FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – A contracted operator with BP said calls from concerned citizens are falling on deaf ears.

For this story, we’ll refer to her as ‘Janice.’

Janice said she is one of 100 operators at the BP Call Center in West Houston. They answer phones from the hotline number designated for the Vessel of Opportunity Program and for cleanup ideas.

‘We take all your information and then we have nothing to give them, nothing to give them,’ said Janice.

Janice said calls about the oil disaster are non-stop, but operators are just warm bodies on the other end of the phone.

‘We’re a diversion to stop them from really getting to the corporate office, to the big people,’ said Janice.

The calls come in from around the world, but it’s the desperation of those on the Gulf Coast that has affected her the most.

‘I don’t want to get emotional, but it’s so frustrating when these people live right there and nothing is being done to help them,’ the operator said.

For weeks on end, twelve hours a day, there is a little secret that Janice says she has witnessed firsthand.

Because the operators believe the calls never get past them, some don’t even bother taking […]