12 Truths About Being a 911 Dispatcher
1. Emotional Resilience Required
You hear people on the worst day of their lives, and you rarely get closure on how things
end.
2. First, First Responder
You provide life-saving instructions and support before police, fire, or EMS even arrive.
3. Rarely Thanked
Despite playing a crucial role in emergencies, your work is largely unseen and
unrecognized.
4. Constant Split-Second Decisions
You need to think fast, assess danger, and make critical choices based on limited
information.
5. Handling Non-Emergencies
Many calls are non-emergency or inappropriate, but you still have to handle them
professionally.
6. Stress Follows You Home
Even when your shift ends, the weight of certain calls can linger mentally and
emotionally.
7. Multitasking Mastery
Listening, typing, dispatching units, updating maps, and staying calm — often all at once.
8. Lifeline for Responders
Dispatchers are vital for officer safety and situational awareness in the field.
9. Intense and Ongoing Training
It can take months to become fully trained, and continuing education is part of the job.
10. Thick Skin Needed
Callers can be angry, panicked, or rude, and you have to stay calm and in control
regardless.
11. Long Hours
Nights, weekends, holidays — you work when everyone else doesn’t, often on
mandatory overtime.
12. Essential Self-Care
Burnout is common, and learning to disconnect and decompress is vital to staying
mentally healthy.