SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — When you call 911, you probably aren't thinking of who answers the phone.
If you're calling for a medical emergency, you're probably focusing on getting help for a loved one. If you're calling because of a car accident, you're probably focused on getting to safety.Â
The dispatcher on the phone, on the other hand, is focusing on several different things. When you call, they have already started sending help your way. But they are also trying to teach you how to do CPR over the phone, or ensuring the first responders on the way can get there safely. They have six computer screens showing where you are calling from, important questions to ask, how far away help is, and any other people calling at the same time.Â
It's a tricky job, one Wyatt Leber, a Supervisor of Sangamon County Central Dispatch, says is not for the faint of heart.Â
"It's really important to be able to juggle about a dozen different things all at once," said Leber. "We deal with everybody's worst day. Nobody calls 911 for fun."Â
Related Links
Leber has worked in this position for 17 years. He says dispatchers are under-supported and often under-appreciated.Â
"We have 30 dispatchers right now, which includes three trainees, but we are supposed to be at 44," said Leber. "So we are missing a third of our workforce which translates into long hours, few weekends off, and few days off."Â
He says the staffing issues are partially connected to many young adults not seeing being a dispatcher as a potential career field. Even Leber started the job because his mom made him apply many years ago. Though the job has its struggles, he says he never wants to leave.Â
"I've been the last person people have talked to [before they died] and you kind of carry that with you, but I've also helped save lives and heard the cries of a newborn baby."Â Â
Click here to learn about becoming a dispatcher.
Copyright 2024. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
