911 Dispatchers

It is a week to celebrate the heroes behind the headset

It is a week to celebrate the heroes behind the headset.

National telecommunicator s week honors those who work as 9 1 1 dispatchers.

Allie martin has more from chickasaw county.

You could call them the voice of calm in the middle of chaos, 9 1 1 operators who play a vital link between the community, law enforcement, firefighters and emts.

Nats answering phone for nancy utz, working as a 9 1 1 dispatcher has one major advantage .

"being able to help the people of chickasaw county."

Utz has been a 9 1 1 dispatcher for ten years, working 12 hour shifts in a job that can change from one second to the next.

"there's never a routine day at 9 1 1."

The chickasaw county native says the job can be stressful, because she personally knows many of the callers who need some type of assistance.

"when you live in a small town, every call is somebody you know, just about, or have that wife that calls and her husband is not breathing, and my child is choking, you have to disconnect from it, but at the end of the day it's rewarding.

" barry martin is the 9 1 1 coordinator for chickasaw county.

Like utz, he started as a dispatcher and became coordinator six years ago.

Martin is thankful there is a week honoring those who are always on the job.

"me personally, i feel like we are the first responders because we get the call, we decide, what the situation is, best remedy to make it go smoother and get the job done in an adequate amount of time."

9 1 1 operators have to keep their certification current through continuing education classes, because technology is always changing.

In fact , plans call for an upgraded 9 1 1 system in chickasaw county in the near future.

Allie martin , wcbi news in chickasaw county, the e 9 1 1 center is part of the sheriff's department.