WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — Working in a 911 call center requires long hours, staying mentally focused and calm while being ready to handle all kinds of difficult calls.

The 911 call center is the first line of defense before a physical first responder gets to help.

Lisa Kelly is the senior operator with Winston Salem Police Department and said a dispatcher’s job is to help with handling critical situations over the phone until police, fire or medics make it to the scene.

Kelly said those precious minutes on the phone many times make all the difference when it comes to saving a life.

Kelly said that during a call, they ask several questions to make sure the first responder is safe and all the information is correct before dispatching them to the location. She said the questions are not to anger anyone but to make sure an officer or firefighter can safely get to the location and get there fast.

“People do get frustrated, but these are things we are required to do, but the most important thing is the location,” Kelly said.

Kelly said all the calls are correctly imported into the Computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems before being sent to a dispatcher and then to a responder.

“The focus, big part of our job is dispatching police, but everyone thinks it’s just answering the phones, but our most important job is making sure the officers are safe, and we dispatch them to the correct places,” said Kelly.

Maria McLendon is a telecommunications operator who said working inside the call center requires you to answer unpredictable calls, listen closely to the callers and type down all the information at the same time.

“We’re only voices. We can’t see what you see, so we try to do what we can to get a visual picture for the officers to obtain as much information,” McLendon said.

Kelly said during a typical day, the center will receive 900-1,200 calls from loud music to gang-related shootings.

Kelly said she has been working for the department for over two decades and loves every part of it.

She said she wants callers to know that they are doing their best to get help to the community fast and patience with them over the phone is also needed to make sure everyone is safe.