Solly the labrador helps triple-0 call takers deal with abusive calls
He’s the furry mobile therapy unit who is helping triple-0 call takers deal with the daily stress of the job. With abuse and intimidation on the rise, Solly the labrador is spreading the love to help NSW triple-0 call operators.
NSW
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Christmas is supposed to be a season of goodwill — but not at triple-0 call centres, where it brings death threats, intimidation and verbal abuse.
Not only is it the busiest time of year at these centres but the level of abuse skyrockets, in part driven by alcohol. One such call recently came in at 2.47am at the NSW Ambulance Sydney Control Centre.
“A man is dying for f**k’s sake. If he loses his life I’m going to come after you,” an intoxicated man told the call-taker, the threat dramatically increasing the pressure of trying to save a life.
And it’s the sort of abuse the call-takers get all the time. Luckily they have Solly, the two-year-old labrador, who will be working overtime during the holiday season.
Trained by Guide Dogs, Solly is the only full-time dog employed to comfort staff at the Eveleigh centre.
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Call centre operators take as many as 100 calls a day, help deliver babies over the phone and try to be the voice of calm.
In the July to September 2019 quarter, there were 322,120 calls and 248,619 incidents.
That is estimated to increase during the final quarter of the year.
Taking these calls takes its toll, which is why the centre introduced Solly a year ago.
Maxine Puustinen, NSW Ambulance Deputy Director of Control, said the furry mobile therapy unit had improved morale and stress levels among staff.
“For the past year, Solly has done a great job providing support to call-takers and dispatchers who are often in stressful situations,” she said.
“Whether he’s walking around the room looking for pats or snacks, or snoring away in the corner, Solly has such an impact on the atmosphere of the Control Centre.
A graduate of the NSW/ACT Guide Dogs therapy training program, Solly senses when call-takers are distressed.
“As a therapy dog Solly does pick up on the stress of the environment sometimes. If it’s a particular busy day and there are lots of calls coming through, he will definitely sense that,” Ms Puustinen said.
“Just having Solly here is a great comfort to staff dealing with some of the toughest days of people’s lives.
“He loves to watch over his call-takers and dispatchers while they look after you.”
“Not only are we heading into our busiest time of year for calls, but for some reason the people calling are more abusive towards our staff,” call-taker Chantelle said
“Having Solly here is like a saving grace. After hanging up from a particularly stressful or abusive call, it’s nice to turn around and see his beautiful face. We are here to help in people’s worst moments, but it’s great to know Solly’s here to look after us.”
Call-taker Katherine said Solly was adored by the staff.
“If you’re having a bit of a rough day, you can just reach down and give him a pat,” she said.
“He wanders around the centre just checking in on people, often checking in on their bags to see what food they’ve got.
“We’ve had to put him on diet because we have been feeding him too much.”
But the diet broke last Wednesday because Solly turned two and the centre threw a party complete with a doggie-bone cake.