Minot Central Dispatch adjusts protocols during COVID-19

It's national Public Safety Telecommunicators week, and local dispatchers are working harder than ever to keep you safe.

Minot Central Dispatchers are changing the way they answer calls and send you help.

All responses are now being screened with COVID-related questions.

Dispatchers have also added new codes to describe the situation, like if a person is in quarantine, quickly and efficiently to first responders.

Central dispatch stays on the line with the person calling and relays information to responders as they are en route so they can prepare any extra precautions in transit.

According to Public Safety Answering Point manager Margaret Haugan, this has not slowed response times.

“It has not shown to slow us down yet. Everybody who we have talked to and had to deal with and have to ask these questions to understand why," Haugan said.

Minot Central dispatch works with more than 10 emergency service stations throughout the city and in rural areas.

Minot Central Dispatch says they had the codes up to par and sent out to all service stations within a week of the first positive COVID case in Ward County. They have also added the question of whether you have been out of Ward County to the list to be extra careful around those from hotspot areas.