I hope your department buys you guys lunch today 😌🫶

You're a butthole.

Hey everyone,
I just finished my EMD training and started solo call-taking on Sunday. I was put straight onto third shift, and I am completely drowning. I dread every single shift, feel physically ill on my way in, and am trapped in constant terror of getting an active CPR call. On my days off, I literally cannot get out of bed

I know everyone talks about "newbie jitters," but I have pre-existing OCD and mood tendencies that make me incredibly sensitive to sleep deprivation. Just one night shift has completely destabilized my brain chemistry, and my OCD is looping constantly on worst-case scenarios.

Because my 90 days just hit on October 20th, I don’t have any accrued sick time to use. On top of that, I am relocating to a new city in January. I’m terrified of how it will look if I quit after 3 months, take a temp job, and then move.
Has anyone else had to request a medical accommodation for day shift due to shift-work sleep issues? Or at what point do you realize the job is just a fundamental mismatch for your health? I feel like a failure for wanting to walk away so soon after passing training, but I feel like my mental health is red-lining

How understaffed is your dispatch center?

Hi all. I'm in my late 30s and moving into dispatch after about a decade in tech as a designer. I have applied to a few small-city and county dispatch jobs over the past week or two.

A lot of postings say they "strongly prefer" 2 years of dispatch, emergency services, or high-volume call center experience. I don't have any of that. My background is in learning and designing complex software, working with engineers, writing documentation, and working with clients.

What I've done to prepare:

86 WPM typing

Practice CritiCall tests (multitasking, memory, data entry)

Cover letters focused on staying calm under pressure, plus real-life experience handling a family member's mental health crisis

Fully aware of the pay cut, rotating shifts, overtime, and jail duties at some agencies

My questions:

Does a non-dispatch resume like mine usually get screened out, or do agencies still call people back if the basics are there?

Should I keep applying, or pause and get a year of related experience first, like a call center, alarm monitoring, EMT, or crisis line volunteering?

For those who came from unrelated careers, what helped you get your first call back?

Thanks in advance!

Hi, I was wondering if anyone is willing to share their training guideline and or programs of where a trainee should be but a weekly/phase basis. Trying to restructure our training division to be more streamline and help our trainers out. They can be DM’d to me of course! And if it’s super ‘need to know’ can’t share I totally get it.

We are a large county and been having trouble keeping trainees, even with large amounts of training hours. Anything will will help 🙏🏼

I've been working in tech (It/support) for the past few years and am trying to transition into dispatch work. I have applied to two different agencies so far and made it through the testing, initial interview, and panel interviews for both; and have been told by both that there were higher scoring applicants that they will move forward with first. They told me they were keeping the door open if more positions become available or if someone drops out. I'm curious what the likelihood of hearing back from either is or if that is a generic response they give to most applicants. I'm assuming from both that I need to improve my panel interviewing skills in order to get further in the process.

hi all, i'm currently in the process of completing all the steps to move forward with my conditional offer of employment. one of my final steps is a directors interview (second one) and i was wondering if others could share their experience about that. this is my first big job so its also my first second interview for a single job. ive seen online that its more about learning the candidates personality and how they would fit with the team and their goals. how did it go for you guys? for me, the whole process has gone well, and the first interview was pretty standard mostly about skills, tell me about a time, what draws me to the field, etc. i just wonder what path the director interview would take since ive already answered those kinds of questions in my first one

I'm looking for some outside perspectives from people who work in 911 dispatch, emergency communications, public safety leadership, or human resources.

I'm dealing with a situation at a small county 911 communications center that has left me seriously questioning leadership accountability, employee retention, and whether public safety concerns are being handled appropriately.

There are two incidents from 2026 that have raised major concerns.

Incident #1 - March of 2026

A dispatcher received a call involving a male subject who was reportedly slumped over a toilet and unresponsive. Although the call was within our agency's jurisdiction, the dispatcher transferred it to a neighboring agency that does not use Emergency Medical Dispatch. The transfer was reportedly related to the caller wanting the individual transported to a particular hospital in the neighboring county.

Our local emergency response units were not initially dispatched. They were eventually sent approximately 12 minutes later, after the neighboring agency requested their response.

The dispatcher did not report the incident to a supervisor. The Director did not become aware of what happened until approximately two to three weeks later, when a supervisor reviewing call assessments identified the issue.

Incident #2 - October 2026

The same dispatcher handled two 911 hang-up calls and created a CAD incident, but law enforcement was not notified as required by our department's procedures.

The failure was discovered over 2 and a half hours later. Another dispatcher, while checking the times associated with the calls, realized that officers had not been notified nor dispatched to this call. Director/Deputy Director were never made aware of the situation until after the sheriff called and made a complaint.

The situation involved a potential abuse case that required a hotline report.

The offending dispatcher apparently did not realize the calls had not been dispatched until the issue was brought to management's attention.

What concerns me most is the response from leadership.

The Director was made aware of both incidents. To my knowledge, neither resulted in formal written disciplinary action, a formal write-up, or documented corrective action specifically addressing the employee's failures.

Regarding the October incident, I understand that the Deputy Director was advised to send a general email to all dispatch personnel about properly handling 911 hang-up calls rather than address the concern solely with the employee involved. The Deputy Director reportedly indicated that he had spoken with the dispatcher but also minimized the incident by essentially saying that at least it wasn't something serious.

That response is difficult to understand when we are talking about emergency communications, where delays and failures to follow procedure can have serious consequences.

And these are only the two incidents we are aware of from 2026.

This employee has worked for the agency for approximately 10 years and has had several other issues throughout that time. I am concerned about whether previous incidents have been properly documented, whether corrective action has been taken, and whether leadership has adequately addressed recurring problems.

There is also a concern about consistency in discipline. Other employees have been terminated for conduct that appeared less serious, which raises questions about whether the same standards are being applied equally to everyone.

I understand that mistakes happen in dispatch. Nobody is perfect, and not every mistake should automatically result in termination. However, there is a difference between an isolated mistake that is acknowledged and corrected and recurring issues that potentially affect public safety without meaningful accountability.

My questions for those with experience in this field are:

1. How would your agency handle these types of incidents?
2. Would you expect formal documentation, a quality assurance review, retraining, or disciplinary action?
3. If a director knew about repeated incidents involving the same employee but did not implement meaningful corrective measures, would you consider that a leadership or administrative oversight failure?
4. What steps would you recommend when the normal chain of command does not appear to be addressing these concerns?
5. Would bringing the matter to a governing commission for an independent review be an appropriate next step?

I'm not looking for people to tell me what I want to hear. I genuinely want perspectives from people who understand the responsibilities of emergency communications and the importance of accountability.

At the end of the day, the concern is not personal disagreements or trying to get someone fired. It is whether the agency is protecting the public, supporting its emergency responders, enforcing its policies consistently, and holding both employees and leadership accountable when serious concerns arise.

When the people responsible for enforcing the rules do not appear to be addressing repeated problems, what is the appropriate next step?

Hello, Im not sure where to start this... please dont try to judge me too hard, I don't care if I am downvoted. Just looking for advice, testimonials and wisdom from experienced operators.

I am a little over a month into my training. For privacy, I wont disclose what county I am in, but I am a county dispatcher in Illinois.

The past two weeks have been rough. I have hit the point where I am answering my own 911 calls and NE calls. I show interest, study, I am engaged, open to critiscm, and punctual. However, I have been stressed, discouraged and overstimulated. Being a county dispatcher in my county, I handle all fire, EMS, PD, SD, animal control and other county personel traffic and 911 and NE calls in our county. Its been hard, and I will try to summarize.

Today, for example, was beyond saturated with activity. We had a fire, where the neighboring county has different coordinates and I didnt know who to task it to. I fumbled with 27, 28 and 29 returns, homicide while sounding like a kidnergartner trying to explain quantum theory in front of the class. My supervisors raise their tone of voice, correct me like DIs, saying they get irritated with me. But have also always told me I'm not a "bad" dispatcher. That I am more capable than the dispatcher hired 3 months before me. They say, "it's the small stuff", that irritates them. I'm a fast learner, but sometimes forget how to properly log, stutter and go silent on 27 - 29 returns, as I only learned LEADS (Illinois NCIC perephial) last week.

I cried today, I broke down and told my supervisor that Im not trying to nor be urgent. I took so many calls, I went numb, started shaking, fumbled and made mistakes, but still kept going. I still got corrected multiple times.

I will not say I dislike the job. I'm union, have a pension, and other perks. But I have always thought throughout my entire life, I'm not intelligent. And I am biding my time. My supervisor said, "You're not going to get fired" with a chuckle. But the way I irritate them and get corrected makes me feel like I should just do them a favor and quit. Part of me wants to, the other part wants to keep going and power through.

If anyone has had an experience or maybe some advice, no matter how blunt, I'd appreciate it.

If you know how to explain it like I’m 5, please help.

The most common deviation across the board and across agencies is for inappropriate clarifiers.

My brain sometimes gets stuck on the grey areas because I prefer black and white, like most CTs and EDs.

Why is a question asked as “did you say…?” considered an inappropriate way to clarify. Asking “right?” or “correct?” at the end of a statement, I get. Turning a statement into a question by creating an upward inflection in your voice is inappropriate. I get that, too. Making a statement and asking “is that correct?” is appropriate. Great.

But when we make a push toward open-ended and objective questions that still result in a yes or no answer feels like splitting hairs dependent on the specific phrase. “Did you say…?” and a statement with a full question after both ask for yes/no answers. I can’t get my head around it for some reason.

And I’ve read articles published by the Academy like “Clarifying Clarifiers,” but it hasn’t helped.

Hello, my roommate is a dispatcher and was working the night a mass shooting event took place. She has heard shootings and death before and oftentimes it doesn’t phase her. When I heard about what happened when I saw her the next day I asked if she was okay and she said “eh” which means she is probably shook up about it. The dispatch team in my area gets like therapy dogs and stuff but I would love to give the team that was working the same radio (I wanna say it’s by radio, she told me it’s like law radio, fire radio and stuff) as her a gift but I don’t know what would be a good gift? I mean I can always buy/make treats. I feel like a card is too simple, and a gift card for all those people is too much. What would be the best way to say “thank you for what you did that night?” Or would it be best to just not address it, and let the people in charge do what needs to be done for them? I also am an artist and could make hand made cards for the amount of people working that night with a treat. I obviously can’t know name but I can know how many people were on that team. Idk. Any advice is welcome!

Hello everyone! I recently received my email confirming that I passed the Critical and Behavioral exams for the City of Cincinnati’s (Ohio) 911 Communications position. The email included a link to the eligibility list, which shows the rankings of all 53 candidates. For privacy reasons, I’d prefer not to share my exact ranking, but I’m approximately in the 30–34 range.

From my research, I understand that the eligibility list remains active for one year and that the City typically moves forward with the top 25% of candidates initially. Since I’m ranked outside that group, I’m wondering what my chances might be of being selected to move forward during the one-year eligibility period.

The next steps would include the background check, panel interview, physical assessment, and drug screening. Has anyone been in a similar situation or have experience with the City of Cincinnati’s 911 Communications hiring process? I’d appreciate any insight into how far down the eligibility list they typically go and whether candidates outside the initial 25% are commonly contacted before the list expires.

Thank you in advance for any information or advice!

I am currently in the process of my background investigation to be a dispatcher after perusing it for the last year. I have not received an official offer just yet, but I’m hopeful that once the investigation concludes I’ll be getting one. My question is - Is there any websites I can use to practice some of the essential skills before starting? I know that they will have a lengthy training process, and I’ll develop the skills needed for the job throughout that, but is there anything I can practice beforehand so I can hopefully get a head start? I’ve been using websites to keep my typing skills sharp throughout this, but I wonder if there is one specifically dedicated to dispatching practice. Also, I was thinking of learning the official phonetic alphabet as well and possibly the 10 codes (although I believe those can differ by area so it may be best to wait until they give me direction on that).

Any advice for things I should be researching/studying to prepare is appreciated! Even if I don’t get an offer for this, I still plan on perusing the career.

Hi, I’m not sure if this is the right sub to post in- if not, I’ll delete!

Anyway, my city just got approval to develop and implement a 9-1-1 crisis diversion clinician position this year, and I am the first hire for this position. I have a background in substance use and mental health counseling, and as a crisis text counselor with 988. I’m no stranger to crisis work, but this…is something else.

My city has a preexisting team that is dedicated for crisis calls that need an in person response- they also do welfare checks, provide resources to unhoused folks, etc- each van has a licensed clinician and a medic. We also have mental health co-responders that work alongside the police. Those programs are very well developed, their training is sound, and pretty much everyone has an understanding of what they do and how they function.

I, however, feel as though I’m on my own little island. I’m on the floor at our building, not out in the community. I’m not a member of those teams, I’m my own thing within 9-1-1 operations. I’m not taking calls as they come in, currently no one can transfer calls to me directly. I am in our system as a dispatcher so that I can dispatch myself to calls and clear them from the queue if I am able to properly resolve over the phone, but if not I have to notify actual dispatch to take over. That in and of itself is pretty clunky, but it hasn’t been bad and I have a good working relationship with the regular dispatchers and call takers I’m on shift with.

However, it feels as though I was brought on before they actually had an idea of what I should be doing. Originally I was directed to do things like gather additional info on welfare checks that the call takers might not ask for that could be helpful for both PD and our street crisis teams, and to call on people who are contacting because they “need someone to talk to.” Over time though, it feels like they are shaving down those responsibilities. Welfare checks, don’t bother anymore. Don’t call unless a call has been sitting in queue for at least a couple of hours. If something is tagged for the crisis response team, leave it alone regardless (even though we just had a meeting where a focal point was not creating an expectation of “on demand counseling” for that team so that they can be available for calls that require an in-person response). My supervisor spear headed the creation of that team and I know it is their baby, and maybe I am looking a gift horse in the mouth by complaining that I’m basically told to do nothing for 10 hours a day, but every time I have tried to show initiative in my role based on what supervision and direction I’ve received, they change their mind. I am worried about the security of my job and its ongoing existence as it is grant-funded and renewal is dependent on results. I am also currently the only person hired for this role, so I am really under a microscope.

I guess I just wanted to ask anyone out there who may be in the same position, or work in a center where a position like mine exists, what does it look like there? If you were around for the position’s creation, does this just sound like normal growing pains? Any advice, experiences, or insight would be appreciated.

Tl;dr I am the first 9-1-1 based crisis diversion clinician my city has hired and it seems like no one actually knows what I should be doing, or what they want me to do in this role.

I’ve applied a couple times to this job but haven’t passed the CritiCall test. I’d like to keep applying, but I’m currently starting a divorce process and we are planning to file bankruptcy. Long story short, my stbx was an alcoholic and got us in a ton of debt, a year and a half ago I had amazing credit. Now it’s trashed and this is the best course of action. Would it be better to wait until everything is final to apply? Will a bankruptcy look really bad for applying for this job?

Tired of officers ignoring calls because they 'aren't their style'

Tired of "supervisors" nitpicking me when their officers walk all over me on the channel

Tired of admin writing SOP for an office they haven't used a mic in since before the last depression

Literally could write an essay, just wish it wasn't so lopsided against me. Why am I the only one who gets to suffer

​

I’m speaking for myself, not on behalf of my employer or anything else I may be associated with. Some of these concerns come from firsthand observations, some from screenshots I have retained, and others from reports I cannot independently verify.

I personally watched Cody post “I’ve got tea!” on his page and in his group. Hours later, after engagement had built, he posted allegations that a vendor had been drunk and harassing dispatchers at national APCO in San Antonio. The discussion included the vendor’s company name, LinkedIn, and other identifying information. This is not the first time Cody has been behind someone getting doxxed.

As best I can tell, those posts were later deleted before I could screenshot them. I’m describing what I witnessed, while acknowledging I do not have copies of that exchange.

Harassment allegations deserve a serious response. I question how teasing “tea” for hours helps the people affected. Publicly identifying someone after building anticipation invites attention that deleting a discussion cannot necessarily undo. This was nothing more than sensationalizing a serious member safety issue.

If you object to being called “the drama,” your own approach to public allegations should be open to examination.

Then there are his comments about people who no longer work a console.

In comments I have been sent screenshots of, Cody wrote, “they don’t even dispatch anymore.” When questioned, he explained that he believed those people lose touch with current conditions and referred to their service from five, ten, or fifteen years ago.

Consider which of the industry’s major voices—conference speakers, trainers, and advocates—participate in his group and which publicly support him. Membership alone is not endorsement, and silence does not establish agreement. But public supporters can reasonably be asked how they reconcile that support with these comments.

Current console experience matters. Teaching, leadership, mentoring, and years of service matter, too. Someone’s contribution does not expire when they take off the headset. Their criticism should be evaluated on its substance.

There are also reports of members being removed or blocked after questioning him. I cannot establish the circumstances of every removal. Reasonable disagreement should nevertheless have room to exist in a professional community.

Then there’s Unmuted: A Dispatcher Community and Dispatch Unmuted.

Unmuted: A Dispatcher Community was created August 14, 2026. Dispatch Unmuted’s page transparency shows August 18—a four-day gap.

Unmuted describes “a community for the people behind the headset.” Dispatch Unmuted describes “the human under the headset” and says, “behind every headset is a human being living a life of their own.”

Both describe support, wellness, connection, and life beyond the job. The descriptions are not identical. But the similar names, timing, and overlapping language are why I question whether the concept was copied.

An early follower list also showed Nocturnal Dispatchers and HAVN911 among Dispatch Unmuted’s first seven followers. Following a page does not prove who created or controlled it. It is part of why I questioned the connection, rather than proof that Cody created it.

I have also received reports that vendors were told they could not work with other groups or organizations if they worked with him. I cannot independently verify those conversations. Firsthand accounts and messages should be examined in context. Vendors should be free to support multiple worthwhile efforts without pressure to choose sides.

HAVN911, which Cody promotes, deserves clear questions as well. Users have publicly reported that substantial features require a paid subscription. A paid service can have value. People seeking support still deserve to understand what is free, what requires payment, what the AI chatbot can and cannot provide, and how sensitive information is handled.

His fundraising for dispatchers may provide meaningful assistance. That deserves acknowledgment. It does not resolve separate questions about his conduct. I cannot know his motives, and I will not pretend otherwise.

Public Reddit discussions going back to 2019 contain complaints about moderation, deleted posts, and interactions with members. Anonymous allegations are not established facts. Individual claims should be examined on their evidence rather than automatically accepted or dismissed.

I fully expect this post to make its way into his group.

If it does, give the people being discussed an opportunity to respond. Unblock members who were removed for disagreement and allow them to speak for themselves.

If the expectation is that people should put their names to their concerns, make that conversation possible. Discussing someone in front of an audience while preventing them from answering does not provide the full picture.

You do not have to accept my account without question. Ask questions, consider different experiences, and distinguish firsthand observations from unverified reports.

Anyone who publicly holds others accountable should be willing to answer substantive questions about their own conduct.

I’ve been on my own call taking for around 3 months now and actually have been doing well. I’m in the pipe for dispatching training too (our center does them separately).

Today I fucked up a medical alarm. Basically they call in saying that dude pushed his pendant alarm. I asked if they made contact w/ patient, they said “yes, he requested EMS but could not say what was wrong.” If alarm co makes contact, we’re not required to call the patient, so I put in as a priority 2 sick person, which is basically our catch-all for unk medical. But this was wrong, since it was unknown, I should have put in priority 1.

EMS arrives 10 minutes later, goes code red, dude’s literally having a stroke. They take him priority one to the ED and I feel fucking awful.

Researchers from the McMaster University Trauma and Recovery Research Unit are conducting a study to understand the experiences of racial and/or ethnic minority medical students, healthcare workers, and public safety personnel in Canada. Our goal is to explore how their racial and/or ethnic identity shapes their professional identity, influences mental health, functioning, moral injury and resilience. 

This study has been reviewed by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board under Project #18569.  

If you would like to participate in this research study, please follow the following link: https://redcap.link/minorityhealthscreener 

or scan the QR code on the recruitment flyer. If you have any questions or would like further information regarding this study, feel free to email us at [msmhteam@mcmaster.ca](mailto:msmhteam@mcmaster.ca).  

I was looking through some old records at our center and found a call I took back in 2012.

It was during a powerful thunderstorm and hail that consumed our local center. Phones were ringing off the hook with trees down and flooding and debris on the interstate from 70-MPH winds.

I get a 911 call from a lady who says her power is out. I tell her that we're overwhelmed and to call the power company and report it. She's 76, with glaucoma, so practically blind, and the power is out and it's dark so she can't see to write down the number, so I transfer her.

In my haste, I transcribed the last two numbers of the local power company and it ends up being a sex hotline. Almost exactly 3 minutes later, this lady calls back and says, "I was sent to the power company but they said I'd have to give my credit card number to continue this sexual adventure".

During an emergency, I sent a blind old lady to a sex line.

I’m feeling like I’m spiraling. The consistency of doing decent and taking too long on calls or second guessing the info I typed in has me feeling like I’m drowning.

I started in June and I hit phase two in August (call taking) and I find myself with dead air or second guessing information to where I ask the caller again. I know I’m lacking self confidence and I take my mistakes hard.

I don’t know how to find that confidence in call taking. I know what to ask but I feel like I’m always coming up short.