Staffing Issues in Local 911 Center Highlighted in New Article

Photo via Jeremy Weber/Daily Inter Lake

At American Emergency Preparedness, we understand that while our job as 911 Dispatchers is inherently stressful, issues stemming from low staffing can make the environment so much worse.

A recent article from the Daily Inter Lake out of Kalispell, Montana focuses on the problems occurring in the nearby Flathead Emergency Communications Center, most of which come as a result of staffing issues. The environment depicted in the article is one that is surely common in many other parts of the country, as PSAPs are finding it harder and harder to hire and retain employees. In many centers, this has resulted in a loosening of hiring standards such as pre-employment testing and psychological evaluations to fill positions, which sets up newer employees to fail and further disenfranchises established employees. The environments are commonly due to failures in leadership, who are often themselves faced with maintaining control of a difficult staffing situation. The many quotes from FECC employees featured in the article will surely hit home for 911 Dispatchers, faced with being critically overworked and underpaid.

Read the full article over at Daily Inter Lake. American Emergency Preparedness stands with our fellow 911 Dispatchers, and we believe that a productive work environment is essential for effective training.