#IAm911

I have reached the very last day of the very first year as a 911 Dispatcher. I never dreamed something that I love this much would be this hard.

I had four phases of training, with each phase lasting anywhere from 4-6 weeks. The first phase was call taking. There's two types of calls - emergency and non emergency. Naturally, I live for the emergency calls. When the 911 lines ring, my heart races a little faster and the world falls away and it's just me and the unpredictable situation on the other end of the line. I won't lie... There are a LOT of butt dials that are quite disappointing... But there are a lot of emergencies as well...

2nd phase of training is known as "Channel 3." This is more of an administrative type position where we sit at a station and wait for officers to radio in and ask us to look in databases to see if people have warrants, or if their driver's license is valid or if they have valid registration and insurance on their vehicle. We can also look to see if a vehicle is reported stolen, or if kids are missing, etc. The biggest challenge is knowing where to look, and doing everything as fast as you can because officers only have a certain amount of time with a subject before they have to let them be on their way.

3rd phase of training is known as "Channel 1." This is the actual dispatching of police to calls. I reached my breaking point on New Years Day, 2016. I was working night shift and in the middle of training and I just couldn't do it. The responsibility was overwhelming. To know that there were calls from the public waiting on ME to send officers to them... and officers who were depending on ME to track them... to know where they were at all times... to send them backup when they needed it. I was having a hard time understanding what they were saying in their mumbled voices over the radio. I had 100 10-codes that I needed to know, and areas of town that I had to be familiar with.... but I got through it!

The final phase of training is known as "Fire." This is the actual dispatching of firemen and medics to their respective calls. For me, this wasn't quite as overwhelming as Channel 1, but there's still a lot of information you have to know. Like which units to send to which type of call. Additionally HOW MANY units to send... We also dispatch volunteer units for the county and we're required to know which units and how many respond to different areas of the county. Fortunately, with the help of CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) we don't have to use our brain quite as much... the computer recommends which units to send, 95% of the time. But there have been a few times when our program wasn't working right and we needed to rely on our own knowledge (and each other) to choose the right units.

Just when I thought I'd reached the end of learning, we all had to learn a new software for dispatching. It's been a very difficult process, but one that we've all caught on to quite quickly.

THEN, I had an online course and a very important test to take in order to obtain my state telecommunicator's license. Done. And done!

All of the above, plus a schedule that constantly flipped from nights, to days, to evenings about every 2 weeks... and an additional 327.5 hours of overtime and.... I think I'm in it for the long haul! My 12 years of military service count toward my retirement with this agency, making me eligible in January 2023. I'd be stupid to walk away!

This job is everything that I was craving. It's not the predictable 8-5 that my life had become in the oilfield. I have an extreme sense of purpose. I'm doing something that not everyone can do. I show up to work 20-30 minutes early because I'm EAGER to be there and I love what I do. I've heard my coworkers mention how nice I am on the phone. I've got no reason not to be... Even the annoying callers (frequent flyers) are worth my time. As we remind ourselves so often, they're our job security.

I always have been a glutton for punishment... Becoming a 911 Dispatcher was the icing on the cake! I wouldn't have it any other way.

Very recently, a movement was started to have our profession reclassified from administrative/clerical to a protected class. We aren't paper pushers... We do our best to save lives, too.

                                          "I answered the phone when your nephew was hit by a car while riding his scooter in the street. I took the information necessary and listened as my coworkers dispatched units to your location. I heard the desperation in your voice when the paramedics weren't coming fast enough. I waited and prayed that your precious little boy would be ok. I hugged my daughter tight when she came home and told me that her 2nd grade classmate had died in a horrible accident." #IAm911