I can't remember off the top of my head, since working here, when I used 9-1-1 for personal reasons. Though, I have witnessed several calls and used it while being a 9-1-1 call-taker myself. I can remember watching the television show "Panic 9-1-1" and thinking the operators must be highly trained. January 31, 2018 marks my 17 year anniversary. I found my passion on an accident call. It was a major accident call and my first time on a Friday night to man the mic. I was working with my partner Martha, a 20 year veteran. Phase 1 was either just beginning or not there at all. One of our off duty dispatchers stopped in. She had been riding with her husband, an officer for one of the PD's. The 9-1-1 call came in- it was a bad accident- the caller was hysterical, injured, angry and had no idea where he was. My crisis call-taker, 9-1-1 operator, radio communicator job really began at that moment. I remember giving everyone in the room a job to help me help the caller. I needed more eyes, hands and reassurance, the caller had began to notice his occupants weren't responding. For me, it felt like the world was on fire with gusts of wind blowing right at my face. I knew for the caller it was 10 times worse. The accident was located two persons of 4 or more didn't make it. The caller lived. I lived. Managing a crisis was the passion I found that night and I have kept coming back for more ever since.
2. I’m
sure you hear a lot of interesting stories when answering calls, but what is
one story that sticks out in your head that might have been scary, but turned
out funny and/or everything worked out after the call.
I can't recall all of the calls but I can remember making my own 9-1-1
call. I don't work in the town I live in. This was a very long time
ago but I came home late one night to a wrecked home. My things
were thrown around the room, broken a total mess. I was terrified. After a couple of calls, including one call to 9-1-1, an officer, my landlord,
and two friends were coming to my aid. My older sister was also on the
way too! My landlord had just left, he was going to change the
locks. The officer asked me questions like do you know anyone that would
be upset with you and I bawled! I was a wreck! We were outside and the
officer asked my neighbor a couple of questions, my neighbor said there was
loud banging against the walls all night. As we stood listening, one of the
friends mentioned she stopped at my home the day before came inside and thinks
she may have left the front door opened. The officer, myself and the
friend went inside my home, but this time we looked ridiculous. We had
our shoulders raised to our ears, whispering and walking softly? The
officer began to look harder at the prints he found. The place was so
wrecked, wall pictures, mirrors and plants just busted everywhere. What
more could he find from those prints but the suspect, right? He asked me
if I owned a cat? I didn't own any pet while living there. We all
approached my bedroom, stepped inside and I said pull that laundry basket
out. The officer leaned down, pulled the basket out and out jumped the
suspect! Terrified, I screamed and began running in place. The
suspect began to head for me. I turned and put motion to my already
running legs and ran out the front door with the suspect in pursuit. I
got out the door caught my breath and realized I was the only one
outside. My friend was walking out the door slowly and unable to walk
straight since she was laughing too hard from the chaos she just
witnessed. I went back inside, into my bedroom to find the officer bent
over at the waist with his hand on my bed and the other on the laundry basket,
as if to hold himself up. He wasn't making a sound, until I heard him
take a deep breath in, to let out the biggest belly laugh. He laughed
himself out the door. He tried his very best not to make me feel like I
was silly and my experience was hilarious. My landlord had just pulled
up, the officer stops my landlord and says, "the suspect has left the
building!" The suspect was a squirrel. Yes, a scared squirrel
trying to get out of my home. The officer said I had just given him the
best story of his career and said how in the future he would love recalling
this story. Months later I received a gift from a friend, also a
dispatcher, who worked as a dispatcher in the city I lived in. She had
also heard about the squirrel, and laughed uncontrollably. The gift was
from the responding officer, a stuffed squirrel. I have quite the
collection from friends and family now of stuffed squirrels.
3. What do
you think people need to know about the people who answer the phones for 9-1-1?
I think people need to know that we want to
help. When people call in yelling "just figure it out" or
"you already know where I am" the training we've had gets tossed out
the window. We're human and we're going to make mistakes, please work
with us instead of against us. Remember that we probably haven't used the
bathroom or eaten yet, and you're our first priority. And people really need
to know how awesome we feel at the end of a compliant, helpful caller. For me, it's a huge energy boost.
4. Why do
you think it is important for people to have 9-1-1 as a resource for emergency
help?
9-1-1 is a
direct connect to help. There aren't any automated systems to go through,
just a person on the other end of the line willing and ready to listen and send
help. Anytime.
5. If you
could share one piece of advice with the world regarding 9-1-1, what would it
be and why?
Dear world, 9-1-1 is not just for kids. It's for everyone. Teach
your children, teach your older family, teach your teenagers and your young
adults. Learn that it's an amazing resource to have at our
fingertips. It's a person on the other end of the line, a voice that will
stay with you and get help to you. It's not a joke if you call because
you can't find the number to Pizza Hut. It's used when people are dying,
grow up. Many places in the world don't have this service, appreciate
where you live does. Play "what-if" emergency drills with your
family, educate yourselves about how to use a cell phone correctly and go over
what you'll give the 9-1-1 operator; your name, your number and your location.
We'll get help to you.
