FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Columbus, Ohio – April 27, 2023

PUBLIC SAFETY ALERT:

Crisis in Lorain County 911 Dispatcher Staffing
Due to a critical staffing crisis within Lorain County 911’s Dispatchers unit, the Fraternal
Order of Police/Ohio Labor Council encourages the Lorain County Board of
Commissioners to act immediately. Not only are there issues with the two-way radio
system in the County but there are serious understaffing issues within Lorain County 911’s
Dispatchers unit for the County.
Dispatchers at the Lorain County 911 center are the direct link between the public and
the Police and Fire first responders. How quickly and efficiently they convey
information to our first responders can be a matter of life and death.

Presently, Lorain County 911’s Dispatchers are grossly understaffed. The Dispatchers
handle 911 calls for twenty-four fire departments and six police departments 24/7. As of
April 16th, Lorain County 911’s Dispatchers have worked a total of 3,847 hours of
overtime this year, which averages out to 174.86 hours of overtime each.

The Dispatchers at Lorain County 911 are tired, overworked and worn out due to being
mandated to work additional shifts. Not only is this potentially dangerous to the public
but it is also a danger to the first responders and a liability on the Dispatchers personally.
When tired and overworked, sometimes the information does not get conveyed as quickly
and accurately as required, which could adversely affect the service to the public. No one
wants to wait for 911 to answer a call while a loved one is having a heart attack or other
medical emergency. No one wants to wait to get through to 911 while a burglar is lurking
at your windows or lurking through your occupied residence. No one wants to wait to get
through to report a missing child or to have important facts misconstrued or improperly
conveyed to Police and Fire due to human error caused by overwork and stress.
We realize and appreciate that many members of the public are also tired and overworked,
but most do not carry the burden of having to convey life and death information on their
shoulders such as sending responders to a violent crime in progress, comforting a rape
victim while first responders and medical personnel are enroute or talking a novice
through administering CPR.
The current business model for Lorain County’s 911 Center is not sustainable, and the
turnover rate is high. The Fraternal Order of Police/Ohio Labor Council implores the
Commissioners to take immediate action to alleviate the dire staffing issues at Lorain
County 911, for the well-being of our Dispatchers and for the safety of the public and our
first responders.
Contact:
Dan Ozbolt - Membership Coordinator
dozbolt@fopohio.org
222 East Town Street
Columbus, OH 43215
(614)224-5700

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