Douglas County increases 911 staffing as severe winter storm moves through area

Officials say they added dispatchers to help manage higher call volume during storms.

Read the full article on KETV 7

ROAD RIGHT NOW, AND THEY’VE BEEN LISTENING TO BILL’S ADVICE. OMAHA’S WEATHER LEADER CONTINUES TEAM COVERAGE ON THIS EVENING’S SNOW. IF YOU EXPERIENCE AN EMERGENCY DURING THESE STORMS, YOU’RE NOT ALONE. YEAH, 911 CALLS TEND TO SPIKE WITH SEVERE WEATHER. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S CONNOR SCHMIDT IS LIVE AT THE DOUGLAS COUNTY 911 CENTER, WHERE FIRST RESPONDERS ARE MONITORING THE SITUATION. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED? YEAH, BILL, THAT’S THE BIG QUESTION, ISN’T IT? AS AS WE SEE STORMS ROLL THROUGH THE AREA HERE, EMERGENCY DISPATCHERS ARE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE AN INCREASE IN CALLS. I’LL STEP OFF HERE AND LET YOU GUYS SEE PEOPLE ARE WORKING HARD. WE’VE GOT SOME MNDOT CAMERAS TOWARD THE BACK HERE. AND YOU KNOW THE RESPONSE FROM ANYTHING. YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE A WEATHER RELATED EVENT, COULD BE A POWER LINE MEDICAL EMERGENCY. AND IT’S COMMON DURING THESE SEVERE STORMS FOR THIS CALL VOLUME TO SPIKE IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. THAT CAN IMPACT DISPATCH TIMES, NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE CREWS AREN’T RESPONDING, BUT BECAUSE THERE SIMPLY ARE MORE EMERGENCIES HAPPENING AT ONCE. THE DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS ASKING PEOPLE TO ONLY CALL 911 FOR TRUE EMERGENCIES, AND TO USE NON-EMERGENCY LINES FOR THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU EXPERIENCE MINOR D

Douglas County increases 911 staffing as severe weather moves through area

Officials say added dispatchers are helping manage higher call volume during storms

Updated: 5:14 PM CST Feb 19, 2026

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As severe weather moves through the Omaha metro, Douglas County officials say they are increasing staffing inside 911 dispatch centers to keep up with expected demand.READ MORE: Snow emergencies in effect across the metro ahead of Thursday’s winter stormCounty officials confirmed additional dispatchers were scheduled ahead of the storm system to accommodate a potential spike in emergency calls. During severe weather events, dispatch centers often see an increase in reports of weather-related crashes, stalled vehicles, downed power lines, and medical emergencies. However, officials note that road conditions can still impact how quickly first responders reach scenes. Heavy rain, flooding, and debris can slow emergency vehicles and create additional hazards.Residents are being reminded to call 911 only for true emergencies. For non-life-threatening issues, such as minor property damage or power outages. Officials recommend contacting utility providers or using non-emergency phone lines.ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: Road patrol: KETV crews travel metro area, keeping you up to date on the latest from the roads during winter stormAuthorities also urge drivers to avoid unnecessary travel during severe weather to help reduce preventable incidents and keep emergency resources available for critical situations.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Neb. —

As severe weather moves through the Omaha metro, Douglas County officials say they are increasing staffing inside 911 dispatch centers to keep up with expected demand.

County officials confirmed additional dispatchers were scheduled ahead of the storm system to accommodate a potential spike in emergency calls. During severe weather events, dispatch centers often see an increase in reports of weather-related crashes, stalled vehicles, downed power lines, and medical emergencies.

However, officials note that road conditions can still impact how quickly first responders reach scenes. Heavy rain, flooding, and debris can slow emergency vehicles and create additional hazards.

Residents are being reminded to call 911 only for true emergencies. For non-life-threatening issues, such as minor property damage or power outages. Officials recommend contacting utility providers or using non-emergency phone lines.

ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: Road patrol: KETV crews travel metro area, keeping you up to date on the latest from the roads during winter storm

Authorities also urge drivers to avoid unnecessary travel during severe weather to help reduce preventable incidents and keep emergency resources available for critical situations.

Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.