Celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Martin O’Hehir has been a radio communication operator at the 911 dispatch center in Roseville for 18 years. Once he puts that headset on, he springs into action and uses his words to help people in emergencies.
"I can’t panic for you because it’s not going to do any good. You didn’t call me to panic, you called me to help," said O’Hehir.
Oftentimes, O’Hehir and other dispatchers have to adjust from tragic calls that stick to less severe 911 calls that can also be hard to forget. No matter the situation, O’Hehir says every call is an emergency and is treated as such.
Every year, dispatchers at the Roseville center answer about half a million calls. Even during a challenging time for the industry, they’re expected to keep up with the number of callers who need urgent help.
"The industry standard is 97% of your calls are answered in under 10 seconds. Our two centers together average between 98 and 99% 911 calls answered in under 10 seconds. So even with short staffing, we’re still performing at a level that’s exceptional," the Minnesota State Patrol Statewide Director of Communications told FOX 9.
The responsibilities of a telecommunicator include more than answering calls. An important skill set to be successful in this role is being able to juggle multiple things at once — listing to the radio, the phone, your partner and whoever might be behind you. This job also involves asking the right questions to provide accurate information to the responder who will be out there helping with the incident.
"I hear this a lot. You know, 'I don't like 911.' Well, the reason why is we're going to get right to the point, we're going to ask you three, four, maybe half a dozen very quick, poignant questions," said O’Hehir.
For most dispatchers, the hardest pill to swallow after a call is not getting closure. But O’Hehir said, it’s about knowing that he did his best to walk someone through a stressful situation.
To apply to be a dispatcher, click here.