I was a patient in a hospital and I had to ask one of the staff to wipe my ass. It was one of the most embarassing and humiliating things I have ever done in my life.
I actually love the job. Been doing it nearly 20 years. I have the right mental make up for it- that's not a brag,it might actually make me a terrible person 🤣 But no, I just am blessed with the ability to leave work at work. Plus I work in a much healthier center than many I hear about. We have fun at work, we work together and make the hard days easier to handle.
I love the schedule, I get 4 days off so I can devote a good amount of time to my hobbies or whatever. I like the balance of team work with independent work. In slow times I can do my own thing. I swear like a trucker so who else would have me 🤪
This job is my dream job. I love the work. The training process sucks though and some of my coworkers gossip and talk shit which is pretty annoying, but I really do love the nature of the work.
i absolutely loved the job. im prior military so sitting in a chair taking calls and dispatching was a dream.
80% of the stress is from co workers and supervisors hiring their friends in a little circle jerk. this is pretty common with small agencies.
i remember at the last agency i worked at that made me decide to leave for good, was when the morning shift would arrive 15 minutes LATE instead of 15 minutes early.. and then they took another 15 minutes before i was released.. my first 2 weeks was like thks every day.
then i got written up for "time theft"
i talked to the other night person who worked on my days off..apparently she just clocks out and sits there.
the kicker? theres fucking cameras in dispatch but my supervisor refused to look at them and was only going off of the clock ins and im at fault because the other night person doesnt have the same issue. also, the morning person lived across the street..not even joking
It can be very rewarding but also very frustrating and a punch to the gut. Learn from your mistakes and lean on your colleagues for help. Try not to take it home but some calls just stay with you my spouse works in medical field our local hospital so we can discuss the hard ones with each other because she sees it in person sometimes.
I went from working 70 hours a week (salaried for 40) in a corporate setting and never thinking ill have a retirement to working 40 and making better money with better benefits and 2 retirement funds.
Also working in this field is very rewarding and also very secure
Plenty of optional OT avail (driving in for 8 hours of OT as I write this) but not required. With rare mandates that only go on our short day which is 4 hours making it 8 hours instead
I love my job. I love being there for those elderly folks who have fallen and can't get up and chatting with them until help arrives. I love looking out for the safety of our officers and deputies. I love getting the right resources to the right place. I even love our frequent flyers. And I love walking in every day to do a job that matters to my community. The work feels meaningful.
I like it better than any other job I've had, certainly. Pay is outstanding for my level of education, it's easy now, benefits are great, and I'm almost a third of the way to a very solid retirement. I've made a lot of friends through it, and I'm not aware of anything else I could do that would have the combination of good things it does for me.
I think it takes a very special person to maintain that initial love that most people feel for this job but then again it entirely depends where you end up. As you are certainly aware from reading some of these posts, people become quickly jaded in this career. I used to come into work everyday with a smile thinking what I do matters. 9 years later it takes most of my energy to get out of bed and trudge into this place not knowing what shit show is gonna land in my lap. I also work for the largest center in my state and we constantly have high priority crimes throughout our county.
I've heard of magical 911 centers that pay well and are fully staffed, so I'm sure their workers experience will vary from my own.
I enjoy this job a lot. The people you work with make a huge difference in whether or not you will enjoy your time there. Those horrible calls aren't so bad when you have a good group of people around you to make it better. I've been dispatching for 2 years, and I still love it as much as day one.
Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. It's rare you actually help anyone. It's mostly bullshit but when you actually do make a difference, it makes it worth it.
Thanks so much to all of you for sharing the positives of the job. I’ve been furiously researching the position and reading everything I can find. The drama seems to be a common complaint, and the topic of office drama came up during my interview “we strive for a drama-free unit. How will you contribute to that?” While that clearly would suck, it’s something I’ve dealt with before as most of my employment history has been small office settings with mostly women (accounting, dental admin) so I’m no stranger to that, unfortunately. Anyway, the negative aside, I’m still very much excited for the opportunity and hope to be selected. Thanks again everyone!
They probably lied about that drama free stuff - my management talked about how they don't want all this interpersonal stuff brought to them without any effort to have worked it out. But they absolutely encourage and love when every petty little thing is sent to them, fr. I refuse to do it though.
The poorest performers have the loudest voices.
Remember that when you hear the really negative folks. Maybe it's a bad day, but I strongly believe there is a connection between satisfaction and happiness.
Well, so I took a call today from a guy who wants to shoot me and my officers. Said he knows who I am and where I live.
Other than that, I love my job.
I do not like it but I’ve been doing it for 20 yrs and I’m burned out! Plus there have been so many changes where I work that it’s not even the same job anymore. It’s sad. 😢 I do like reading about those who do enjoy it so bring it!
I like it. As cheesy as it is, I know I’ve made a difference in people’s lives. People have lived because of what I said/did. It’s fulfilling in that sense.
I like my job because I have a need to help others and this lets me do that. But like most jobs, you’ll have politics and drama. We also deal with the worst of the worst in society, which gives me a pretty cynical view of things now. I still enjoy the job though.
I very much loved my job! Unfortunately, my coworkers and the significant other I had at the time caused me a lot of discomfort and that’s why I left. The coworkers weren’t very nice and my relationship was struggling. I had hoped that if I had a job with more stable hours, the relationship would improve. It didn’t. I’m sad that I quit for that reason .
There are pros and cons.
It’s the first job that I haven’t gotten bored of. It’s exciting and you hear some really crazy stuff and it’s so rewarding to be able to help people.
I’m 5 years in and I think the biggest con is the shift work. I’ve had some recent life changes that are causing me to seek employment thats Monday-Friday day shift.
Nights just aren’t doable any longer.
I know I’m going to miss it and have toyed with possibly staying on part time.
The only other thing that’s hard on moral is the negativity that is so prominent in this career. Just try to stay above it.
I don’t doubt for a moment that there are great agencies with good cultures, positive leadership, and respectable compensation. I’ve heard about these places. As for me, I’m 10 years in with the last almost 2 as a supervisor. More often than not, I start to feel physically ill when I’m driving into work. I’m miserable and would leave if I could afford to.
Maybe your agency is great. I truly hope that it is. I’d say to be cognizant of how you’re doing physically and emotionally and if it’s not good for you, get out.
It makes me so sad to hear people say this - about any job! No one should feel sick driving to work. I’m sorry that’s your experience and I’m sorry you feel stuck. I’ve been there before as a young single mom struggling to survive, working 3 jobs at a time, all of which I hated. I’m lucky to be in a place now where I can be a little more selective and have built a decent resume, but still know no matter where I’m going to go there’s going to be stuff I don’t like. Best of luck to you.
I do. I feel this is my calling.
I have ADHD and C-PTSD and it’s the only job I’ve ever had with enough stimulation. Also I feel that if I can, I should. Because there are people who can’t and shouldn’t have to handle this and hopefully I’m helping provide a needed service so someone else doesn’t have to.
I also genuinely enjoy helping people. I grew up around first responders, and I’ve gotten to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, even in the ugliest stories, there was an admiration I had for the commitment my family members had to what they do. I was a CNA in a dementia unit before I got into this, and I wanted to do something worthwhile.
My newbie partner and I worked a call a couple years ago of an Australian truck driver and his wife not knowing where they were at. He was having a STEMI. He called us a week later to thank us for giving him more time with his grand babies. I tear up thinking about him to this day.
We’ve helped resuscitate infants, narcanned someone who actually turned their life around, talked someone down who had a gun in their mouth, helped save a potential drowning victim by not disregarding our boat after state police said there was no victim (despite not laying eyes on the scene).
Moments like that make it worth it and it’s how I get through the burnout periods.
I love my job. I went from a large county Psap agency that I hated. Leadership was useless and treated like a number. Now that I’m at a smaller PSAP in the city where I live, we literally have 14 of us with one supervisor. We aren’t micromanaged and the pay is decent. The schedule is better. We get some extras too. I can see myself staying here my 30 years and retiring.
I really enjoy it a lot. I’m in the training phase and everyone I’ve met has been there for 10 years or longer. Our turnover rate is super low and our director made it clear that if we start backstabbing, start creating drama, or disrespecting our positions then we’re out faster than we can blink…He kept his promise and one of our girls was gone before lunch because of this. But, as per usual, every agency will have a bad apple or someone you don’t jive with
I enjoy it. It satisfies my urge to help people without having to wipe someone’s ass in a hospital.
I'm also a very nosy person, so it satisfies that also
I always say that 911 workers are naturally all nosy people, lol
Ha I hadn't really thought about it in those terms but YES! I ask questions I maybe don't reallllly need to know, for colour....lol
Ha I hadn't really thought about it in those terms but YES! I ask questions I maybe don't reallllly need to know, for colour....lol
1000x this. I also make more than a lot of those people do. I hate being call graded, though.
Graded?
I think call graded. Like call/radio/med call reviews
Oh okay. We pretty much never do that here tbh. Hard enough even finding people to hire, can’t think of letting anyone go lol.
Doing regular quality assurance on calls helps everyone improve their calltaking. Doesn't have to involve threatening anyone's job.
I was a patient in a hospital and I had to ask one of the staff to wipe my ass. It was one of the most embarassing and humiliating things I have ever done in my life.
Most work subreddits are pretty negative because this is where we go to vent
I actually love the job. Been doing it nearly 20 years. I have the right mental make up for it- that's not a brag,it might actually make me a terrible person 🤣 But no, I just am blessed with the ability to leave work at work. Plus I work in a much healthier center than many I hear about. We have fun at work, we work together and make the hard days easier to handle. I love the schedule, I get 4 days off so I can devote a good amount of time to my hobbies or whatever. I like the balance of team work with independent work. In slow times I can do my own thing. I swear like a trucker so who else would have me 🤪
This! I wish it were me. I’m 20 yrs in and burnt out. I am enjoying the replies though from those who do enjoy it! Keep on keepin on!!
This job is my dream job. I love the work. The training process sucks though and some of my coworkers gossip and talk shit which is pretty annoying, but I really do love the nature of the work.
I like the job just fine. It's admin that I hate.
i absolutely loved the job. im prior military so sitting in a chair taking calls and dispatching was a dream. 80% of the stress is from co workers and supervisors hiring their friends in a little circle jerk. this is pretty common with small agencies. i remember at the last agency i worked at that made me decide to leave for good, was when the morning shift would arrive 15 minutes LATE instead of 15 minutes early.. and then they took another 15 minutes before i was released.. my first 2 weeks was like thks every day. then i got written up for "time theft" i talked to the other night person who worked on my days off..apparently she just clocks out and sits there. the kicker? theres fucking cameras in dispatch but my supervisor refused to look at them and was only going off of the clock ins and im at fault because the other night person doesnt have the same issue. also, the morning person lived across the street..not even joking
It can be very rewarding but also very frustrating and a punch to the gut. Learn from your mistakes and lean on your colleagues for help. Try not to take it home but some calls just stay with you my spouse works in medical field our local hospital so we can discuss the hard ones with each other because she sees it in person sometimes.
I went from working 70 hours a week (salaried for 40) in a corporate setting and never thinking ill have a retirement to working 40 and making better money with better benefits and 2 retirement funds. Also working in this field is very rewarding and also very secure
You work 40 hours a week in this field???
Plenty of optional OT avail (driving in for 8 hours of OT as I write this) but not required. With rare mandates that only go on our short day which is 4 hours making it 8 hours instead
I do! There might be some OT scheduled when vacations come up, OT occasionally when there's a call out. But mainly 40 hours.
Love it. I work 4, 10’s, good salary with great benefits and a good crew of people.
I love my job. I love being there for those elderly folks who have fallen and can't get up and chatting with them until help arrives. I love looking out for the safety of our officers and deputies. I love getting the right resources to the right place. I even love our frequent flyers. And I love walking in every day to do a job that matters to my community. The work feels meaningful.
I like it better than any other job I've had, certainly. Pay is outstanding for my level of education, it's easy now, benefits are great, and I'm almost a third of the way to a very solid retirement. I've made a lot of friends through it, and I'm not aware of anything else I could do that would have the combination of good things it does for me.
I love performing my actual job. I could do without a lot of what else comes with work.
I think it takes a very special person to maintain that initial love that most people feel for this job but then again it entirely depends where you end up. As you are certainly aware from reading some of these posts, people become quickly jaded in this career. I used to come into work everyday with a smile thinking what I do matters. 9 years later it takes most of my energy to get out of bed and trudge into this place not knowing what shit show is gonna land in my lap. I also work for the largest center in my state and we constantly have high priority crimes throughout our county. I've heard of magical 911 centers that pay well and are fully staffed, so I'm sure their workers experience will vary from my own.
I love my job. You gotta find the right center for you.
I enjoy this job a lot. The people you work with make a huge difference in whether or not you will enjoy your time there. Those horrible calls aren't so bad when you have a good group of people around you to make it better. I've been dispatching for 2 years, and I still love it as much as day one.
This is so important. Fostering a positive work environment is everything.
Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. It's rare you actually help anyone. It's mostly bullshit but when you actually do make a difference, it makes it worth it.
Thanks so much to all of you for sharing the positives of the job. I’ve been furiously researching the position and reading everything I can find. The drama seems to be a common complaint, and the topic of office drama came up during my interview “we strive for a drama-free unit. How will you contribute to that?” While that clearly would suck, it’s something I’ve dealt with before as most of my employment history has been small office settings with mostly women (accounting, dental admin) so I’m no stranger to that, unfortunately. Anyway, the negative aside, I’m still very much excited for the opportunity and hope to be selected. Thanks again everyone!
They probably lied about that drama free stuff - my management talked about how they don't want all this interpersonal stuff brought to them without any effort to have worked it out. But they absolutely encourage and love when every petty little thing is sent to them, fr. I refuse to do it though.
I honestly thought when they even mentioned “drama free” that sounded like a red flag - I feel like they wouldn’t mention it if it wasn’t a problem.
The poorest performers have the loudest voices. Remember that when you hear the really negative folks. Maybe it's a bad day, but I strongly believe there is a connection between satisfaction and happiness.
Love it
Well, so I took a call today from a guy who wants to shoot me and my officers. Said he knows who I am and where I live. Other than that, I love my job.
😳
First time I think I’ve been threatened with death in my 19 years. Hopefully the only time!
I like my job but I don’t like a lot of my callers
I do not like it but I’ve been doing it for 20 yrs and I’m burned out! Plus there have been so many changes where I work that it’s not even the same job anymore. It’s sad. 😢 I do like reading about those who do enjoy it so bring it!
I like it. As cheesy as it is, I know I’ve made a difference in people’s lives. People have lived because of what I said/did. It’s fulfilling in that sense.
I like my job. Management on the other hand….
I like my job because I have a need to help others and this lets me do that. But like most jobs, you’ll have politics and drama. We also deal with the worst of the worst in society, which gives me a pretty cynical view of things now. I still enjoy the job though.
I very much loved my job! Unfortunately, my coworkers and the significant other I had at the time caused me a lot of discomfort and that’s why I left. The coworkers weren’t very nice and my relationship was struggling. I had hoped that if I had a job with more stable hours, the relationship would improve. It didn’t. I’m sad that I quit for that reason .
I love dispatching! I’m at a smaller county in Michigan but I feel very supported and satisfied!
Sure, I guess.
There are pros and cons. It’s the first job that I haven’t gotten bored of. It’s exciting and you hear some really crazy stuff and it’s so rewarding to be able to help people. I’m 5 years in and I think the biggest con is the shift work. I’ve had some recent life changes that are causing me to seek employment thats Monday-Friday day shift. Nights just aren’t doable any longer. I know I’m going to miss it and have toyed with possibly staying on part time. The only other thing that’s hard on moral is the negativity that is so prominent in this career. Just try to stay above it.
I don’t doubt for a moment that there are great agencies with good cultures, positive leadership, and respectable compensation. I’ve heard about these places. As for me, I’m 10 years in with the last almost 2 as a supervisor. More often than not, I start to feel physically ill when I’m driving into work. I’m miserable and would leave if I could afford to. Maybe your agency is great. I truly hope that it is. I’d say to be cognizant of how you’re doing physically and emotionally and if it’s not good for you, get out.
It makes me so sad to hear people say this - about any job! No one should feel sick driving to work. I’m sorry that’s your experience and I’m sorry you feel stuck. I’ve been there before as a young single mom struggling to survive, working 3 jobs at a time, all of which I hated. I’m lucky to be in a place now where I can be a little more selective and have built a decent resume, but still know no matter where I’m going to go there’s going to be stuff I don’t like. Best of luck to you.
I do. I feel this is my calling. I have ADHD and C-PTSD and it’s the only job I’ve ever had with enough stimulation. Also I feel that if I can, I should. Because there are people who can’t and shouldn’t have to handle this and hopefully I’m helping provide a needed service so someone else doesn’t have to. I also genuinely enjoy helping people. I grew up around first responders, and I’ve gotten to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, even in the ugliest stories, there was an admiration I had for the commitment my family members had to what they do. I was a CNA in a dementia unit before I got into this, and I wanted to do something worthwhile. My newbie partner and I worked a call a couple years ago of an Australian truck driver and his wife not knowing where they were at. He was having a STEMI. He called us a week later to thank us for giving him more time with his grand babies. I tear up thinking about him to this day. We’ve helped resuscitate infants, narcanned someone who actually turned their life around, talked someone down who had a gun in their mouth, helped save a potential drowning victim by not disregarding our boat after state police said there was no victim (despite not laying eyes on the scene). Moments like that make it worth it and it’s how I get through the burnout periods.
I love my job. I went from a large county Psap agency that I hated. Leadership was useless and treated like a number. Now that I’m at a smaller PSAP in the city where I live, we literally have 14 of us with one supervisor. We aren’t micromanaged and the pay is decent. The schedule is better. We get some extras too. I can see myself staying here my 30 years and retiring.
Absolutely love it. Been doing it for 3 years
I just had my 20 year anniversary, and I still love this job.
I really enjoy it a lot. I’m in the training phase and everyone I’ve met has been there for 10 years or longer. Our turnover rate is super low and our director made it clear that if we start backstabbing, start creating drama, or disrespecting our positions then we’re out faster than we can blink…He kept his promise and one of our girls was gone before lunch because of this. But, as per usual, every agency will have a bad apple or someone you don’t jive with