| A TRIBUTE TO A DISPATCHER |
| SOMEONE ONCE ASKED ME IF I THOUGHT THAT ANSWERING THE PHONE FOR A LIVING WAS A PROFESSION. I SAID" I THOUGHT IT WAS A CALLING"AND SO IS DISPATCHING. I HAVE FOUND IN MY LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER THAT DISPATCHERS ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THEY MISS THE EXCITEMENT OF RIDING IN A SPEEDING CAR WITH THE LIGHTS FLASHING AND THE SIREN WAILING. THEY CANONLY HEAR OF THE BRIGHT ORANGE FLAMES LEAPING FROM A BURING BUILDING. THEY DO NOT GET TO SEE THE JOY ON THE FACE OF WORRIED PARENTS AS THE SEE THEIR CHILD BEGIN BREATHING ON ITS OWN, AFTER IT HAS BEEN GIVEN CPR. DISPTAHCERS SIT IN THE DARKENED ROOM LOOKING AT THE COMPUTER SCREENS, TALKING TO VOICES THEY NEVER SEE. ITS LIKE READING A LOT OF BOOKS, BUT ONLY HALF OF EACH ONE. DISPATCHERS CONNECT THE ANXIOUS CONVERSATION OF TERRIFIED VICTIMS, ANGRY INFORMANTS, SUICIDAL CITIZENS AND GROUCHY OFFICERS. THEY ARE THE CALMING INFUENCE OF ALL OF THEM-THE QUIT, COMPOTENT VOICES IN THE NIGHT THAT PROVIDE THE PILLARS OF THE BRIDGES OF SANITY AND SAFTEY THEY ARE EXPECTED TO GATEHR INFORMATION FROM HIGHLY AGITATED PEOPLE WHO CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE THEY LIVE, WHAT THEIR NAMES IS, OR WHAT THEY JUST SAW. AND THEN THEY ARE TO CALMY PROVIDE ALL THAT INFORMATION TO THE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, OR PARAMEDICA WITH OUT ERROR THE FIRST TIME EVERY TIME. DISPATCHERS ARE EXPECTED TO DO FIVE THIGNS AT ONCE- AND DO THE WELL.WHILE QUESTIONING A FRANTIC CALLER, THEY MUST TYPE THE INFORMATION INTO A COMPUTER, TIP OF ANOTHER DIPSTACHER, PUT ANPTHER CALLER ON HOLD AND LISTER TO AN OFFICER FUN A PLATE FOR A PARKING PROBLEM. TO MISS THE PLATE NUMBER IS TO RAISE THE OFFICER'S IRE: TO MISS THE CALLER'S INFORMATION MABE TO ENDANGER THE SAME OFFICER'S LIFE. BUT, THE OFFICER WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND DISPATCHERS HAVE TWO CONSTANT COMPANIONS, OTHER DISPATCHERS AND STRESS. THEY DEPEND ON ONE AND TRY TO IGNORE THE OTHER. THEY ARE CHASTENED BY UPSET CALLERS, TAKEN FOR GRANTED BY THE PUBLIC, AND CRITICIZED BY THE OFFICERS. THE REWARDS THEY GET ARE INEXPENSIVE AND INFREQUENT, EXCEPT FOR THE SATISFACTION THEY FEEL AT THE END OF A SHIFT, HAVIN DONE WHAT THEY WERE EXECTED TO DO. DISPATCHERS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES, ALL RACES, BOTH SEXES, AND ALL AGES. THEY ARE BLONDE AND BRUNETTES AND REDHEADS. THEY ARE QUITE AND OUTGOING, SINGLE, OR MARRIED PLAIN, BEAUTIFU, OR HANDSOME. NO TWO ARE ALIKE. YET THEY ARE ALL THE SAME. THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE SELECTED IN A DIFFICULT HIRING PROCESS TO DO AN IMPOSSIBLE JOB. THEY ARE AS DIFFERENT AS SNOWFLAKES, BUT THEY HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON. THEY CARE ABOUT PEOPLE AND THEY ENJOY THE LIFE LINE OF SOCIETY-THAT STEADY VOICE IN A STORM- ONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO HANDLE EVERY EMERGENCY AND DOES IT WITH STYLE AND GRACE: AND UNCOMPROMISED COMPETENCE. DISPATCHERS PLAY MANY ROLES, THERAPIST, DOCTOR, LAWYER, TEACHER, WEATHERMAN, GUIDANCE COUNSLOR,PHYCHOLOGIST,PREIST, SECRETARY, SUPERVISOR, POLITICIAN,, AND THE REPORTER. AND A FEW PEOPLE MUST JUMP THROUGH THE EMOTIONAL HOOPS ON THE TRIP THROUGH THE JOY OF ONE CALLER'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, TO THE FEAR OF ANOTHER CALLERS BURGLARY IN PROGRESS, TO THE ANGER OF A NEIGHBOR BLOCKED IN THERE DRIVEWAY, AND BACK TO THE BIRTHDAY CALLER IN A MATTER OF TWO MINUTES. THE EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER ROLES TO A STOP AFTER AND 8 TO 12 HOUR SHIFT, AND THEY ARE EXXPECTED TO WALK DOWN TO THERE CAR ON STEADY FEET AND NO QUESTION IN THERE STOMACH-BECAUSE THEY ARE DISPATCHERS. IF THEY HOLD IT IN THEY ARE TOO CLOSED. IF THEY TALK ABOUT IT , THEY ARE WHINERS. IF IT BOTHERS THEM, IT ADDS MORE STRESS. OF IT DOESN'T THE QUESTION THEM SELVES WONDERING WHY? |
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| "WASN'T ME" |
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| DOES ANYBODY KNOW THE NUMBER TO 911 |
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| HEY, GUYS COULD YOU PLEASE GET ME SOME LUNCH, I'M STARVING |
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| IF YOUR GOING TO JUMP AT LEAST JUMP FROM THE HIGHEST BUILDING |
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