911 dispatchers have a tough job

"911 what's your emergency?" That's what anyone who calls 911 to report an emergency will hear. Being a 911 emergency dispatcher is one of the most stressful jobs there is. Each type of agency (law enforcement, fire, EMT) all responds to calls specific to what they do, but a dispatcher has to deal with them all. A dispatcher is the first person to speak to people in all types of situations, and they not only have to try and gain information needed from that person, but also relay the information to the appropriate agency so the agency can respond appropriately.

According to some surveys, the average tenure for an emergency dispatcher is only 2-3 years. They talk to the person needing help and often give assistance over the phone to try and help the caller until agencies can respond, but many times dispatchers do not get to see what the outcome is. An example of this was a recent call for a suicidal man. His wife called 911 and was talking to a dispatcher when a shot was fired and the line disconnected.

Dispatchers are required to meet certain training requirements. First, they must become certified through MULES (Missouri Unified Law Enforcement System). They also must receive certain medical and on-the-job training.

Although training requirements vary by agency, a dispatcher for Western 911 goes through three months of training. Burnout is common among emergency dispatchers, as is evident by the short average tenure among those who choose this profession.

Without these men and women, law enforcement, as well as all other areas of public service, would be unable to effectively respond to calls and keep citizens safe. Especially here in Vernon County, we have dedicated dispatchers who work long and hard hours to serve us. Our dispatchers even help other agencies when they call for help like they did last week. Another agency called Western Missouri Dispatch, the name of Vernon County's dispatch, and advised that a juvenile armed with a knife might be in the area. One of our dispatchers tried to triangulate the juvenile's location based on "pinging" his cell phone and was able to ascertain that the juvenile was indeed in Nevada. Because of this, law enforcement was able to find the juvenile, who was armed with a knife, and get him the help he needed.

It may be difficult for a responding officer, EMT, or firefighter to have to respond to whatever type of call they get; but it may be even harder for a dispatcher who knows what assistance is needed and not be able to give that assistance over the phone. For example, a police officer may be able to give CPR until EMS arrives on scene, but a dispatcher cannot give CPR over the phone, despite the fact that they know that is what is needed.

Being a 911 emergency dispatcher is one of the most stressful jobs there is. I would encourage the public to stop and thank these dedicated men and women when you see them in public.