The Marshall County Commissioners took time to recognize the men and women who serve as the county’s Public Safety Telecommunicators, or emergency dispatchers. The dispatchers are the first people you talk to when you call the police for an emergency.
Communications Director Matt Pitney told the commissioners that dispatchers have an important job in helping residents through their emergency. There may be times when they have to help a caller administer CPR and be calm and patient enough to deliver those life-saving instructions over the phone until paramedics arrive at the scene. There could be an instance where someone is breaking into a home and the dispatcher has to keep the caller calm and safe until police arrive at the scene.
Pitney noted that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurs more often in Public Safety Telecommunicators than in other law enforcement officials.
“There’s a lot of science behind that, but the big thing is a lot of us are doers and we’re stuck behind a phone and we can’t go out there and do the CPR. We can only work them through it. On top of that, we’re visual people so we’re picturing what’s going on there. If you went and asked any of our dispatchers, there a call somewhere that hangs in their mind. I know I have several myself,” said Pitney.
The commissioners read a proclamation into the record that proclaims April 8-14 as Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in Marshall County. They thanked all who help residents in their time of need.
