When people ask me what I do for a living, and I'm at that age that it comes up at least once a week when out and about, I sometimes hesitate with my answer. "I'm a 911 dispatcher." It's not that I'm not extremely proud of what I do, you all know I am but immediately following that answer usually comes something along the lines of, "wow that's awesome! What are some of the craziest calls you've gotten." This part is difficult. Most of our calls are in some fashion "crazy." Think about it, my coworker's and I are the first to respond to someone's worst day. If we aren't directing them to a different number to call, we are on the phone with someone who would rather NOT be in the situation they are in or on the line with someone who was just trying to get home to their family. OR we are on the line with someone who is a new parent and their newborn doesn't seem to be breathing, or a child who's parents are fighting or an elderly person who woke up and found their loved one deceased. OR someone that does not want to fight the good fight anymore and wants to die themselves. You get my drift. The trend here is that us 911 calltakers and dispatchers, we are the very first responders. We are the ones that have to get an address from a screaming mother, an irate citizen or a small child and take the tools we've been trained on and get them the help they need. To do it right the first time. We are the help and we have to do this while never passing judgments or giving too much advice. But, that's not where it stops. Every call taker spends part of their night if not their whole night, dispatching police. As dispatchers, we are the voice on the radio to our officers. Officers that put their lives on the line every day for citizens that beg for their help but then treat them as though they don't want their help. The officers that call off with a foot chase with an armed subject who just did a drive by shooting and we are to know at all times where they are, to get them as much help as they need. We are the ones that hear the change in their voice when they get into a fight with a criminal or when a routine call "goes south." We are the voice that checks on their disposition while they are on calls, to make sure they will get home at the end of their shift to their families. And we want more than anything for just that. We are their help. I could go on and on but there's no way for anyone to understand our job until they are immersed in it. Personally, I do know that I'm beyond lucky to work where I do, for the department that I do. I would not be able to support my child on my own without it. I would not have had my eyes opened a little wider to the realities of what goes on in my city or sometimes the world. I would not have met some of the strongest people I know who work endless hours, miss holidays all because we chose to serve our community. To help. It's not easy. We miss out on our children's lives, we can't spend time with friends or family like others. We sacrifice. Thank you to my own friends and family who stick by my side regardless. Thank you for the help you've given and will continue to give me with my son. Thank you for being proud of me and supportive and ears to listen when I get restless. Thank you to my coworkers who work day and night with me. Thank you for laughing with me and crying with me. Thank you for being like family to me even when we sometimes drive each other mad. Thank you to the officers I work with that continuously keep us on our toes and who are able to joke around in the worst case scenarios. I like being on the side I'm on, being your voice. I never hate going into work because I remember every night how blessed we all are to not be on the other end of that line. I will still be on the other end to answer. Sometimes we are not seen but we are always definitely heard.
