PA County Boosts Pay for Dispatchers at 9-1-1 Center

Jul. 19—SOMERSET, Pa. — Base pay for Somerset County's 911 dispatchers will jump nearly $5 per hour through a deal approved Tuesday by the county's commissioners.

The memorandum, which also boosts pay for brand-new hires, comes after several months of tense exchanges between the county and an American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees ( AFSCME) union that represents 911 communicators at the struggling center, which has seen a wave of retirements and departures this summer.

As approved Tuesday, the agreement raises wages for new full-time hires to $15 an hour, from $13.01. Those with at least six months of experience will see their hourly wages increase to $16.88.

Dispatchers with at least two years at the job will see wages jump approximately 36% — from $13.80 to $18.75, the agreement shows, while the center's two most senior communications officers will see their annual wages increase by $2.30 per hour, to as much as $46,852.

That brings full-time salary for a dispatcher with two years' experience to $39,000.

"Hopefully, this will help," Somerset County Commissioner Pamela Tokar-Ickes said, noting that the center currently has approximately 11 vacancies.

But the pay raise is just one part of the solution to the center's issues, she said.

Abrupt vacancies in the 911 director and training coordinator positions have compelled the county to turn to three retired emergency management officials to share some of the duties through temporary contracted arrangements.

Following moves in June bringing on former Somerset County Emergency Management Agency Director Richard Lohr and retired 911 Director David Fox in limited, $50-per-hour roles to assist with administrative duties, the county voted Tuesday to add retired 911 supervisor Dave Johnson at the same rate to focus on training recent hires.

"Training is crucial," Walker added.

"We have to ensure (new hires) are being well-trained ... if we are going to turn this thing around."

Two longtime Somerset County firefighters stressed that point Tuesday, raising concerns about dispatch "errors" during recent 911 calls.

Shanksville Assistant Fire Chief Dan "Dink" Dively cited a top-level trauma call this month during which the 911 center dispatched an ambulance as requested, but failed to alert the fire department.

"We depend on 911 to save people's lives," he said in a frustrated tone. "We have seconds to make major decisions that could absolutely change someone's life."

Walker said there's no question "there's a problem" at the center, but the only way to address it is by providing as much support as possible.

He said the county is looking to hire a full-time training coordinator, but in the meantime, the county cannot drag its heels to properly train its recent hires.

That's where Johnson comes in. He'll primarily focus on a training role as an independent contractor until a full-time replacement is found.

"We've got to use the expertise we have — people who have been here with us before — to help get us through this situation," Tokar-Ickes said.

Walker urged Dively and fellow first responders to remember that many of Somerset County's dispatchers haven't been with the county long and don't have the familiarity with specific calls or first responders to make the kind of immediate decisions a veteran would have made. He reminded fire and EMS officials to be as detailed as possible to help them avoid mistakes and become better dispatchers.

"They are still learning," Commissioner Colleen Dawson said, noting that dispatchers are also dealing with high-stress situations when emergencies occur.

And if there are complaints with how the center dealt with a call after a situation has been handled, Walker said, first responders should call him directly.

"It helps us critique the calls ... and give them feedback so we can teach them on how to do things better," Walker told Dively and Bakersville firefighter Roy Fetterman after the board's Tuesday meeting.

Efforts to reach AFSCME union representatives for comment on the memorandum deal were unsuccessful Tuesday. Messages to staff representatives Margaret Pastirko and Jerry George were not returned for comment.

But a June 23 letter to the county signed by both representatives showed that the union agreed to the agreement, provided that it was separate from negotiations for its next contract.

The union's current deal expires Dec. 31.

Memorandum proposals obtained through a Right-to-Know request by The Tribune- Democrat this week indicate the county proposed the rates for 911 dispatchers on June 9 in an almost identical deal, but briefly stalled last month over an unsuccessful counterproposal seeking 7.5% pay raises for county AFSCME workers working in other departments outside the 911 center.

Terse words were exchanged days later between both sides during the county's June 20 meeting over who was to blame for the stalled negotiations, at a point when some county residents voiced frustration about a lack of progress.

Radio tower concerns

First responders who attended the commissioners' Tuesday meeting also expressed concerns that radio communication systems remain a problem.

Dively said he's among those frustrated at "drops" in service, despite millions of dollars in work over the years.

The commissioners said they continue working on an approximately $4 million effort to upgrade the system, but supply chain issues have slowed the process.

Plans are in place to add two more radio towers — one on a state police antenna and another near Reels Corners and U.S. Route 30 — to improve service in some of the county's rural territories, commissioners said.

Federal funds are paying for the project.

The hope is that the upgrades will be complete by the end of the year, Tokar-Ickes said.

She said the county's efforts to add a new 911 director are moving forward in the meantime.

Multiple applications, perhaps eight or more, have already been received and interviews will likely begin next week, the board said.

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