A call is received at an operator station (200). If a position failure occurs at the operator station, the position failure is detected (204). A determination is made as to whether the call is an emergency call (206) by, for example, examining the sequence of called digits. If the call is designated as an emergency call, then a determination is made as to status of the call. Based on the status of the call, a connection is established with an alternate operator station without dropping the call to the caller.