Location: Allegheny County Emergency Operations Center in Moon TownshipFeatured guests: Marissa O’Malley, 911 Division Chief, and Jim Davis, a 911 call taker3 things that surprised me:1. Marissa explained that there are between fourteen and twenty people ready to pick up 911 calls in Allegheny County at any given time. That team takes around 5,000 calls every day — that’s about 1.4 million calls a year. The call takers at the operations center are actually different than dispatchers, who work in more localized locations throughout the county.2. Jim walked me through what happens when a person calls 911. After answering the phone, a computer prompts the call taker to ask a series of questions in a certain order to get the relevant information to the appropriate responders as quickly as possible. Even after an emergency vehicle is dispatched, the call taker will continue to collect information and send it to the responding team so that they can arrive at the scene as prepared as possible.3. Inside the operations center, several televisions showed a CBS soap opera. Marissa explained that, yes, the call takers often like watching soap operas during slow times in the day.One thing that didn’t make the final cut: Another of Marissa’s responsibilities is helping to coordinate transportation for important visitors to Pittsburgh. On the day we were filming, Marissa was getting ready to assist as Vice President Kamala Harris headed back to the airport after a visit to Pittsburgh.Additional info: You can learn more about Allegheny County Emergency Services at their website.Want more Yinzer Backstage Pass? Check out our visit to the historic Roxian Theatre in McKees Rocks.The post What happens when you call 911 in Pittsburgh? appeared first on NEXTpittsburgh.