Cherokee Technology Center students Tony Morris, Nikki Bailey and Kasey Lester received training Friday in using a new 9-1-1 emergency communications simulator. Ever wondered what it's like to handle a 9-1-1 call?

Cherokee Technology Center students will soon gain firsthand experience in fielding emergency calls through a new 9-1-1 computer simulator. The county's vocational high school received a $32,000 grant last year which enables students to receive on-the-job training with emergency communications equipment.

Computer consoles complete with radio headsets were installed last week in the classroom of protective services teacher Neely Swofford. Her program exposes students to different areas of law enforcement including fire departments, police, medical emergency training and emergency radio communication.

Swofford recently finished teaching students from an Emergency Telecommunicator textbook done by the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch. Her students will be able to use the 9-1-1 computer simulator to practice handling emergency phone calls.

Swofford is working with Cherokee County 9-1-1 Director Delissa Coggins to learn how to operate the emergency communications simulator in her classroom.

"We will have one station where one student will be a dispatcher while another student is playing the role of someone calling with an emergency," Swofford said. "I will be able to record the calls and then play them back to critique what a student has done wrong."

County residents and law enforcement officers will not experience any unwelcome surprises once students begin using the 9-1-1 simulator. Calls handled through the computer system will only be transmitted between students sitting in the classroom.

Students will use a regular Cherokee County map when handling their mock emergency phone calls. Due to privacy issues, Swofford said the 9-1-1 simulator's database will use fictional names and house numbers.

"This is a stand-alone secure system which will provide

our students with handson experience on how to handle

an emergency call," Swofford

said. "Our goal is to give students proper training so they can help protect callers and responders by saving time and saving lives."

Cherokee Technology Center is one of the few career centers statewide with a 9-1-1 simulator. Similar systems have been installed for high school criminal justice programs in Anderson, Lexington, Seneca and Greenville.

"There are very few high schools which have this type of 9-1-1 simulator," Swofford said. "We are very thankful to the Cherokee Technology Center administration for providing this equipment for our students in the protective services program."