National Telecommunicators Week
About Linda
Hello and welcome to my column. I am an Emergency Medical Dispatcher with American Ambulance Services, Inc. in Norwich, Connecticut. American (or AASI as I might refer to it) is a commercial ambulance service serving the needs of Norwich and the surrounding areas for both ambulance and wheelchair van service. In additon to routine transfers for dialysis, doctor's visits, hospital discharges, and the like we also handle all of the 911 and other emergency transports in the Norwich area and provide paramedic intercepts for many towns nearby. AASI is also the contracted ambulance service for the world's largest casion - Foxwoods Resort and Casino in nearby Mashantucket, Connecticut. Needless to say, we keep busy!
I have been a nationally certified Advanced Emergency Medical Dispatcher with the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch for almost four years and also hold State of Connecticut Telecommunicator Certification. I have been with AASI since June of 2003, prior to that I was a 911 Emergency Dispatcher for the City of Norwich Police Department. I began my dispatching career as a Telecommunicator with the City of Stockton Police Department in Stockton, California way back in 1984 and though I took a break to do a few other things in between, dispatching seems to be my forte and probably what I will do for the rest of my life.
When I'm not behind the console, I am at home with my teenage daughter and spend a lot of time writing for my other blog entitled Are We There Yet?? The Journeys of a Single, Working Mom. Feel free to drop by anytime and say 'hi'!
I was seriously thinking about totally ignoring National Telecommunicators Week this year because it seems that everyone else does but then that just seemed so disloyal to all of my brethren dispatchers out there that I decided I should write something.
For those who don't know; each year, the second full week of April is dedicated to the men and women who serve as public safety telecommunicators. The week was first established by Congress back in 1991 but it either isn't very well known or is totally overlooked because American Ambulance is the very first place that I worked at as a dispatcher that actually recognized the week. What a pleasant surprise! Of course, they might recognize it out at Stockton PD now, I left there before 1991 so there was no National Telecommunicators Week when I was there but I know for a fact that Norwich PD doesn't do a thing for it (least ways that's what the folks I used to work with across the street tell me!).
If you've never given a thought to the people who send you on calls other than to curse their very existence for making you work, then this is the week to do so. It doesn't take much to make those of us who dispatcher happy - just a thank you or a kind word to let us know that we're thought of. We don't require coffee and donuts or flowers and chocolates (though, of course, all of those would be happily accepted!) but just a little recognition once in awhile for the job that we do.
Most people I know - paramedic, EMT, cop, firefighter - all say the same thing and that is that they wouldn't do my job for the world! I had one medic once tell me that he would rather do three back to back codes then sit up in dispatch! It's not for everyone, that's for sure, because when it hits the fan up in dispatch it really hits the fan. Sure you're busy out on the road but generally you only handle one call at a time while we handle call after call after call. We've got to be able to go from 0 to 60 in less than two seconds and even though most of us can't juggle balls or flaming torches or even bean bags we are very talented jugglers behind the dispatch console. Yes, we're all certifiably crazy but that's part of the job requirement!
So ... the week of April 8th to the 14th try to remember to say a kind word or two to your dispatchers and wish them a Happy National Telecommunicators Week. I guarantee that it will make their day and bring a smile to their faces!
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| 1002 readsThe reason it isn't National
The reason it isn't National Dispatchers Week is because there are those who work in the field that are not dispatchers but call-takers only. Back at the PD in Stockton, they were called Complaint Receipt Operators though they are called different things in different departments; for example in New York City I believe they are called 911 Operators. At most major departments, the call-takers answer all incoming phone lines and then route the calls to the dispatchers who send them out via radio and computer to responding units. Â
Consequently it isn't just the dispatchers that need to be recognized but all of the folks who answer calls for emergency services even if they never key a microphone in their lives.
But yeah, a diiferent name might be less confusing! Â
Linda
"It takes courage to be happy." ~ Carlos Santana
American is big on
American is big on celebrations it seems, Im kind of excited to see what EMS Week will bring us. Hell I always thought EMS Week was just something we all read about in JEMS untill I joined AASI.
But Linda, I would do your job if I could. Thats why I give you guys up stairs so much credit and try to be nice when Im on the radio. I cant multi task on the phone worth a damn *laughing.* I aced the written exam for dispatcher in Old Saybrook with ease, but the practical, uhhh yea nevermind. Anyways you guys diserve a week of recognition it really is a tough job. I wouldnt know for REAL but pretend was hard enough for me.
Anyways Happy National Telecommunicators Week!
By the way can you juggle chainsaws? Just questioning, not recomending. Actually Id highly discourage it. Juggling chainsaws is hazzardous to ones health.
Telecommunicators sounds a
Telecommunicators sounds a lot like telemarketing.
I bet if they changed it to National Dispatchers Week, it would be very popular.