9-1-1 Telecommunicators Spotlight Blog: Lara Bell

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself: Where are you from, what agency do you work for, how long have you been there and what is your passion for working for 911?

Hi, I am Lara B. I have been dispatching off and on since I was 18. I started at my first agency in a very small department that was volunteer and even took a 911 call on the original old red phone. I have been to a few departments since, a lot of training, and I still come back to this line of work. I work for Ingleside Police Dept. and just recently returned back to work from being home with new baby that's now three years old. I had about 31/2 years previously with Ingleside. My passion for working this job is being able to serve in so many ways between emergency personnel and the general public.

 

2. What do you think people need to know about the people who answer the phones for 9-1-1? 

That we matter. We are more than a receptionist.

 

3. What do you enjoy most about your job and why?

When I am able to see a whole call through. Knowing that quick action helped saved someone in a time of need.

 

4. What do you think is the hardest part about working your job and why?

Hearing someone tell you their last words to repeat to their family.  That is a lot of weight to carry. When all you can do is be the calm voice for them, which is really hard.

 

5. Why do you think it is important for people to have 9-1-1 as a resource for emergency help?

A generalized number to reach for help. Organized and centralized to your area. It helps lessen confusion on how to obtain help when you need it.

 

6. If you could share one piece of advice with the world regarding 9-1-1, what would it be and why?

LOCATION! In an emergency situation, people often forget to give that critical piece of information. Please remember that we need to know where you are to get help to you.

 

7. If you were talking to kids graduating high school who were not sure what field that wanted to go into, what would you tell them about your job and why it is such a fulfilling and worthwhile job?

There is no other job like it. You get to help on so many different levels. 

9-1-1 Telecommunicators Spot Light Blog: Hilory Verduzco of Aransas County

1.    Tell me a little bit about yourself: Where are you from, what agency do you work for, how long have you been there and what is your passion for working for 911?

My name is Hilary Verduzco I work for the Aransas County Public Safety Center and I just hit my 3 year mark.  To be honest I didn’t dream of being a dispatcher or a 911 operator I just sort of stumbled upon the job.  I did want to do something in the field of criminal justice and earned a bachelor’s degree so when I was job searching I came across the listing for this position.  I am the type of person who loves to help people in any way possible.  This job fulfills the need of helping people by getting my citizen the answer or helping them find the answer to their problem.   As a dispatcher I get to work with officers, deputies, DPS, fire department, ems, investigators and citizens so having us all work together to help our community is what I love the most.  I love to be challenged and my mind gets  restless when I don’t have something to do, with this job I get to work on a multitude of tasks  which is sometimes stressful but it keeps me on my toes.  All of the challenges and different situations we deal with as dispatchers keeps my passion for 911 alive. 

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.

It’s hard to remember all of the interesting calls or stories that come across dispatch but one of the more recent ones was a child, I’d say about 8, who called 911 and said that he was alone and was scared he didn’t know where his dad was.  He also didn’t know what the exact address of where he was so I proceeded to get any info on his parents so that I could contact them to see what was going on.  He gave his mother’s name and phone number so I called her on our non-emergency line and it turns out she lived in another state! She started to panic and wonder what was going on as well.  I advised her everything was okay we just needed the fathers information now since that was his house.  The mother also told me that the child’s grandmother and cousin also lived with the child’s father so she would try to contact them as well.  While I was gathering all of this information the officer was dispatched to the residence and was attempting to locate the child.  It turns out that the grandmother and another family member was asleep in another room, the child was okay after all.  This is an example of how our emotions go from one end to the other thinking this child was in danger or the parents weren’t watching their children to they were just asleep in another room.  That was one of the few calls where we as dispatchers actually get some closure or learn the outcome of a call. 

3.    What do you think people need to know about the people who answer the phones for 9-1-1?

A lot of people need to know that, for our agency, the people who answer 911 are people just like you, we have lives and families and problems that we are struggling with along with doing our jobs so a small amount of consideration and respect can go a long way with us.  We are a consolidated Communications Center; therefore, we dispatch for multiple agencies and we deal with everything that goes on in our community from funeral escorts to school zone traffic control, from medical emergencies to structure fires, from after-hours water payments to cows in the roadway and everything in between.  We are not “All Knowing” we cannot make an officer appear in front of you within seconds and we cannot read minds.  We try to do things as fast and accurate most importantly as safely as possible for everyone involved so bear with us. 

4.    Why do you think it is important for people to have 9-1-1 as a resource for emergency help?

911 is an important resource to have for emergencies.   911 is the easiest number to remember and hopefully it is instilled in most of our brains by now.  Any phone in or out of service is able to dial 911 so anyone and everyone can reach help if needed.  911 is a great resource when you are alone, for me this is the most important time for 911.  Since there is no one else around to help you with whatever you are going through, it allows you to get the help you need. 

5.    If you were talking to kids graduating high school who were not sure what field that wanted to go into, what would you tell them about your job and why it is such a fulfilling and worthwhile job?

If you are looking into a career as a Telecommunications Operator, you want to help people and are good at multi-tasking and do well under pressure, then this is the job for you.  There are plenty of opportunities to see how it all works through sit-ins or doing a ride-along.  I really wanted to help people and I was very interested in criminal justice but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be a police officer.  I looked at different career paths like a case worker for child support, although there is a need for caseworkers to look into children’s situations and their job is so very important, it just didn’t stick.  Another option I thought of was a Juvenile probation officer, at the time of my job search there weren’t too many openings in my area.  When I came across the dispatcher position I ended up loving it its exciting and challenging, you will not be bored and first responders are always needed!

9-1-1 Celebrate 50 Years of Service in the United States!

This year marks a significant achievement for 9-1-1! The number that people know to dial in the U.S. to reach emergency services, 9-1-1, is celebrating 50 years of service. On February 16, 1968, Alabama Speaker of the House, Mr. Rankin Fite, made the first 9-1-1 call from the Haleyville City Hall.

9-1-1 has come a long way since then and gone through several different type of phones used to reach 9-1-1 for emergency situations. Phones that we find indoors come in all shapes and sizes. They may have buttons or dials, and can sit on a desk or hang on a wall. They may have a cord that looks like a tail and attaches to the wall. Some have a curly cord that attaches the handset to the phone. To call 9-1-1 on a corded landline phone, pick it up and you will hear a dial tone. Push the “9” button, push the “1” button, and then push the “1” button again.

The phones that have no curly cords and that you can take all over the house are called cordless phones. These phones have a base and a cord attached to the wall. There is a difference between cordless and cell phones. To call 9-1-1 on a cordless phone, press the on or talk button, listen for a dial tone, and then push the "9" button, push the "1" button, and then push the "1" button again.

There are many variations of cell phones sometimes called smart phones. To call for help, push the “9” button, push the “1” button, and then push the “1” button again, then press the send button. The send or on button may be green or have a green icon.

 

When to Call 911

9-1-1 is the number to call when you need help in an emergency! An emergency is when something happens and you need the police, firemen, or an ambulance.  For example, if you see your neighbor's house on fire, that is an emergency!  If someone falls down and is badly hurt, that is an emergency too!  But, if your cat is stuck in a tree, that is not an emergency.

9-1-1 is not the number to use if you just need help from an adult or for pets. 9-1-1 should only be used in a real emergency and never as a joke!

WHEN to call 9-1-1: 

•when lives are at risk

•when you need the police, fire department, or paramedics

When you should NOT call 9-1-1:

•when there is no emergency

•for animals (except when they pose a threat to the safety of a person)

•as a game or prank

•for a joke

•to practice

Since then, 9-1-1 technology has evolved and continues to evolve to meet consumer expectations. Each advancement has improved our nation’s ability to get better, more reliable information to first responders so they can do their job of saving lives and property.

As we celebrate 50 years of service in the United States, it is an important reminder to the significance of 9-1-1 emergency services. Without 9-1-1, emergency services such as EMS, Fire and Police would not be able to get to those in need of help.
Most recently, a major change to multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) has been the introduction of Kari’s Law. In Texas, Kari’s Law requires direct access to 9-1-1 without having to dial an additional digit such as 9. This law is important because it ensures those who call 9-1-1 from an MLTS phone get the help they need.
As 9-1-1 continues to adapt to other needs of the community, consumers will see the adaptation of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911). NG911 includes 9-1-1 being able to find those in emergency situations quicker and pinpoint their location more efficiently. It also includes text to 9-1-1, which will eventually allow for consumers to send not only texts to 9-1-1, but also pictures and videos.
For 9-1-1 to provide the excellent emergency services that the community needs, adapting NG911 services will become more important than ever—especially when we have natural disasters such as Hurricane Harvey. All of the Texas 9-1-1 Authorities are excited to celebrate 50 years of 9-1-1 throughout the United States and hope to see     9-1-1 continue to provide emergency services that fit the communities’ needs.

What will you be doing in your area this year to help celebrate 50 Years of 9-1-1? Email melinda.crockom@csec.texas.gov with information, pictures and videos and I will showcase your efforts in the future blogs!