York Co. dispatchers stress 911 for emergencies only after storms

York County Public Safety Communications is reminding residents that 911 is to be used for emergencies only, particularly during severe weather.

After weather like last week’s microburst, York County 911 dispatchers can be inundated with hundreds of phone calls at a given time, according to Ralph Merchant, operations manager. The dispatch center can bring on additional dispatchers for severe events, but typically it has only about six dispatchers fielding calls and sending out responders for fire and EMS needs in York County, plus the York County Sheriff’s Office and Tega Cay Police.

Merchant said people often call 911 after storms to report power outages or to ask when the power will be restored.

“We don’t know,” he said. “The utility companies are the ones that might know because they’re the ones that are dealing with the situation.”

A power outage could become an emergency, Merchant said, if the caller requires the use of a medical machine and isn’t able to power it up. He added that most medical machines are equipped with batteries in case of power outages.

The National Weather Service in Greenville is calling for a 50 to 60 percent chance of rain and 10 to 15 percent chance of severe thunderstorms for Rock Hill on Thursday. More thunderstorms are possible Friday and Saturday.

Merchant said it’s best for callers to contact their utility providers directly to report or inquire about power outages, and to keep those phone numbers on hand.

This story was originally published July 1, 2015 at 6:54 PM with the headline "York Co. dispatchers stress 911 for emergencies only after storms."