Kirtland 911 center ready for the unexpected Published June 22, 2015 By Ryan Stark Nucleus writer KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Kirtland's Fire Alarm Communications Center is a place that answers the call for people who are, often in a really bad situation. The center -- part of Kirtland's fire department -- operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and, according to its supervisor, Christian Farrow, stays pretty busy. "On a day-to-day basis, you never know what's going to happen," he said. "You have to be able to think on your feet." Farrow is on-station as supervisor during weekdays, joined by two staff members who are tasked with fielding calls. The staff members rotate in 12-hour shifts. Being able to calm a caller who is in a very stressful situation is one of the more important qualifications for working at the center, Farrow said. "When somebody's calling 911, it's probably the worst day of their life," Farrow said. "You have to be quick, decisive and use all the crisis management skills you have to establish trust." The center had 1,469 calls in 2014, Farrow said, and callers were dealing with any number of crises or emergency situations, including childbirths, accidents and deaths. The center coordinates with the city of Albuquerque's emergency services because Kirtland and Albuquerque agencies often need to help one another in an emergency. Kirtland Fire Department responds to most emergencies on the airfield, which is shared by the base, the Albuquerque International Sunport and other entities. Kirtland's and Albuquerque's 911 centers also need to work together because they send calls to one another. When someone on base dials 911 on a cell phone, the call goes to civilian authorities rather than those at Kirtland. To reach the Kirtland's Fire Alarm Communications Center, cell-phone users must dial 853-9111. "There's a lot of responsibility placed on anyone who answers the call," Farrow said. Glen Hart, who has been working at the center since 2002, knows that well. "Last week we had a civilian cargo plane with overheated hydraulics," Hart said. The fire department's airfield resources were sent to deal with the situation as a precaution, he said, but the situation didn't turn into an emergency. "The job is kind of neat. Every call is different and you never know what you're going to get," Hart said. Having to deal with a variety of calls, however, keeps him on his toes and makes the work interesting, he said. It can be a stressful job. Farrow said the center's staff does what it can to blow off steam in a constructive way. Farrow builds motorcycles in his spare time. "Everybody's got their own hobby," he said. "We see what happens behind the scenes in emergency services." Even after years on the job, some calls still get to you, he said. "After you've had a call involving a kid the same age as one of your kids, you have to go home and hug your kid that much harder," he said.