Wayne commissioners give a tip of the hat to 911 dispatchers

WOOSTER − The work of 911 dispatchers plays a crucial role in society, yet their work goes largely unnoticed − until they are needed.

They are the first point of contact in emergencies, and their ability to remain calm and composed can mean the difference between life and death.

Wayne County Commissioners Jon Hofstetter and Ron Amstutz thanked employees of the Wayne County Communications 911 Dispatch Center for their service recently and read a proclamation in their honor in recognition of National Telecommunicators Week.

“These (individuals) serve the citizens of Wayne County by answering their emergency and non-emergency calls for law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services and dispatching the appropriate (department) as quickly as possible,” Hofstetter said, reading from the proclamation. “24 hours per day, seven days per week.”

What is a dispatcher's day like?

They are responsible for determining the nature and severity of the emergency, dispatching the appropriate emergency personnel, coordinating response efforts, and providing vital information and support to callers until help arrives.

“We want to get their physical location first,” said 30-plus-year veteran communications officer Mark Bartholomew. “If they do not know, we will start asking them questions about their surroundings.”

Knowing their location is key, according to Bartholomew. Once that is determined, dispatchers work to determine the proper agency or agencies to contact to respond.

“We have to get the right people on the scene,” he said. “We work well with WARCOG (Wooster Ashland Regional Council of Government) and the Ohio State Highway Patrol dispatch center to accomplish that.”

Dispatchers need to have excellent communication skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure. They must be able to quickly process and prioritize incoming calls, dispatch the appropriate resources, and provide clear and concise instructions to callers.

Dispatchers wear a variety of hats

According to Wayne County Communications Assistant Director Betty Riggs, the work is never routine.

“There is never an ordinary day,” she said. “Some calls may end after five minutes, and we have been on calls for 45 minutes.”

The job consists of more than answering the phone. Sometimes, dispatchers are instructors.

“If we determine that someone isn’t breathing, we have to instruct the caller to perform CPR over the phone,” Riggs said. “While that is going on, we have to give first responders pre-arrival instructions to let them know what we have started.”

Calls are fast-paced, and in addition to their technical skills, dispatchers must possess strong interpersonal skills, as they often provide emotional support and reassurance to callers who may be experiencing traumatic events.

Calls can be difficult.

“Calls that involve children are especially hard. When kids get hurt, we have a hard time dealing with that,” Riggs said. “Everyone has an event that triggers them; usually, it is calls involving children or the elderly.”

According to Riggs, dispatchers need an outlet, and they rely on each other for support.

“We keep an eye on each other,” she said. “If we know someone took a bad call, we watch them and ensure they are processing it properly emotionally.”

Dan Starcher is the Public Communications coordinator for the Wayne County government.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wayne County commissioners thank 911 dispatchers for services