By Brooke DeLong
“Between the thin red line and the thin blue line lies the thinnest gold line. The gold line represents those that are rarely seen but mostly heard. The calm voice in the dark night. Dispatchers: The golden glue that holds it all together.”
Author Unknown
They sit in a room with multiple computer screens in their line of vision, surrounded by phones. These men and women are multi-taskers who have to think quickly and remain calm, no matter what is happening on the other end of the line. In essence, they are our first, first responders.
Watching at least eight calls come in from one mishap on the highway, known as a “hot call,” the dispatchers communicated with the people on the line, sent out deputies and an ambulance while talking to each other trying to figure out what was occurring. Without being on the scene, they rely on the information the caller is relaying. And, everyone told a different story.
Creek County’s Supervisor of Communications, Dell Griffin has been working in dispatch for the last twenty-eight years and she shared some insight into this fascinating line of work. Remaining calm is essential to their occupation even when it means speaking with a distraught mother on the phone whose child is missing, for instance. Sometimes the dispatchers don’t always know the outcome of the call and are left wondering, which can be challenging. Incidents regarding the elderly or children can be especially hard.
This occupation isn’t for everyone. Dell said, “I’d rather someone say they can’t do the job than put someone’s life in danger.”
The dispatchers go through eight weeks of training and some don’t make it through their first eighteen months on the job due to the demands.
While Shelby Storts, the other dispatcher on duty, busied herself answering non-emergency calls and doing paperwork, Dell revealed that it’s important that her staff get along. When tensions are high in their cozy workspace, it’s important they respect each other and are professional. She enjoys “getting to know who I am dispatching for” and is passionate about doing everything possible to ensure our deputies stay safe.
The deputies often stop by and visit the dispatch center, located at the Creek County Justice Center, sometimes bringing coffee.
Things change quickly in telecommunications and the dispatch centers like to keep up-to-date. Rave is a state-wide application that helps keep schools safe and will be in all districts. It’s downloaded on a cell phone and the person is able to hit a panic button calling 9-1-1. It shows the dispatchers where “the caller” is on a map of the building. Dell said this technology is “awesome” and currently Allen Bowden School has this capability with Pretty Water, Olive and Gypsy Schools soon to follow.
Some things for the public to note are that cell phones with the service turned off are still capable of calling 9-1-1. They receive calls from children playing on phones who unknowingly dial dispatch. Shelby said, “We will keep calling back until we know they are safe.” Listening to the calls that came in, mile markers on the highway were repeatedly mentioned, which means callers should always be aware of our surroundings and location.
Homes should always be well marked with house numbers, especially in the country so they can be found easily. And, when calling 9-1-1, do please stay on the line until the dispatcher knows you are in good hands.
Creek County has five Public Safety Answering Points or 9-1-1 centers which are the Sheriff’s Office, Bristow, Drumright, Mannford, and Sapulpa. Under these five points fall dispatch centers. For instance, the Sheriff’s Office answers calls for Creek County, Kellyville, Kiefer, Depew, and Mounds. This includes fire departments, ambulance services, and police.
Work is in progress to streamline the 9-1-1 call centers and prepare for the next generation of 9-1-1. No doubt there is a large team of people working behind the scenes to keep us safe.
Captain Chris Leach, Patrol Commander with the Creek County Sheriff’s Department, said, “Our dispatchers in the Communications Division are unsung heroes. They are often the first line of response from the Sheriff’s Office and the lifeline to our citizens, deputies, and other first responders. We couldn’t be more proud of their professionalism and dedication to duty.”
National Public Safety Telecommunications Appreciation Week is April 12-18th. It was also officially passed locally in Monday’s City Council meeting to recognize our local and Creek County dispatchers who serve behind the scenes, who include Rachel Alexander, Dell Griffin, Paige Manning, Robin Quinnelly, Shelby Storts, and Angel Wilson.
