CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia's homeland security agency appears unable to staff its 24-hour emergency call center properly.

A legislative audit released Tuesday says chronic vacancies have plagued the Emergency Management communications center since it was created in 2006.

That has forced officials to spend $580,000 or 64 percent more than it would have, over six years on overtime instead of staff salaries and benefits.

Even after the agency converted a pair of full-time positions into four part-time slots, all four remain unfilled.

Besides its own calls, the center also answers arson and environmental spill hotlines, and tip-lines for safe schools and miner and industrial workers.