First day on the job, 911 operator helps save dad’s life

A Georgia 911 operator, just hours into her first day on the phones, helped save her father when her aunt called with a medical emergency.

Crystal Morrow was just four hours into her shift when a call came in. When she heard the voice, she realized it was her aunt on the other end. She was calling about Morrow’s father who had gone into diabetic shock.

“Because so many people had been in the room, I didn’t think that I would get the call,” Morrow told My Fox Atlanta, “And it’s crazy that I got it on the very first day.”

Morrow did just what her training had taught her and calmly walked her aunt through what needed to be done and sent the paramedics to the address.

And her aunt didn’t know the operator she was talking to was her niece.

“I did freeze,” Morrow said. “My hands froze over the keyboard, but I knew I had to get the call in.”

On the released 911 tape, you can hear Morrow calmly say, “I’m sending the paramedics to help you now. Stay on the line and I will tell you exactly what to do next.”

ABC News reported that the 911 center Morrow works at gets about 3,000 calls daily with 12 operators answering those calls.

Morrow credits it to the thorough training she received for months before being put on the phones.

“She took the entire call and then she got up after the call and stepped outside,” Morrow’s trainer, Danielle Harvey, told My Fox Atlanta. “I went to check on her and told her to go see about her family.”

My Fox Atlanta reported that Harvey is nominated for the 2014 Smart Telecommunicator Award, which recognizes 911 operators every year.

Contact Kira Terry at kterry@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @kiraterry