What’s measured This measure is the annual per capita calls for 911 Emergency Service. The data for number of calls made to 911 centers were obtained from each county’s 911 Emergency Services office. The authors requested the data for 1990, 1995, 2000, 2004, 2005 and 2006. However, many counties did not have data for all the years. As a result, the authors picked the years with the most responses, 2005 and 2006, covering 11 counties in the region (excluding Anson, Lancaster and Union). The per capita calculations were based on U.S. Census population estimates for each county for 2005 and 2006. The authors also requested breakdowns of the calls by service requested (police, fire and emergency-medical services), and response times, but these data were not available for many counties. As technology at 911 centers improves and methods used to track calls and response times continue to get better, these will be useful indicators. Why it’s measured The per capita rate of calls for emergency service provides a measure of demand for police, fire and emergency-medical services, complementing the “crime index” and “motor vehicle accidents” indicators shown in other sections of this report. Breakdowns by type of request can shed light on the factors that generate the calls, and the extent to which they may be preventable: motor vehicle accidents with injuries, other accidents or medical crises, crimes, fires. One note of caution is that some people call 911 for non-emergency requests, such as referrals to social services or to report a stray animal. As more counties provide a 311 information system, non-emergency calls to 911 centers should drop, making this indicator a more accurate measure of demand for emergency services. Indicator results In 2006, the 11-county regional per capita rate of calls for 911 emergency services was 0.97, up from 0.93 per capita in 2005. The highest per capita rate of 911 calls in 2006 was in Stanly County (1.78), followed by Chester County (1.27). The lowest rates of 911 calls were reported by Catawba County (0.36) and York County (0.49). In general, the both the number of calls and the per capita rate of calls increased from 2005 to 2006 in each county for which data was available, with the exception of Cleveland County, which saw decreases in both measures. Not surprisingly, Mecklenburg, the largest and most urban of the counties, received the most calls for service, and saw the largest increase in number of calls from 2005 to 2006. The largest percentage change in the per capita rate of 911 calls occurred in Lincoln and Gaston counties (up 28.6 and 15.6 percent, respectively). The regional and county indicators cannot be compared to figures for either of the two states since a state 911 system does not exist that collects data from all 911 centers. Evaluation Given the wide variation in per capita call rates among the counties, the small increase in the 11-county regional 911 call rate is probably of negligible significance. Without breakdowns by type of request, underlying causes of the variation in per capita rates cannot be assessed. Furthermore, to assess whether the regional rate is stable, increasing or declining will require more than two years’ data. The most interesting information was that many counties had switched over to a new software system, among them Gaston, Lincoln, Iredell and Union. A few were unable to provide data for selected years because of the switch, and Union County advised to call back the next year when the conversion was complete to obtain data. Connections Calls for emergency service are directly related to other public safety measures, such as motor vehicle accidents and crimes, and indirectly related to health, social well-being and transportation. Lower socio-economic status generally correlates with poorer health education and health outcomes that can lead to medical crises requiring 911 service. Emergency personnel are often the first responders to a disaster or public health crisis. Highway congestion tends to increase motor vehicle accidents, resulting in a higher rate of 911 calls. Congested roads also make it harder for emergency vehicles to respond quickly and safely.
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