Howard County 911 Operators Recall 2nd Deadly Ellicott City Flood In 2 Years
ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (WJZ)-- 911 operators are heard but usually not seen.
Howard County emergency dispatchers collectively handled thousands of calls during last week's devastating flooding in Ellicott City.
As historic Main Street was slammed with furious flooding for the second time in less than two years last week, thousands flooded 911 for help.
"The water's getting higher and higher on her," one caller said. "We're on the second and third floor, which is my home."
[Dispatch: "OK. Is your home flooding?"]
[Dispatch: "How much water's in the building now?"]
Caller: "It's going half way up the inside of the building. She's screaming at the top of her lungs."
"That's probably the worst shift I've ever worked," said Lisa Walker who took several calls, including one that was bone chilling.
[Dispatch: "Just try to stay as high as you can until we get there, OK? We're coming as fast as we can alright.]
Caller: "OK. Are we gonna die, ma'am?"
[Dispatch: "Honey, I'm going to do my best so that does not happen, OK."]
Walker's colleague Chip Cox also worked through 2016's flooding. Both were challenging, but this recent storm presented new obstacles like a fire and flooding in other parts of the county.
"Basic instinct is to help everyone and at this level you have to categorize and put a hierarchy that we're not used to doing," Cox said.
In all, Howard County officials say the group answered a little more than 1,100 calls, twice the typical volume of a normal day.
The devastating deluge was traumatic for many. It claimed the life of a Maryland Army National Guard member. Walker recalls taking a call of someone who tried to likely get him help.
"It hurt my heart. I was hoping that--I was hoping for a miracle," she added.
Cleanup and recovery along Main Street continues around the clock. Some dispatchers have seen the damage up close.
Cox chose not to go this time around.
"Just to see those people and those people's business and their livelihoods just destroyed again it's just something I don't want to see again," he added.
One thing is certain he and the rest of the team will be there to answer the call when needed.
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