Despite workforce shortages – and a record volume of calls – the head of the Grand Forks Public Service Answering Point (PSAP) says they’ve been able to keep up thanks to the hiring of an outside agency for dispatch services.
Shannon LaHaise told Grand Forks County Commission members on Tuesday that calls for service have been growing 3-5% annually over the last ten years – and reached 111,000 last year.
In late 2022 the Denver-based company Moetivations was hired to help fill dispatch gaps during the busiest 12-hour stretch (11 a.m. to 11 p.m.) at PSAP. Similar to traveling nurses the temporary help arrived around February 1st.
LaHaise says the program has reduced burnout for the current staff. According to LaHaise PSAP normally has 22 employees. “By July with all the people we have trained we will have 17 of 22. That’s where we are at. With that level we should be able to absorb the overtime and still be able to train successfully.”
The contract with Moetivations covers a six-month span with a month-to-month renewal until the center is fully staffed. The costs are being absorbed into the budget due to lower staff numbers.
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