Lisa Schlottach, operations manager of the Gasconade County E-911 Center in Owensville, provided an annual report from the service’s Board of Directors to the county residents.

Statistics in Schlottach’s reported noted 60 percent of all calls to the 911 center came from cellular/wireless sources while 38 percent came from land lines. Average monthly calls numbered 512 in 2009 compared to 472 in 2008 — 9 percent increase in all calls to 911. An average of 21 calls were answered at 911 in 2009 with the majority of all calls placed between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., her report noted. June, with 604 calls, and August with 536, were the two months in 2009 when the most calls were received at 911. Average calls monthly to law enforcement numbered 859.

Ambulance calls numbered 163 per month with 61 for fire department issues.

The total volume of calls averaged 1,083 per month in 2009 compared to 842 in 2008 — A 22 percent increase, according to Schlottach’s statistics. Calls dispatched to Owensville police and fire accounted for 36 percent of the 911 center’s call load, the report noted. The report further broke down the average monthly call tally by department. The sheriff’s department received an average of 405 calls a month with Owensville police the recipients of 362 dispatches from 911. Calls dispatched for Bland police numbered 62 and Rosebud police received 24. Six were averaged for law enforcement in Gasconade city. Owensville ambulance averaged 97 calls a month with Owensville fire the recipient of 31 calls per month on average. Another 20 calls were dispatched to Bland fire and 10 for Morrison’s fire department.

The report noted calls to the highway patrol, transportation and road departments, business number calls, warrant and courts calls, were not included in the figures.

Schlottach’s report included the following message:

Although we did not dodge the pitfalls of the economy, 2009 has still been a very productive year for us. Although our income suffered, we were able to offset the loss by cutting and tightening our budget.

Our mission to insure quality, life impacting services to the citizens and visitors of Gasconade County along with our Emergency Service Responders remains.

2009 was a busy year for 911:

• With help from Jim Gamache and the Sheriff’s Department, we now have a back-up communications center. Our back-up center has radio and phone capability along with computers and access to the Internet.  A policy has been written and is accessible for our employees explaining the steps to take during emergency operations.

• Gasconade County 911 was instrumental in the creation of the Missouri 911 Directors Association. The association was formed this year in an effort to educate our legislators on the need for wireless funding across Missouri

• Gasconade County 911 also holds a seat on the Regional Homeland Security Committee. This seat represents 13 county 911 centers and is responsible for presenting and voting on Homeland Security grant funding.

• Gasconade County 911 participated in the Owensville Area Relay for Life campaign, forming “Team Rescue” along with Owensville Fire Department, Owensville Area Ambulance District, the Gasconade County Sheriff’s Department, and Owensville Police Department. We were able to raise more than $2,000.

• We have kept two qualified, well-trained emergency dispatchers on at all times.

• We received a grant for updated radio equipment through Homeland Security funding.

• Held two “We are 911” training courses, which brought in approximately $2,000. Gasconade County 911 created this state-certified training course and has trained dispatchers from several outside 911 agencies.

• Once again, manned the mobile communication unit at the Gasconade County Fair.

• We continue to be active in emergency management, participating in drills and attending tabletop exercises.

• Mapping and addressing has kept us busy as well. We have assigned over 30 new addresses this year, kept up with missing and/or stolen private drive signs, and are now able to print out our own map books.

We thank everyone for their support and wish you a safe 2010!

Gasconade County E-911 Board of Directors, management, and staff,

(Editor’s note: Schlottach was instrumental in organizing the Missouri 911 Directors Association’s first conference and was elected as the first president).