RE: 911:: Harping on a theme

[Guest guest]

,

Would you mind sharing the real/physical mailing address for your center to

include street number, street name, city, state, zip code? For any of us

who might want to send get well cards or stuff?

Just another in a long line of ignored ideas. Kind of like employee of the

month, this would be " comm center of the month that needs a boost " or

something like that.

Bob in Tacoma

[Guest guest]

Are any of these agencies considering the danger that

all of this OT is putting the officers and the public

in? Consider this: A person calls 911 for something

serious and in progress and the call taker, who has

worked so much OT he/she is barely awake, gets the

info wrong or forgets to ask a pertinent question,

etc. A citizen gets killed or seriously injured. A

lawsuit ensues....you get the point. If they don't

care about their people, they should at least care

about the money they could lose and the bad publicity.

I realize that it is difficult to get people in this

business (God knows we have had that problem and most

organizations will never be at 100%) but there has GOT

to be something that can be done before something

horrible happens.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

> I'm just tired. Our dispatchers are tired. They don't have time to take

> care of personal things at home because they're at work so much. My most

> senior dispatcher burst into tears 3 times the other day, just talking

> about how hard they're working, how the phones ring and ring and ring and

> they're answering them at the radios and they can't give the attention

they

> KNOW they need to give to the field units AND to the public. People yell

> at them on the phone to " listen to me! " and the officers are tired of

being

> told to stand by... Now, that particular dispatcher is due for her

annual

> vacation in less than a week, and she needs it. We're not canceling

> vacations. The dispatchers aren't bitching about overtime coverage for

> vacations, because they KNOW those are absolutely necessary. Another one

> of my [graveyard] dispatchers called me to ask " What's the absolute latest

> I can come in tonight? My uncle just died - I know there's no one to cover

> my shift..... " (I told her she didn't need to come in at all, of course.

> But the fact that she WAS GOING TO TRY was heart-rending. She showed up

> the next day; not taking any additional time off for bereavement.)

<snip>

, I got tears in my eyes just reading this part. I'm still worn out

from working all the overtime and sometimes our vacations did get cancelled.

There were a few folks who left and helped cause the severe shortages, and

came back when there was a change in supervision. I hear them complain about

various things and sometimes I just want to say, ya know, I STAYED through

all the bad times - you didn't have to come back.

Let your people know they are not alone - I've been there.

Michele Hriciso

mhriciso@...

Telecommunicator, Brevard County Sheriff's Office (FL)

Webmistress, www.thecluster.com

Contributing editor, www.suite101.com

[Guest guest]

I have been averaging 24-28 hours of OT per pay period

and so

have many other folks.

I work that in one week....

=====

Jim

Columbus Police

Columbus Ohio

www.columbuspolice.org

You may know where you are and what you are doing, God may know where you are

and what you are doing, but if the Dispatcher doesn't know where you are and

what you are doing, I hope your relationship with God is a good one...

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

> Are any of these agencies considering the danger that

> all of this OT is putting the officers and the public

> in? .

> I realize that it is difficult to get people in this

> business (God knows we have had that problem and most

> organizations will never be at 100%) but there has GOT

> to be something that can be done before something

> horrible happens.

>

I can't speak for everyone, but I know many administrators are wrestling

with the staffing crisis. Our center places a limitation on overtime, as

well as " turnaround " times between shifts.

We are currently 3 short, out of a staff of about 85, and these 3 will begin

classroom training in a week. However, we still have several

telecommunicators who have not been released to work unsupervised. We also

typically have someone out on maternity or long term leave, but we are

nowhere in the shape that many are. However, about a year ago things were a

lot tougher, having gone through a 24% turnover, with much of this occurring

in a very short time period. It should be mentioned, however, that some

separations were not voluntary, because despite the difficulties in

recruiting, we won't compromise our standards.

Unfortunately, many of us recognize that something has GOT to be done, but,

it will take multiple corrections to make things better.

We need to offer better salaries and benefits, and to begin early recruiting

to attract young adults to this industry. We need to offer retirement

systems that are comparable to uniformed services. We need to make

telecommunicaitons a career, and not a way station. We need to staff centers

so that when we are fully staffed we are not in a bare bones situation. We

need to have better training that utilizes modern technologies to enhance

adult learning. We need to become an equal player in the public safety

arena, and not a nebulous " support agency " .We need to be recognized in

federally funded programs that work to put responders on the street, but

ignore the fact that someone will have to deploy and monitor these

resources. We need to impress upon manufacturers the need to design better

tools for dispatchers, and in particular need better cooperation from the

wireless industry on areas of mutual concern. And, finally, before I

dismount from my soapbox, we need to rid ourselves of those among us who

abuse sick time, gossip, or otherwise burn-out or run off many good people

who might have made a positive contribution.

[Guest guest]

That sounds a lot like where I work. I decided

shortly after I got on this list and started reading

the stuff others were going through that I would never

complain about OT again. I do get upset when I know

that I am working OT because someone called in sick

just because they had the sick day available (we have

those who never amass sick time because as soon as

they get 8 hrs they use it) But, I still am not as

bad off as many others on this list, so I am counting

my blessings.

--- JOE WATERS wrote:

> Then you could work at my center were covering

> vacation time is a breeze. We

> have 22 dispatcher on a shift 4 shifts, we allow 3

> off a shift and we are at

> minimum. However they used over 10,000 hours of

> sick time, then complain

> about working overtime, that they cause. If they

> can't get off on a day

> they want they call out sick. And the ones that

> bothers me is the " I have

> been here 2 years and I worked Xmas last year I'm

> not working this year. I

> guess they didn't know we worked 24/7/365.

>

> Capt. Joe Waters

> Camden County(NJ) Communications

>

> 911:: Harping on a theme

>

>

> > I'm sitting here, wondering how to start. (Not

> speechless - no need for

> > shock! <grin> Just trying to present things as

> organized as possible.)

> >

> > July is the month we KNEW would be a mess for

> staffing. We've been

> telling

> > the [uniformed] brass our staffing situation is

> critical. With a big,

> bold

> > C, and every letter that follows just like it.

> " Overtime is not an

> issue -

> > we know the staffing situation. Just do what you

> have to do; we'll

> support

> > you. "

> >

> > Uh huh. Yah gotta have the staff to WORK the

> overtime, ya know?

> > Lessee.... we were allotted 21 dispatchers until

> the state made the rule

> > that if a position is vacant for six months, it's

> deleted. <finger snap!>

> > That took us to 20. " On the books " 20. We have

> 16, but two of those are

> > off on long-term absences. Three more are

> trainees, one of which started

> > July 2nd. That leaves 11 fully trained

> dispatchers. (Okay, so one of the

> > trainees is far enough along now that he can work

> overtime as a

> call-taker,

> > but - not to diminish his assistance or

> willingness to help - it means he

> > can work the phones to free up somebody else to

> work a radio. Which

> > they're doing for their full 10-hour shifts plus a

> bunch of 3-hour stints

> > on overtime. He can't relieve 'em for breaks,

> even to let 'em run to the

> > rest room.)

> >

> > And the other two trainees (or the two more we

> just made conditional job

> > offers to - if they pass everything, those 2

> candidates will hopefully

> > start in mid-August) - well, they need someone to

> train them. One-on-one,

> > not trying to train while working a position.

> >

> > Not an unusual situation for Comm Centers; y'all

> have either experienced

> > this yourself in YOUR Comm Centers or know of

> others who suffer the same

> > thing.

> >

> > I'm just tired. Our dispatchers are tired. They

> don't have time to take

> > care of personal things at home because they're at

> work so much. My most

> > senior dispatcher burst into tears 3 times the

> other day, just talking

> > about how hard they're working, how the phones

> ring and ring and ring and

> > they're answering them at the radios and they

> can't give the attention

> they

> > KNOW they need to give to the field units AND to

> the public. People yell

> > at them on the phone to " listen to me! " and the

> officers are tired of

> being

> > told to stand by... Now, that particular

> dispatcher is due for her

> annual

> > vacation in less than a week, and she needs it.

> We're not canceling

> > vacations. The dispatchers aren't bitching about

> overtime coverage for

> > vacations, because they KNOW those are absolutely

> necessary. Another one

> > of my [graveyard] dispatchers called me to ask

> " What's the absolute latest

> > I can come in tonight? My uncle just died - I know

> there's no one to cover

> > my shift..... " (I told her she didn't need to

> come in at all, of course.

> > But the fact that she WAS GOING TO TRY was

> heart-rending. She showed up

> > the next day; not taking any additional time off

> for bereavement.)

> >

> > We've got an excellent bunch of dispatchers. For

> the first time in years,

> > we're working UNDER minimum staffing levels on

> occasion. A few of 'em each

> > week. Oh, one or two dispatchers sniped to

> others that " They LEFT us

> > short! " - as if it was a deliberate thing. Two of

> my most dependable

> > dispatchers jumped into the verbal fray: " " They? "

> Where do you think THEY

> > are gonna GET the coverage? You see anybody else

> around here that could

> > have worked that time? You haven't noticed that

> " they " are working out

> > here WITH US? How much overtime have YOU worked

> this week, anyway? WE'RE

> > getting our days off, at least - and if SOME of us

> work on one of our days

> > off, we still have two left to recuperate. " They "

> don't get 3 days off -

> > just two - and they're both in here on THEIR days

> off and they work before

> > or after their shifts. What do you mean " they? "

> Suck it up. We're all

> in

> > this together. "

> >

> > Tempers are short and humor - that life-saver!

> Thank goodness we still

> have

> > some! - is more wicked in tone. (The stupid calls

> are still funny but

> they

> > are far more galling to handle than before... they

> take time and effort

> > away from the important stuff.)

> >

> > There IS a " they " in the equation, though. Just

> happens to be a big,

> > amorphous, bureaucratic SYSTEM; not any particular

> individuals. Getting

> > angry with a system is counter-productive.

> >

> > It's what's OUTSIDE the " system " that's

> particularly frustrating: the

> > public expectations for unrealistic levels of

> service.

> >

> > And the next time an able-bodied male experiencing

> a flat tire on his BMW,

> > with a good spare and a tire jack in the trunk,

> parked safely out of

> > traffic on the right shoulder in a populated area

> within walking distance

> > to a pay phone with a phone book in it, happens to

> dial 9-1-1 on his cell

> > phone to have US take care of it for him..

> (which will probably occur

> > within a few minutes after I sit down at a console

> this afternoon)... my

> > teeth will be tightly gritted as I suggest some

> alternatives to mitigate

> > his situation.

> >

> > At least the 95th caller reporting yet another

> grass fire might have the

> > grace to sound relieved (instead of aggrieved)

> that we already had that

> > report. Oh, and NO, " we're " not there yet,

> because it does take longer

> > than 4 minutes to get fire apparatus down several

> miles of rural roadway.

> >

> > Whoop-te-do - another spate of " 9-1-1 - are you

> reporting the [fill in the

> > blank] at [someplace]? Yes, we have that call,

> thank you. " It would be

> > sorta fun if it didn't happen too frequently.

> It's a relief when, in the

> > middle of one of those call-spikes, somebody IS

> reporting something

> different.

> >

>

=== message truncated ===

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

You know ... I've heard you talk well of your " brass " on several

occasions.. and I fell lucky to have a good Lt. and F/St at my post...

But....

They say....

> " Overtime is not an issue -

we know the staffing situation. Just do what you have to do; we'll support

you. " <

Yes... overtime IS an issue!

It may not be for them... they don't have to work it... they're not the

ones who must miss family functions.. they're not the ones who

go home so dead tired they want to cry... they're not the ones

whose bodies ache... or who may lose concentration in a

critical moment...

Overtime IS an issue!

Knowing the staffing situation... and working hard to change it are

two different things... just " knowing " the situation changes nothing.

The fact that if a position is not filled within a certain length of time, you

lose it, is ridiculous... are the " brass " working hard to change that

situation..or do they just " know " it?

Is it the same with enforcement personnel?

The next time they don't " fill " an academy... say they have 10 or 12

" dropouts " .... we'll just never fill those 10 or 12 positions....

I think not.

" Just do what you have to do, we'll support you " .

The key word here is... do what " YOU " have to do...

It really doesn't effect them... so do what " YOU " have to do....

It's very nice to say " we'll support you " .

But true " support " is actively working toward solving the problem.

Just to say " we'll support you " is not enough.

My Lt. is a great guy, and his heart is in the right place.

But just the other day he made this statement....

" You know, if we ever got in the situation where we had operators

who didn't want to work overtime... we'd really be in trouble. "

I have a surprise.....

We're in trouble now.

We're understaffed... undertrained.. underpaid... underappreciated...

And we're tired.

" heard it all before " Weintraut

[Guest guest]

> " when you

get out of the car tilt

your head back, if your face gets wet it is

raining. " <

>This is GREAT!! I have longed on a number of

occasions to do something like this... ;o)<

Oh... you will...

Answer about a million more " stupid " phone calls.

Work about a million more hours behind the console.

And one day it will hit you.

You will...

Weintraut

[Guest guest]

>snip

A moment

of insanity seized me and I yelled back " when you

get out of the car tilt

your head back, if your face gets wet it is

raining. " Hopefully she had a

companion with her to tilt her head back down before

she drown.

>snip

This is GREAT!! I have longed on a number of

occasions to do something like this... ;o)

Owens

Kane County Communications

Kanab,UT

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

*****Beware, long rant follows...*****

On Sat, 7 Jul 2001 14:10:46 -0700 (PDT) Kim WIlson

writes:

> Are any of these agencies considering the danger that

> all of this OT is putting the officers and the public

> in?

I've been lurking for some time, but I just had to reply to this one.

OF COURSE we have (at least in my agency, and, I'm sure in

most others).

I am the manager of a medium size police/fire dispatch center in

Southern California. Fully staffed we would have 25 dispatchers

(including six supervisors, one of which is a rotating training

coordinator). This means that I am the one with the end

responsibility for hiring folks. I have only been the manager

a year; I came from a neighboring agency with many of the

same issues.

Here is how my last recruitment went: 20 applied. 8 passed

the written.3 passed the oral. 2 passed the background. 2 were

hired. Even " fast-tracking " the process, that took 4 months.

When I came on board, the previous manager made the decision

to put five trainees on their own who were not yet trained for

primary police radio. Right now, we have managed to get 2 of

those folks fully trained.

Okay, that means that today, we have 3 people who are not

yet able to work the primary police radio, 3 (one hired in a

recruitment that ended up with only her) trainees and we still

have 4 openings (including one for supervisor that no one in-

house wants).

So, we are trying to train six people with 7 trainers. Our

training has been taking over a year (another problem I am

trying to address). Training takes a back seat much more

than it should.

And, as mentioned, it is " vacation season " . Many of

these folks are topped out on the vacation they earn - so they

have a lot. Even more than normal since the previous manager

was trying to contain overtime by limiting time off.

Since I have relaxed the vacation rules, up to three people can

be off at the same time. (Doing the math, with what they all earn,

if I don't do that I am not giving them the ability to take off as

much as they earn in a year, not to mention whittling down all

the hours they have accumulated.)

We serve a population of approximately 180,000 in a municipal

setting. We staff 5 from Noon until 0200 and 3 the rest of the

24-hour period. The dispatchers work 10s and the supervisors

work 12s. We average over 900 phone calls in a 24-hour period,

without having to deal with the size of the " spikes " that CHP helpfully

siphons some of off for us.

Counting the ones not " fully " trained, I have 21 people able to work

a shift. It takes 11 people to fully staff a 24-hour period. We " run

short " for pieces of shifts a lot, but even so, folks are tired.

We have folks that like to work overtime and folks that don't, just

like anywhere else. In May, we had over 800 hours of overtime. If

equally divided by the 21 (which of course, it wasn't), that would

average 38 hours each, or, about a shift a week. Oh, did I mention

some of those folks were actually *on vacation*? And that some

folks are unwilling to work OT unless mandated and so worked

much less than " their share " . One of the supervisors worked 96

hours of overtime that month and was training during her " regular "

shift.

Geez, no wonder they are tired. And there is no end in sight.

It is not that we don't care - its that we can't keep up. We are

overwhelmed.

Which of course, doesn't mean that we don't keep trying, our

very best, day in and day out. Because we do care, very much,

about both the public safety professionals and the public that we

consider to be in our care...

Sorry to be so long winded. I dispatched for 28 years and am

now an administrater that some folks may think of as part of " THEY " .

I *do* understand how the dispatchers feel (and even think of

myself as still being one). And I just wish " THEY " would (or could)

do something about the problems!

As I am sometimes smilingly reminded: " Just remember - you

*competed* for this job! "

-Annette

Oxnard Police/Fire Communications

________________________________________________________________

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