Dispatchers

Since midnight Tuesday until ten o'clock Tuesday night, emergency dispatchers have worked 74 accident calls in the Wichita area. Compare that to last storm, which had 140 emergency accident calls.  Emergency officials credit area closures (schools and businesses) with keeping Tuesday's number low, and keeping drivers off the road. Usually when we talk about road conditions, you see cars stranded along the side of the road.  But you don't often see what happens behind the scenes.

Since midnight Tuesday night, the dispatchers at Sedgwick County Emergency Communications took calls on 220 accidents in the area.  That's with the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan in effect.   The total number of accidents called in for last week's storm was 34. This Tuesday's snow storm brought lots of accidents to the Wichita area.   And that meant a lot of busy dispatchers.  "Today has been quite a bit busier than last week," said dispatcher Theresa Rodriguez. "Last week it was almost silent.

By Megan Strader (WICHITA, Kan.) Icy, snowy weather makes for a busy morning for Sedgwick County Dispatchers.  Even with the Emergency Accident Reporting Plan in effect, the lines ring constantly with other weather-related emergencies. "This morning, the first thing I saw was a wrecker coming off the interstate when I was coming to work with a smashed car on it and I thought 'oh it's going to be one of those days,'" explains 911 operator Mitch Garner. He's been working for the Sedgwick County Dispatch Center for nearly 24 years.

"I need to call in fireworks. I'm tired of listening. "  That was last Fourth of July. This year emergency dispatchers have a simple message, unless it is an emergency do not call 911. So what number should you call? Starting today there's a special number for people in Sedgwick County to make fireworks and noise complaints.  The goal is to save lives. “Every once in a while there'll be some big, heavy ones that really explode,” said Melvin Johanson.  Johanson has lived in Maize for 12 years and loves the sounds of Independence Day.  “A lot of fireworks and we enjoy them.  It happens once a year and that's all. I don't mind it.” Unfortunately for Sedgwick County dispatchers not everyone agrees.

A Sedgwick County deputy is out of the hospital after being shot in the eye Monday night.  The 33-year-old deputy was released from Wesley Wednesday morning. We now have in the deputy's own words, what happened in the moments after the shooting.  Below is part of a transcript from Radioreference.com Deputy:   "Shots fired shots fired" Dispatcher: "I have an officer in trouble, shots fired in Butler County, NW 70th street at K-196, off at traffic pursuit, operate patrol" Supervisor: "To the officer, where are you hit at and keep talking to us"  Deputy: "Uh, I can't see out of my right eye".

One person was flown to a Wichita hospital following an accident in Chautauqua County. Dispatchers tell Eyewitness News a motor home collided with another vehicle, just north of Cedar Vale, at Road 2 & 166. Dispatchers say three people were involved in the accident. They did not have conditions on any of the patients.

A building fire reported in the 6200 block of S. Ridge Road is now under control. The address is listed as the Occidental Chemical Corporation. Sedgwick County dispatchers say crews were called to the building around 11:15 Monday morning. Dispatchers say there were no chemicals involved in the fire. There were no reports of any injuries.  

No one is injured after a car lost control and hit a semi. E mergency dispatchers say the incident happened a quarter mile east of 61st & 111th St. East. The car and semi were both eastbound.

Wichita firefighters are on the scene of a house fire in the 2300 block of E. Shadybrook. 911 dispatchers tell Eyewitness News at least one person suffered minor smoke inhalation. Dispatchers received a call of the fire at 4:12 p.m. When crews arrived at the home, the residents had evacuated the home and smoke could be seen coming out of the front of the house. We have a crew on the scene. You can expect updates on the fire on-air on Eyewitness News at 5 & 6 and online at www.KWCH.com.

Firefighters from Harvey County and McPherson have put out a grass fire in northwestern Harvey County. 911 dispatchers say the fire was in the area of NW 36 and North Wheat State Road, about four miles north of Burrton. Close to a dozen emergency units were on the scene. The call of the fire came in around 11:46 a.m. Dispatchers say they don't know how large the fire was but that no homes or structures are being threatened. No injuries have been reported.  

Wichita police are investigating after a teenager walked into Wesley Medical Center with a gunshot wound. Dispatchers said the 15-year-old boy walked into the hospital for treatment around 9 p.m. Saturday. He was suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest and shoulder area. His injuries were described as life-threatening. Police are looking into where the teen was shot, and how he arrived at the hospital. More information is expected to be released during a media briefing Sunday.

A Sedgwick County deputy is out of the hospital after being shot in the eye Monday night.  The 33-year-old deputy was released from Wesley Wednesday morning. We now have in the deputy's own words, what happened in the moments after the shooting.  Below is part of a transcript from Radioreference.com Deputy:   "Shots fired shots fired" Dispatcher: "I have an officer in trouble, shots fired in Butler County, NW 70th street at K-196, off at traffic pursuit, operate patrol" Supervisor: "To the officer, where are you hit at and keep talking to us"  Deputy: "Uh, I can't see out of my right eye".

On an average day, Sedgwick County 9-1-1 dispatchers answer 15-hundred calls.  But on a New Year's Eve with possibly slick roads, they can expect to take around two-thousand. "In a 24-hour period with 2000 calls, you're getting a call every few seconds around the clock,” Randy Bargdill, the Director of the county's Emergency Communications, said. He says that call load is a reason why he's opening-up the center's non-emergency side. "We're encouraging people to call the non-emergency number, (316)

Fire crews are called to a house fire in the town of Nickerson late Sunday.  Reno County emergency dispatchers tell us fire crews responded to a vacant house in the 200 block of N. Thompson shortly after 9:00 Sunday evening. When firefighters got to the house, they found the roof fully engulfed in flames.  They were able to get the fire under control, but crews were still on the scene Monday morning monitoring it and watching for hot spots. No one lives in the home and no one was hurt.

911 dispatchers say the natural gas line that was leaking this morning has been shut off and the situation is getting back to normal at 29th and Tyler.  A few nearby businesses were evacuated and traffic was shut down in that area for a short time Monday morning. Black Hills Energy called in the leak at around 6:30.  No one was hurt.

Concerns over a possible lightning strike prompted officials to evacuate Derby Middle School for a short time Friday morning. Students were taken to another building until the situation was deemed safe. 911 dispatchers tell us students were allowed back to class a short time later.  

Wichita police are on the lookout for two men in a large SUV who may have tried to abduct a student on her way to school. 911 dispatchers tell us it happened in the 1700 block of S. Ida shortly after 7:00 Monday morning.  Police are still talking to the girl about what happened.  Dispatchers say she wasn't hurt, but says a man tried to grab her while she was walking to school. Police are looking for a large, light-colored SUV with two men inside.  The vehicle has tinted windows and was last seen headed south on Mosley from Ida. Police don't have a good description of the suspects, but say one of them was armed with a knife.

One person was flown to a Wichita hospital following an accident in Chautauqua County. Dispatchers tell Eyewitness News a motor home collided with another vehicle, just north of Cedar Vale, at Road 2 & 166. Dispatchers say three people were involved in the accident. They did not have conditions on any of the patients.

A hazmat fire in Sedgwick County is now out. Crews are on the scene where the fire and explosions happened around 4:15 Wednesday afternoon. It started in a heavily wooded area near 37th Street North and 127th Street East.  911 dispatchers say a welding truck caught fire near some trees. Dispatchers say there were tanks on the truck but it's unclear what they contained. No one was injured. Fire destroys truck in Sedgwick County.

"I need to call in fireworks. I'm tired of listening. "  That was last Fourth of July. This year emergency dispatchers have a simple message, unless it is an emergency do not call 911. So what number should you call? Starting today there's a special number for people in Sedgwick County to make fireworks and noise complaints.  The goal is to save lives. “Every once in a while there'll be some big, heavy ones that really explode,” said Melvin Johanson.  Johanson has lived in Maize for 12 years and loves the sounds of Independence Day.  “A lot of fireworks and we enjoy them.  It happens once a year and that's all. I don't mind it.” Unfortunately for Sedgwick County dispatchers not everyone agrees.