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week runs April 12–18 and said the center plans daily themes, awards and recognitions for dispatch staff.
The board took no formal action on the 911 update; Webster’s presentation was entered into the record and staff will continue to coordinate the SCET transition.
