Mahalo, dispatchers!
This week is National Telecommunications Week, a time that our nation has set aside to recognize the valuable contribution that our 911 dispatchers make toward the safety of our communities.
911 dispatchers are the first of first responders as they take the emergency calls as they come in and then forward the calls to the appropriate help — either police or fire. They are the heroes we only hear; they are the voice of calm when we are at our worst. They help victims of crime, accident victims and people in health emergencies. Dispatchers save lives.
Here on the Big Island, we have two call centers — one for police and one for fire that handle all the emergency calls to 911. A new call center is being built, but our dispatchers currently work in older facilities that are cramped and without windows. They work long hours handling very stressful calls. They are both currently understaffed, resulting in them having to work longer hours to ensure the safety of our community.
To quote an article from The Behavioral Insights Team: “… We interviewed 911 dispatchers and supervisors to identify the root causes of burnout and high turnover in the field. In addition to being a stressful job (dispatchers answer about 2,400 calls a year, work long hours with low pay, face emotional exhaustion, and more), dispatchers can feel undervalued and isolated compared to other emergency service providers.
“For example, firefighters and EMTS have strong professional communities. They’re also federally classified as first responders and receive corresponding resources. Dispatchers work alone, as high call volumes tie them to their desks. The federal government classifies them as clerical workers as well, which limits the benefits they receive and understates their important role in emergency response.”
I visit both of our call centers regularly and have spoken to dispatchers after a particularly difficult call, and can attest to the incredible responsibility they have and the toll it takes on them emotionally, mentally and physically.
Dispatchers are not only responsible for the lives of callers but the lives of officers and fire personnel that they dispatch to a scene. The missing of an important detail as they receive and forward information can mean a tragic outcome. This is a terrible burden for anyone to have to bear.
When calls go bad, a dispatcher can find their handling of a call being scrutinized in internal investigations. But even worse, the dispatcher’s own doubts about how they handled a call that didn’t end well can be the most damaging to their mental health.
On the positive side, they do save lives, and have many positive outcomes that are rewarding and keep them coming back to work another day. All this to say, if you know a dispatcher, take the time to show them your appreciation for their tireless efforts and the sacrifices they and their families make to help us in our time of need.
Our community is a better and safer one because of them. We applaud you during National Telecommunications Week!
Renee Godoy
Big Island police and fire chaplain coordinator
Great service
This is in praise of the handicapped services at our Hilo and Honolulu airports.
I am a retired occupational therapist, and yet I was unaware of their availability and quality until I needed them recently on a trip to Honolulu and back for a medical procedure. The attentiveness of the airport employees as well as the TSA personnel were both kind and patient with me.
We can all be grateful for this superlative service.
Lois Margaret Drake
Volcano