HENRICO COUNTY, Va. Henrico County 911 Center is in need of dispatchers who play a critical role in community safety.
According to Henrico coordinator Ally Steuart, attracting candidates has become a challenge for many emergency centers across the country.
Steuart admitted that the work is stressful and demanding.
“I sit at a desk every day and answer that phone and save someone’s life,” she explained.
Dispatchers are also trained to provide instruction in first aid and CPR. Some have even helped deliver babies over the phone.
They work weekends, holidays and long days at the Henrico Emergency Communications Center on East Parham Road. Steuart said a typical 10-hour shift has recently changed to 2- 4-hour shifts due to the staff shortage.
“You have to be patient in this job, because for those citizens it is the worst day of their lives. If you can’t be patient and work through that, they’ll never come down to let you know what’s going on. You will never have them resuscitated. If you yell at them or are stressed because they are stressed – nothing will come out, ”stated Steuart.
Dispatchers juggle five computer screens while listening to civilians and relaying that information to officers or firefighters.
After three years of work, Steuart has risen within the ranks and is training new recruits.
But despite the challenges, working in an emergency room can pay off, she said. She described the partnership and cooperation between social workers as a family.
‘I can do CPR. I can stop bleeding from a wound. I can put someone down for hurting themselves and go home at the end of the day thinking that I saved someone’s life, ”said Steuart.
Friday morning, nine new recruits graduated from the province’s dispatcher academy.
If you would like to apply to become a Henrico 911 dispatcher, you are encouraged to apply online at Henrico.us.