S.S.R.E.C.C. Traces Person In Distress Call To West Virginia

HINGHAM - Executive Director Aaron Smith, Deputy Director Johnathan Gordon and the South Shore Regional Emergency Communications Center (SSRECC) would like to recognize the outstanding efforts of two communications specialists who went above and beyond to ensure a person in distress received the proper care.

Norwell Fire Headquarters received a call on their business phone line Monday from a frantic caller who reported seeing a person “overdosing” at a specific address on “Washington Street.” The caller noted "Washington Street" was “the main street in town” and the person in distress was at a “duplex” before the phone line disconnected. The caller didn’t provide any other information.

The address the caller provided does not exist in Norwell. Norwell firefighters were dispatched to a possible location on Washington Street, but didn't find anyone in distress. Norwell Fire Headquarters tried calling the caller back, but their calls went unanswered.

The SSRECC was able to make contact with the caller and obtain a minimal amount of additional information. Using the added details, combined with their instinct and experience, communications specialists Oster and Russell were able to systematically rule out other locations this incident could have occurred at, including neighboring towns to communities in Ohio and West Virginia. Working with the caller’s cell phone provider, they were eventually able to confirm the call originated in Newell, West Virginia. They then contacted the appropriate agencies in West Virginia to confirm emergency services responded to assist the person in distress.

"It is my opinion that all of these efforts represent the highest level of dedication to the job of emergency response communications," said Norwell Fire Captain Tyler Hannigan, who was the shift commander at the time of the call. "While a 'no incident found at dispatched location' disposition could have been the end of our responsibility, these communications specialists chose instead to follow through and see that the most important person, the civilian in distress, was properly cared for."

The SSRECC is a regional emergency communications center serving the towns of Hingham, Cohasset, Hull and Norwell.