The Town of North Hempstead’s 311 call center has never been hit like this.
The call line, which handles the non-emergency concerns and complaints of town residents, has outgrown its Town Hall office in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, more than doubling its phone staff and setting up work stations in adjacent rooms.
More than 23,000 calls have poured in to the center since Sandy made landfall, said the town’s Deputy Director of Information Technology and 311 director Vincent Malizia, as people reported downed trees, power outages, live wires and other damage from the storm.
And as the only 311 center on Long Island, Malizia’s program has responded to more than just North Hempstead residents – his staff has fielded calls from Queens to Oyster Bay, directing non-residents to their local responders and directing town resources to reported problem areas.
“The biggest complaint is no power,” said Malizia. While the town does not have control over electrical restoration – that is the responsibility of the Long Island Power Authority – Malizia said that the call center also directs reports of downed trees to responders who can then clear the roads.
Residents typically make about 3,000 calls per week, reporting issues ranging from potholes to faulty traffic lights. But since Sandy hit, 311 has gained a higher profile.
After Sandy caused mass flooding and infrastructure damage, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg appealed to residents to report all non-emergency concerns through the city’s 311 system.
North Hempstead residents appear to think the same way, with the 23,000 calls since the storm hit leading the town’s call center to expand from nine to 19 work stations and recruit new responders.
“We’ve opened it up to all other employees of the town to help answer constituents,” said Malizia.
Local elected officials have participated as well, volunteering to answer calls. State Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel (D-Great Neck), Nassau County legislators Robert Troiano (D-Westbury) and Judi Bosworth (D-Great Neck) and North Hempstead Council Member Thomas Dwyer all worked the phones, among others, said Malizia.
Though most of the center’s calls this week have been the predictable result of a devastating storm, some reports can lighten the mood at the office.
“We were able to reunite two dogs with their owners,” said Malizia. “That’s always a good feeling.”
Malizia said that the center also had to cope with outages and ran on generator power through the storm until electricity was restored on Monday.
The center was established in November 2005 using a grant from the federal government.
It is now funded by the town, Malizia said, and has experienced growing call volume each year – he expects over 200,000 calls by the end of 2012, compared to about 180,000 last year.
311 is available seven days a week, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Reach reporter Dan Glaun by e-mail at dglaun@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x203. Also follow us on Twitter @theislandnow1 and Facebook at facebook.com/theislandnow.
