First Contact
As a street medic I never get to hear the original 911 call. By the time we get there they’ve been on the phone with the dispatcher who has, more than likely, already given first aid instructions to the caller. To be honest I never really considered the stress this first call has on our dispatchers until I received so many emails and requests to do a piece for them. I’ve heard some scary stories from dispatchers from all over the world that just made my toes curl. Can these types of calls trigger PTSD? I think so.
This is the first in a series of 911 dispatcher pieces I’m going to do for my brothers and sisters who are first contact to our emergency event. Not only do they deserve recognition for the stressors of their job, I also want to point out that they are our lifeline in case things go bad ... and I’m sure we’ve all had to rely on them for help in that way.
