They're the first line of defense should an emergency arise. Local 911 dispatchers have a difficult job, and their work never stops. Many of them spend long hours away from their families, especially on busy holidays.

One of the men in charge of keeping the center running efficiently during this pandemic has been Broome County Senior Dispatcher Jeffery Crane.

"The scheduling is a nightmare. We change on a regular basis as far as you may show up one day and find out someone's been quarantined and now they need to be replaced," said Crane said.

But Crane has always took it in stride. He spent the past 22 years as a dispatcher, and giving back is in his DNA.

"I did volunteer firefighting for 20 years, I've done this for 22 years. I like helping people. It's why I keep going," said Crane.

But in those 22 years, there's never been a year like 2020.

While the calls volume has been the same, the reason for those calls has been a bit different. The 911 center now gets dozens of calls a day of people reporting potential violations to COVID-19 protocols.

"We've been added the complaints coming in for people reporting violations, which has seemed to up the numbers," said Crane.

The dispatchers have had to adapt as well. While working at their desk, they are not required to wear a mask, as they are at least six feet away from the person next to them. That was made possible in part due to a recent renovation to the center.

"We're lucky enough to have a fair amount of space, so we're pretty much socially distanced when we get to use the main center. Our backup center is a little closer, so we have to watch it a little more careful, but we dont allow people into the center anymore," said Crane.