PULSE Magazine | April 2019 Issue

UNDERSTANDING and HONORIN

Angela Vorhies Captain 19 years in Communications 8 years in the Field 1. What drove you to purse a dispatch career? I loved being a paramedic but I was ready for a change 2. Tell me about a day in the life of a 911 dispatcher. Hectic and mentally demanding. You go from talking to someone quietly crying because they are under stress to screaming so loud that you can’t make out their words. It is multitasking at its finest. You have to be able to talk, read, type and comprehend on multiple levels all at once and you must be able to global listen to what’s going on around you. And as a paramedic if you close your eyes tie your hands to a chair and take care of your patient based solely on what the caller is saying… all day, every day. 3. What would you like the public to know about the work you do? That it’s not just pushing buttons. We are here because we choose to be. We are here because we care and we want to help. And it’s not like on T.V. I can’t just “see” where you are, there are too many variables with cell phones and with the ability to take your number with you residential phones, it isn’t always accurate.

4. How do you decompress after a difficult call? Breathing…literally there’s an app for that!

5. What misconception about being a dispatcher would you like to clarify? SHIFT CHANGE… we really try to make it happen! But we don’t always know when someone has a trade to get off the truck

6. Any other pertinent information you wish to discuss about being a dispatcher. This is a challenging, but very rewarding job and not everyone can do it.

Kristina Pena, Clinical Specialist, 15 years

1. What drove you to purse a dispatch career? My aunt was a police dispatcher and suggested I apply with her at UTPD. I worked with her for almost 5 years but had always been interested in healthcare. A friend of mine worked for Rural/ Metro ambulance and told me about an opening for a dispatcher. I’ve been hooked ever since. Being able to provide life saving instructions over a phone allows us each to help hundreds every day. 2. Tell me about a day in the life of a 911 dispatcher Long hours and 50+ patients. It can be anything from someone with a toothache to someone that’s been shot. You never know what you’re going to get when that line picks up. 3. What would you like the public to know about the work you do? Our job requires a lot of training and a lot of patience. We love what we do though! We wouldn’t be doing it if we didn’t. 4. How do you decompress after a difficult call? I usually talk about it with other coworkers. Sometimes take a break and go outside just to detach myself and reset. 5. What misconception about being a dispatcher would you like to clarify? Dispatchers are extreme multitaskers. We are usually doing at least three things at once. It’s not something everyone can do and do well. Even though we are physically sitting there, most days we leave exhausted. Mentally and emotionally exhausted. It’s a tough job and our department demands the best!

6. Any other pertinent information you wish to discuss about being a dispatcher. We are type A, multitaskers with a dark sense of humor as a coping mechanism

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