One of the most mentally stressful jobs in our country is a being dispatcher. They hear and go through situations some people do not see in their lifetime. Dispatchers go through a lot of pressure due to the fact that they are the “first responders” and have to calmly make quick life or death decisions. Very few people are capable of working in this field. The people who do work in this field obtain very specific skills that help them do their job correctly. They are more than just emergency operators; there are also ambulance and fire dispatchers that give firefighters and officers the information and resources they eed.
Dispatchers are important to society because they maintain professionalism while helping people in distress. Becoming a dispatcher may mentally be the easiest part of this job. They are required to obtain a high school diploma, and some agencies may require them to be a United States citizen. Even though it is not required to go to college, people who obtain an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement, or Computer Science have a greater chance of getting the job along with knowing a foreign language.
Those applying for the job have to ake and pass a written exam and a typing test. In addition, they will have a background check as well as a drug and lie detector test. When the candidate has passed these tests, they take two more for their hearing and vision. Although it is not necessary for dispatchers to have post secondary education, they do have on the job training. Training varies in all states; some states only require forty hours of training and some require up to two to three years. While in training they cover a variety of things essential to the occupation.
The responsibilities of a dispatcher vary from knowing how to multitask to knowing how o calm someone down when they are in distress. As a dispatcher, being able to multitask is essential to doing their job right; they have to listen to everything the caller is telling them while giving first responders information about the situation (“911 Dispatcher Responsibilities and Daily Activities”). A key to always remember as a dispatcher is to expect the unexpected. One moment they can be answering an accidental 911 call and the next they can be recieving a phone call from someone whose life is on the line.
Dispatchers have to know police officers codes to keep them safe and know the severity of the ituation the officers are responding to. There are not just mental responsibilities but physical responsibilities as well. They are expected to sit for long periods of time; eight to twelve hour shifts are normal in the life of a dispatcher, some agencies may even have them working twenty-four hour shifts (“Police, Fire, and Ambulance Dispatchers”). Being able to turn and reach for files as fast as they can is essential because when someone’s life is at stake, every second counts.
Along with the responsibilities they need to have, there are specific skills a person needs as a dispatcher. Speaking clearly is one of the most important skills to have in this field. When someone is in distress, they do not process things as well so speaking with as little words as possible while still getting their point across is prime to helping save a person’s life. Dispatchers need quick decision-making skills; high intensity calls require quick responses because someone’s life is in danger.
Not only do they have to make swift decisions, but they also need to choose which instructions to give the caller while help is one the way. Dispatchers have to figure out the priority of the situation so hey know who to send to help. They also need great listening abilities. Every single detail they are given is vital to helping put a person’s life out of danger. Empathizing is key to calming the person at the other end of the line. They have to make sure the caller does not feel alone in whatever situation they may be in. Along with the satisfaction of helping a person out of endangerment, being a dispatcher also has its downsides.
Not only are the calls enough stress for an individual, but after they hang up they do not know the outcome of the situation, which can weigh on them just as much. They are constantly exposed to traumatic experiences, and although they may not actually be seeing it, they hear the pain of a mother about to lose her child or a person’s final words before committing suicide. Dispatchers are often diagnosed with Critical Incident Stress Syndrome (CISS), which is quite similar to Post Trumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that is caused by being too involved in people’s tragedies, but not as severe.
Symptoms of Critical Incident Stress Syndrome include nightmares, inability to cope with stress in a person’s daily life, and severe anxiety. Studies have shown that p to three percent of dispatchers can be diagnosed with full Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms. Although not all of them may be affected by CISS or PTSD, up to ninety percent of dispatchers have high blood pressure (“Police, Fire, and Ambulance Dispatchers”). Even though they may be under a lot of pressure, dispatchers are very confident people.
They must know how to hide their feelings in order to efficiently help someone who is in danger or their emotions could interfere with the outcome of the situation. Bailey Osborn from the Nampa Police Department, who has been on the job as a dispatcher for ne year, explains how emotionally draining the job can be. “Knowing that there was nothing I could do to help her was pretty tough,” she said. Osborn had received a call reporting a rape, but her agency did not handle those sorts of calls, so she had to hand it over to another agency.
It was hard on her because she did not feel like she helped the woman out, which is essentially what her job is. Later on, she talked to one of her coworkers who assured her that the other agency would give the woman the full attention that she needed. Knowing that they are responsible for the safety of others drives her to be the est dispatcher she can be and not put her own emotions into her work so it won’t be compromised (Osborn). Dispatchers are highly important to our society but also carry a lot of responsibility.
In most occasions, 911 is the first number anyone would dial when they are in a life threatening situation. They can save a life before an EMT or a firefighter get the chance to. Not a lot of people can do the overall role a dispatcher does all at once. In addition, they are also helping police officers, firefighters, and EMTS so they can do those duties as well. Dispatchers give them all the resources they need ll while sitting in front of a couple computer screens.
They also track where the help’s exact location is, so in a case of emergency, they know how to get them out of danger. Their goal will always be to keep officers and the public as safe as they can. for many reasons. They will always do whatever is necessary to make you feel safe. Not only are they looking out for the public, but also those that are looking out for us. Only a few people are capable of dealing with the intensity of this occupation because of its stressful nature. Those who do become dispatchers are the unsung heroes of law enforcement.
