Thank you for your service Dispatch Officers, without you, my lives or other people’s lives would be at risk, in multiple ways, if nobody was there to pick up the phone, thank you for doing everything to help the American people
You've got to have an inner steel to be a 911 dispatcher. Your whole day is filled with negativity. Horrible situations your mind has to filter away. It's got to be draining psychologically for them.
Ivan Bunny yeah i bet. but hey, at least you are not the first responders who have to put themselves in harm's way right? I say whoever wants to do this job should do it and just remember that at least they'll be safer than cops, paramedics and firefighters ( huge espect for them). you wouldn't need to see blood or crying loved ones or a killer's face . they always need 911 operators. they have a high turnover rate, as far as I know. I encourage anyone that wants to make a difference to apply
As someone who is on both sides of the radio, dispatch and a firefighter, The effect of hearing what's going on can be just as bad as actually seeing it. Maybe worse because your mind is putting together this scene in your head. So psychologically It can be just as damaging. But just as I have my thin red line family to support each other. I have my thin gold line family to do the same. Next to fighting fire, It's the best job in the world. You learn to keep it professional and get through it 1 call at a time.
Imagine getting minor calls (noise complaints, elder person twisted their ankle, etc.) day after day, and then one day, someone calls screaming that they came home to their entire family murdered with blood everywhere.
i didnt when i started, where i work.you dont start as a dispatcher, you start as a call taker then move your way up to 911's , then fire and rescue dispatcher, then you get sent to the law enforcement dispatch academy, get your cert then dispatch law enforcement, answer 911's, call take , operate NCIC , fire dispatcher , i do everything. although i do agree psych adn health exams should be mandatory. but people leave on their own.
I’m sorry to say but if you already suffer from anxiety, this wouldn’t be the best job for you. There are many of us that went in mentally healthy and leave having developed anxiety and ptsd. Its rewarding for a while but in the long run you’ll make many sacrifices most don’t have to at other jobs. (Former 19 year dispatcher)
did they give you a psychological or medical exam? thanks i passed the test but im currently training to be peer counselor, working with people with disabilities, i struggle with memory and concentration problems
