Good idea? Bad idea?

I have 5 years' experience taking complaint calls, some of which were urgent in nature, and think I could GET said job. I'm just not sure I WANT said job. Anyone have (firsthand) stories?

Thanks!

one of the guy on the Wa forum is a dispatcher.

would you be able to follow their playbook of 'go hide in the closet' dont resist?

I have thought about it, wonder what pay is.

I got alot of phone time

If you do, stand by for wieght gain. They are all a bunch of fat asses.

Quoted: would you be able to follow their playbook of 'go hide in the closet' dont resist?

This is exactly the kind of info I'm looking for... I'm not sure I'd be okay with that...

Make sure you can type well, and fast.  I ain't kidding.  I took the exam and the only thing that canned me was my typing speed.  The rest is pretty easy, just proving you can multitask.

ETA---- Just as well though, I'd probably get fired after my burglery intervention.


Caller:  Someones break in, please send the police!

ME: They're all out getting doughnuts.  Do you have a gun in the house?

Caller:  no

ME:  Why the f**k not?!  (..then procede to berate caller for being so irresponsible with their own protection)

I did dispatch for 3 years at an armored car company. No REAL emergeny situations (thank god) buy a lot of important "I need the info fast" situations.

The job is what you make of it. I went out of my way to do a good job there with no training.

I put info together for the other dispatchers that I did not need to, I made the job more than what it was.....

Why do you want to do it? If it is to serve the community or because it interests you  build your job skills for something bigger down the line then do it. If you just want a paycheck, then do not do it.........it is too important a job.

Don't worry about getting fat...........run more than the other guys.

Quoted: I did dispatch for 3 years at an armored car company. No REAL emergeny situations (thank god) buy a lot of important "I need the info fast" situations. The job is what you make of it. I went out of my way to do a good job there with no training. I put info together for the other dispatchers that I did not need to, I made the job more than what it was..... Why do you want to do it? If it is to serve the community or because it interests you  build your job skills for something bigger down the line then do it. If you just want a paycheck, then do not do it.........it is too important a job. Don't worry about getting fat...........run more than the other guys.

I already have a decent paycheck... It totally interests me and is within a few miles of my house. Current job is 25 miles roundtrip and is with a liberal agency. I like it fine, but the political climate is starting to get to me.

Also, down the road I'm interested in getting into Emergency Management, and this seems like it's heading in that direction. In my current job I work with the WA EMD and could probably get a job there now, but it's too far from my home, and I need to wait until the kids are out of school (5 years)...

Thanks for your input!

Quoted: If you do, stand by for wieght gain. They are all a bunch of fat asses.

Im already in a call center so I deal with that

Quoted: Quoted: If you do, stand by for wieght gain. They are all a bunch of fat asses. Im already in a call center so I deal with that

I already deal with that in my current job. No changes there...

hi, currently a 911 dispatcher here.  Check with the department you want to apply for if you can do a 'sit along' for a few hours.  It'll help you decide if that's the place you want to work in or not.  

A couple of things:  Typing is key, some departments require 40 words per minute, but it helps if you're a lot faster than that.  Closer to 60 words per minute is key.
-Another few things is how you react under stress, and your prior experience with emergency services.  If you've been an emt, leo, or firefighter it will help a bit.  

It's not necessarily hard work, but it can be stressful and the shifts can really get to you.  Keep in mind as a new dispatcher you might get the overnight shift.  Coworkers can also be a blessing or a curse, depending on their attitudes towards the job.  It's a lot of females usually working close together.  I'm a woman, and I find them annoying most of the time.  

I like the job for now, but I know for me it's probably not a job I'll be working in a few years.  However that's because I am going to school to become a leo.  But it gets you some interesting experience and you get to talk to a lot of weird people.  feel free to im me if you want any more info.

I'll send you an IM later about dispatching. You can have my job if you want it.

Do you have any medical / First Aid training?

The majority of 911 calls in many areas are medical.
Having some med training is very helpful when relaying basic dispatch nature
to EMS crews. Also being able to ask the right questions in a medical emergency helps.

Also, you'll have do deal with medical calls that you will not know the outcome of.
Once you get EMS en-route or on scene, you will just be tracking vehicles from that point.
You won't have access to what the outcomes are, good or bad.  I've heard some of our dispatchers mention this.

-B

Advice:


If a person is breathing and has a pulse... CPR IS NOT NEEDED.


That is all.

Quoted: Advice: If a person is breathing and has a pulse... CPR IS NOT NEEDED. That is all.

 DAMN! You just saved my ass on the test, for sure!

It depends entirely on the dispatch center. Where I work, it is critically understaffed and we do everything from answering 911 lines, non-emergency lines and dispatch police fire and medics on the radio. We literally do all of it at once and its non-stop the whole shift. Less than half of our new hires make it through the training.
On the other hand, some centers have very little call volume and do nothing much all day.

Quoted: Quoted: Advice: If a person is breathing and has a pulse... CPR IS NOT NEEDED. That is all.  DAMN! You just saved my ass on the test, for sure!

You'd be surprised.

I work with EMTs from various towns... the things I hear..