The loudest Dispatcher, ME Trixie

9.28.2000

I talk for a living, so trying to shut me up is a lost cause. I am a Communications officer aka dispatcher and have been for the last 13 years. I love the "dispatching" part of the job. It is the other parts that I could do without. I have probably heard it all, said it all, or it's been said to me. Screamed it or its been screamed at me, be it PROFESSIONALLY OR UNPROFESSIONALLY. At times, it is extremely stressful and other times it is a real adenaline rush.

Dispatchers are for the most part never given the proper THANKS for the job that we do. We seem to always be the "forgotten" ones.

The ones who takes the information, routes the units to apprehend the bad guy. Most of the time without our quick response many criminals would not have been captured. Alot has to do with us and how we do our job. We are the ones who would be praised for a job well done, way back when. We now hear, "great job......Guys." Not good job dispatch. We are faceless people who control the cities and counties. But rarely a "Thanks Dispatch."

Our jobs, huge responsibity with endless duties. On any given day our roles change from glorified secretaries, keeper of the idiots, babysitters, time keepers, therapists, umpires, go-getters, 411 operators, switchboard operators, public relations headquarters, reservationist, and even comedian. Roll that all up together and you have a true living and breathing Emergency DISPATCHER

We've been through it all. We've laughed through some and cried through others. We have great memories and we have tragic ones too. Our biggest fear in the world is to a citizen come across the radio. This is always bad news. We fear those kind of situations. Those are the ones we never want to have. And for those of us that have, those are the crying times. But we are dispatchers and we have to control whatever situation is thrown at us. We know what to say, when the mic is keyed and we know what to say when it is not keyed.

For the most part we curse, we spit, we complain and we get Irate.......but back off, if you try to take away "OUR" radio. We will not stand to be taken away from our shift, because they are "ours." We have built a love-hate relationship with all of these outstanding men and women. Some are friendships and some are classified as a "working relationship," but all are special to us in one way or another. There are some we can't wait to talk to, to share a joke, or just a hello to get us going. Those are the ones who make us want to come back day after day, year after year. There are some that will just be a ID number to us. It is extremely hard to explain why we do what we do.

It is extremely hard to explain why we do what we do. Many times we think, outloud of course, you moron. But we are their lifeline. We are truly concerned for their well-being. Our goal every single day is to make sure at the end of the day, everyone goes home. Sometimes our voices may not sound sweet or caring but deep down we really do care. Dispatchers have to have nerves of steel, and when a bad situation goes down, we can not miss a beat.

Our job is a mental thing. Many times we attempt to visualize a situation that we are sending an officer into. We have to try to be a step ahead. Our minds are constantly "rolling" wanting to get everything done within a minute or two. Father time is always looking over us, making sure we do not waste a minute. We are extremely lucky or very well blessed. Everyday something happens to prove someone is watching over us. We work long hours and there is always overtime available. Dispatchers have a very high turn over rate. Everyone thinks it would be exciting to be a dispatcher, some get hired and get the real picture and decide its not for them. Dispatchers are unique. Not everyone is cut out to do our job, and alot of times the officers think they could do our job much better. However very few ever come out to sit behind us and watch. For those that have, they soon realize it is a adventure and we do it right after all.

MIC