BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Harford County’s Emergency Operations Center became the first in the state to be certified by the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch after completing a six-month audit of its 911 operators.

Since October the 67-person EOC had been using standardized lists of questions from the National Academies on every 911 call to determine the proper level of emergency response, said R. Ross Coates, public safety communications manager.

If a caller is complaining of chest pain, a computer program or a clipboard checklist has questions about the callers’ symptoms that the dispatcher must ask. Based on the caller’s answers, the response can range from a basic life support team to a full paramedic unit, Coates said.

“It helps us to ensure that we’re asking and answering the right questions,” he said. “It allows us to use our resources as best as we can, so we’re not sending paramedics to a stubbed toe.”

The EOC handles about 440,000 calls a year and handles dispatching services for the Sheriff’s Office. It is one of only 120 agencies worldwide to receive this level of accreditation.

Harford is now accredited for its emergency medical services responses. Separate evaluations will be performed to determine if its police and fire dispatch services can be accredited as well. The evaluation process involves submitting quality-assurance scores, an on-site visit by National Academies personnel and submitting 25 recorded 911 calls to evaluators, said EOC spokeswoman Sue Collins.

County Executive David Craig said the accreditation helps bolster his case for giving county employees — including the EOC workers — a 9 percent raise in the proposed budget for 2009.

“It’s been difficult to get someone willing to answer the phone 6,000 times a year,” Craig said.

Over the past year, the center has gone from having about 20 vacancies to only eight, said Ernie Crist, emergency services manager.

The EOC is also seeking about $5 million in the 2009 capital budget for the design and engineering of a new facility, which will likely be built on the same property, Crist said.

msantoni@baltimoreexaminer.com