The Down East Seniors Club held its Oct. 11 meeting at the Blind Center of North Carolina in Washington. President Stewart Rumley led the meeting. Jim Hackney played for the singing of “God Bless America,” and Charles Smith gave the invocation. Rumley read factoids for the date in history (provided by Ed Hamrick), and Dick Paul provided humor.

Program Chairman Ed Bolen introduced Vic Williams, communications and e-911 director with Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. Williams said use of the 911 system for emergency calls began in 1957 in Alabama. Beaufort County’s system was recently replaced; it needs to be replaced about every five years to keep up with new technology. Currently a backup system is being installed. There are three communicators and one supervisor on each 12-hour shift and all calls are recorded. This group handles all incoming 911 calls and all communications with the four BCSO divisions, 14 fire departments, 11 EMS stations, four police departments and the North Carolina Forestry Service. The county paramedic service began in January 2016 and on emergency medical calls, the communicators advise the callers about what they can do to help until paramedics arrive.

James Lupton won the 50/50 drawing.