•July 12, 2017•

By Mike Brothers

Coles-Moultrie 9-1-1 consolidation was recently completed with an open house held at the Dispatch Center across from Sarah Bush Lincoln in Coles County.

The highway 16 facility was open from 3-6 p.m. June 28 with Director Bernie Buttrum conducting tours and explaining the path to completing the enhanced 9-1-1 emergency communication system.

Included in the tour was a look into the dispatch operations located safely in the windowless basement of the building.

Assistant Director Amanda Williamson explained committing to being a dispatcher means giving up a lot since they work from 8-12 hour shifts and can not leave the dispatch center .

“What we try to do in the beginning is explain to the candidate what they are up against,” Williamson began, noting that many applicants have a glorified image of the dispatch job as displayed on television.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.