These "Heros Behind the Scenes" pull off miricles on a daily basis, rising to the challange of the impossible tasks they are asked to perform by the public as well as the field personell.
Communications Officers take the pressure from both sides, from the caller on the phone whom is hurt, sick, scared, drunk or mad; and from the Officer,
Fireman or E.M.T. whom finds him or herself in a bad situation. Radio traffic at a max, the phones lighting up with more emergencies, looking up streets in the map book, pageing the Command Staff, news media demanding information, calling in a helicopter and the computer system buckling under the strain, a typical 5 minute senario.
In the real world, unlike the 9-1-1 shows on T.V., things don't always end the way we would like, not everyone walks away, this too, Communications Officers have to deal with. Sometimes it's one of our Officers, Firemen or E.M.T.'s that don't walk away, at that moment the Dispatcher has to be stronger than ever. They can't fall to pieces, they can't show emotion, they have people depending on them.
It's not always dramatic, we have our lighter moments as well as down time when we are bored stiff because nothing is happening. It's like a roller coaster ride, up one minute and down the next.
It takes a very special person to be able to "wear the many different hats" required of a Communications Officer, their talents have to be many.
God bless each and every Communications Officer, performing their duties and always going the extra mile to help their fellow man.
Ruthann
Bless me with patience Lord. Patience to deal with the public, with the officers, firemen and with everyone else who makes me want to grit my teeth and yell.
Give me nerves of steel, that I may listen to a mother screaming for her child to live, the man with a gun, or an officer or fireman yelling for backup, and not give way to panic.
Grant me empathy, that I may help the battered wife, the rape victim, the abused child, and not cause them more pain than they already have.
God, give me the ability to learn what I need, to remember it quickly, and give me the wisdom to use the knowledge properly.
Bless my family Lord, for they will have to make sacrifices to shift work, overtime, canceled plans, and times when I just can't take on one more thing. Help them understand the missed ball games, school programs, and dinners for two.
Lord, give me courage. Courage to persevere when I feel undervalued, unappreciated, overworked and unrecognized. Courage to keep trying when I feel in my heart it's hopeless.
Last of all Lord, help me to never forget why I chose to do this in the first place, to never lose sight of what is important in the midst of the stress. Help me to remember that I make a difference, however small it may seem some days, and that I matter.
I am a dispatcher, Lord, grant me peace.
Unknown
