Of the many truths that have revealed themselves about 911 during my 30 years in the industry, one certainty stands unchanged:

No one from the outside is going to swoop in, fully recognize who we are and what we do, and take care of us in the way that we deserve.

The fact that it’s taken this long for some of us to be recognized by our respective states as the first responders that we are – and that it hasn’t happened on the national level at all – says all that you need to know about the fact that we remain largely hidden from – and unknown to – most people outside our comm centers.

I DO realize that dispatchers do not seek the spotlight. No dispatcher I’ve ever met is overly motivated by any potential award or plaudit when it comes to what fuels their desire to be great at what they do – but knowing that we are supported DOES mean a lot, and the lack of it can feel downright disrespectful.

It is for this reason that I remain a staunch advocate of dispatchers and 911 staff advocating for and taking care of each other.

Depending upon which statistics you’re looking at, there are around 100,000 911 Telecommunicators working today – and, like it or not, we are all deeply connected by this wacky gig that most of us fell into.

With that in mind – and with the certainty that waiting for someone else to take care of us is a fool’s game – I’ve come up with a handy Top Ten list of fairly simple actions that you can undertake, starting today, to better support the people you work with.

Love them? Not a requirement.

Make life a bit easier for all? Not particularly difficult to do.

Here it is, then, presented with no punches pulled:

Ten Things You Can Be Doing to Support Your Peeps in 911:

1. Stop making people fear asking questions. So what if they’re asking something “they should already know?” Answer it again. If they’re asking the same question for the fifth time this month? Answer it again. Do your part to create an atmosphere in which questions can be asked and answered without fear of shame.
2. If you happen to have oversight over others in your center, don’t just ask for feedback – follow up on it and put it to use where you can. Really. Don’t just collect pieces of scrap paper in a cavernous suggestion box where it will never be seen again.
3. Listen to your peeps. Don’t just glaze over while they talk, picking up every third word. They can tell when you listen, just like you can tell when they do. It means a lot when you actually do it, too. Put down your shit, focus on the person speaking to you and focus.
4. Help others without being asked. Sit down for someone, bring them a snack, check on them if they seem off. You have stellar dispatcher senses when it comes to people. Put them to use with your coworkers.
5. Make a big deal of the amazing work that you see and hear all around you. At the very least, let people know after you hear them do great work. To take it a step further, annihilate your superiors with email blasts trumpeting how great it was. Become known as THAT person.
6. Be approachable. Check your non-verbals. Take note of your RBF (Google it if you don’t know). Send the signal that you can be approached without actually saying so. You don’t have to be the shift ringleader, just be available for those who may need you.
7. Were you an asshole to someone? Don’t tell me that you didn’t realize it – you did. Apologize. We’re all assholes at times, but apologizing makes your asshole status temporary.
8. Work on you, for them. If you’re moody, judgmental, quick to hold a grudge, that’s all YOU. Recognize it and work on it. Whether we like it or not, 911 is all about interdependence, and that goes beyond just showing up and doing the work.
9. Let people go through their stuff when they’re new and react appropriately when they do. Just because you already went through it doesn’t mean you need to minimize their experience. Listen to them when they excitedly talk about the call they just took (even if you have taken the same call 2,457 times) and let them be amazed/astonished by it.
10. Stop taking things personally. This is a job. You don’t have to have it if you don’t want to. Your size 10 feet, that weird side-mouth dimple and your oddly shaped ear are permanent. Your job isn’t. Quit treating it like it’s eternal purgatory (55-hour work weeks notwithstanding).

If you’re already supporting your coworkers, keep up the good work. If not, I’ve made it easy for you to get started (see the handy Top Ten list above).

While your Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) may not explicitly outline the actions mentioned here, common sense and a genuine respect for our industry and the people who make it great should guide your choices.

Let’s choose to be advocates for ourselves.

Your consistent support for your coworkers, even in small doses, means everything.

Kris Inman is the Director of Program Development for The Healthy Dispatcher. A 30-year veteran of 9-1-1, Kris retired in July 2023 as Director of Springfield Greene County 9-1-1 in Springfield, MO. An awarded speaker and instructor, Kris has delivered standout educational sessions, keynotes, motivational talks and yoga instruction to dispatchers across the country. He is also a long-time college adjunct instructor, teaching courses in communication and public safety leadership. Kris holds a Master of Arts in Communication and a Bachelor of Science in Electronic Media from Missouri State University. He is also a registered yoga instructor.