Critical Calls: Dispatcher details experience in role
When the critical calls come, Chris Beck and his colleagues answer them.
“We can go from complete silence to the phone lines lighting up where everyone in the room is either processing a call or dispatching field units to the emergency location,” Beck said.
As his shift starts, Beck settles into his chair and puts on a headset. His hands are free to type quickly into the computer as the caller dictates key details about their emergency situation.
When calls reach the center, their general geographic location often dictates who gets the call, but when things get hectic whoever is free will pick up.
“All of our phones ring, and we police ourselves,” Beck said. “We're fortunate on our shift, everybody backs each other up.”
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