Dispatchers deserve our thanks

This week is National Telecommunicators week.

Massingham

This week we honor the service of our dispatchers that answer the phones when the public needs help. They are the ones that pick up the phone and say “911, what is your emergency?”

But they do so much more than answer a phone. Before the relocation of the Police Department and City Hall our dispatchers were located in the Police Department on Second Street. Many times I had the opportunity to stop in and watch them at work.

Talk about multitasking! These individuals are talking to residents on the phone. Typing on their computers and talking on radios to the police and fire departments all at the same time. Most times I’ve walked out of there thinking there is no way I could do that job, I wouldn’t want that job, but I’m sure glad these people do.

It takes special people. People who can do a hundred things at once and still keep a clear head. People that care for the person on the other end of the line and people that care about their coworkers, the police officers and the firefighters and the EMTs that are responding to the emergencies. These individuals are the lifeline for emergency personnel.

They work 10 hour shifts and they are all dedicated to their jobs and the community. Currently they are housed in a building on the Three Rivers College campus.

When we are able to build a new Police Station they will be moved into the new building. This will allow them something that has been missing since they left the police department building, camaraderie. They rarely see anyone except for the people they work with. They used to enjoy the company of the other people in the department stopping by and talking and getting acquainted with each other.

The City of Poplar Bluff employs seven people in its telecommunications department. Dave Williams, Jamie Wicker, Kimberly Johnson, Dena Johnston, Holly Lewis, Reva Wilburn, Kelly Staggs and Tracy Ketcherside. If you know any of these people and see them out, take a few minutes to thank them for their service to the community and the emergency personnel they work with.

The Sheriff’s office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol also have dispatchers in there departments and like the city’s they are the lifeline for their officers.

They don’t always get the recognition they should but along with the firefighters and police officers they are the ones that keep us safe and help us when we need help.

Let’s give them a big shout out and say thank you for a job well done.

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Mark Massingham served as finance director for the City of Poplar Bluff from 1990-2014. He was appointed to the position of city manager in July 2015. He has been married to Paula for 25 years and they have three grown children.