We know about first responders, but these are our critical first, first responders — and they are hiring

In this job, you get paid to tell cops where to go

||| BY LIN MCNULTY, theORCASONIAN EDITOR |||

If all hell breaks loose at your home or in your neighborhood and you call 911 for help, before the first fire engine departs the equipment bay, before a patrol vehicle quickly pulls a U-turn to head in the direction of the call, and even before alarm tones go off to awaken those volunteer firefighters soundly sleeping at home, your call for help is answered by the trained, skilled, efficient voice of a Dispatcher — the critical first, first responder.

First contact can be last voice in an emergency

If necessary, both a call receiver and a dispatcher may work in tandem to quickly dispatch your call for help to the appropriate department, whether it be fire, medic, police — or all of the above. One may be taking the phone call while the other makes the call-outs on the radio.

San Juan County dispatcher Robin, who will soon reach her 20-year mark as a dispatcher, captures the experience: “I cannot begin to express how much I love my job. Unfortunately, it is a job that handles much grief and sadness. We also handle joy and gratefulness,” she relates. “A dispatcher never knows what is on the other end of the line. In a split second, we can be in the middle of a situation that is out of someone’s control.” 

A dispatcher may hear a baby’s first cry as they come into the world, or experience the joy of a husband being revived after talking a wife through CPR.

“I have heard people whisper for help during a domestic. I have called back 911 hang ups to pretend to be a friend in order to stay on the line with a victim of domestic violence,” Robin relates. “I have cried and rejoiced with so many over the years. I may not know your face or you mine, but in that moment, we are family.”

So, who are these people who spend a shift waiting to help you with your emergency? San Juan County has what they consider to be an amazing group of people right now. They work well together, for the most part. They all pitch in. They laugh, they cry, they fight just like siblings. They take pride in their jobs and each other. It’s a job you grow into, that may well turn out to be your rewarding life’s work. There are a couple of ways to view what dispatchers do: (1) a high stress, thankless job that can take its toll on an individual, and (2) a job where you have an opportunity to make a difference on a daily basis. It may well be both of those experiences.

Right now, our dispatch center is down two employees, with another scheduled to depart next month. As a result, they are currently scheduled to work 12-hour shifts to ensure coverage during the busier summer hours when call volume triples. 

Here’s where you come in: To anyone interested in a career in dispatch, San Juan County invites you to come in to observe the dispatch center in action. And summer is the best time as the dispatch center is busier in the summer months. Anyone who wants to observe can email Robin, robind@sanjuanco.com. She is willing to answer any questions and provide the correct contact for further inquiries.

You may also apply for a dispatch position directly at www.sanjuanco.com/408/Employment.

Minimum Emergency Services Dispatch Qualifications
•Be a United States citizen
•Must be 21 years of age or older
•Must not have been convicted of a felony crime
•Must possess a high school diploma/GED

Benefits
•2021 Dispatch Pay Range is $4557 – $6238
•Accrued paid vacation
•Paid sick leave
•Medical and Dental insurance
•VEBA or HSA savings plans
•PERS 2 retirement plan

Civil Service rules govern the hiring process for the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office for both law enforcement and dispatcher positions. Initial testing for entry-level applicants is done through Public Safety Testing. Lateral Applicants for both deputy and dispatcher are accepted anytime through the Civil Service Commission. 

Thankfully, there are normally two dispatchers on duty at a time so they can usually take food, beverage, or bathroom breaks.

[Full Disclosure: Lin McNulty worked as a 911 Communications Supervisor for nearly 20 years.)