The Rotary Club of Ville Platte today (Tuesday) heard from Liz Hill, Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness and 9-1-1 in Evangeline Parish.
Hill said the 9-1-1 staff has been in their new two million dollar facility at the Industrial Park for the past two years. The dispatchers service all six fire departments in the parish as well as police departments in Pine Prairie, Turkey Creek and Chataignier. The agency receives approximately 35-40,000 9-1-1 calls a year.
Some of the calls are unusual. For example, Hill referred to a call she received this week from a homeowner to complain that someone had stolen a washing machine with the clothes still in it..
All medical calls are transferred to Acadian Ambulance dispatchers to handle.
Hill said this hurricane season in the Gulf and Atlantic is expected to be about average with last year. However, her agency is prepared to handle all types of weather including flooding and icy winter conditions. She uses social media such as Facebook to keep residents informed on the latest weather advisories.
Liz Hill was the special guest of Rotarian Scott Soileau.
In other business, Dr. Phillipe Vidrine was awarded a Paul Harris recognition award by Rotarian Leonard Fontenot for his donation to Rotary International.
Rotarian Larry Lachney reported that his business, Gators Drive Thru will celebrate its 25th anniversary Saturday June 30 with a BBQ Rib Cook Off, food, live music and a live KVPI remote broadcast.