@@lewiskunst1089 round 3:05 got got me pausing this and looking at the celling, how horrible and so tragic. Surely we will pray for all people because the real enemy is unseen (Ephesians 6:12) ✝️✝️🤍🤍
@@notyourfriend2648Can you please try to understand things in context? They can give instructions on how to do CPR, but not instructions on whether you should fire your gun or not.
@@notyourfriend2648 They can’t give instruction based on their own opinion. They can give instruction based on factual information. Such as the steps to perform cpr, instruction on slowing or stopping bleeding, etc.
Fact: a 911 operator helped my wife save my life 11 years ago. She talked her through CPR and kept her calm. A month later we tried to track her down so we could thank her, but the system wouldn’t give out her name or info. She remains an anonymous guardian angel.
@@debradowner8761 He said sometimes theres more lines on hold than people able to take calls , so if someone spends an hour on one call that might be three or four calls they never get to.
@@debradowner8761that’s exactly what i was thinking. like for suicide it takes a lot to convince them most of the time. they should at least have better technology and more staff but i guess its a very difficult job but still doesn’t make sense to me.
That's not how that works. At least now a days. There are ways to triangulate, ping, and track numbers. If someone is in danger you do not disconnect help.
When I graduated high-school I became a 911 operator. I only lasted 10 months. I started having these horrible panic attacks and would come home crying every night. I finally couldn't take it anymore and stepped down. I'm not even 20 and got diagnosed with panic disorder and ptsd. Every word this man said is true.
is the disconnecting calls necessarily true? I figure 911 operators would try to find landmarks and street signs, etc for address. hanging up doesn’t sound right. I would figure that if there is an emergency, 911 will try their everything to find the location.
@@jessicajones8872 your comment is highly ignorant & offensive. We are LUCKY to have such people that are willing to put their mental well-being at risk to help others in life-or-death situations, continuously. It takes an extremely strong person do such a job, and someone that is passionate about helping others at their own risk to be able to have a career in it. If you think it’s “not so bad” I’d like to see your dumbass attempt it for even a WEEK. Chances are, you wouldn’t last a second. Be GRATEFUL for those that work with 911/are first responders. I was an EMT…it was a very hard job but I loved it knowing the impact I was making on the community. I had to go to counseling once a week to make sure I kept myself in check, so I could do my very best to help others, while making sure I wasn’t damaging myself in the process. You hear and see things you can’t unhear/unsee. Stop with your stupid assumptions that if someone is STRONG enough to hold a career in this field, that it makes it “not so bad”. That just means she’s one of those extra special people that we are SO grateful to have. Now sit your ass down
This suddenly puts those “bad 911 operators” in a new light. Imagine them taking call after call on their 5th 12hr shift, taking their 100th call that day after pranks and whisper calls, listening to domestic abuse, and not being able to get someone’s address…it’s like every day is a bad day. With that much stress, it becomes a little easier to empathize with someone who snaps at a caller.
@@Rafid-ez8jm In my view. A surgeon is professional and knows what they're doing and what to expect and is highly accountable. An operator will be exposed to all kinds of things over the phone while doing it for hours. Like the guy in the video said, doesn't matter if you think you got thick skin. The job will have some level of mental toll no matter who you are.
@@Rafid-ez8jmguess what!! surgeons make mistakes all the time!! it’s actually one of the leading causes of death in americans!! saying you expect these people to be perfect after days like this, while making an average of $20 an hour, is absurd. god bless these people.
Hahahaha. Total female narcissism. You call him the "first first responders" so that you don't have to call yourself the "second responder". You somehow managed to make this about you.
Kind of…. This guy has to listen to the people die, get shot, get raped, as it’s happening, you get there during the aftermath. I’m sure you’ve seen death. But operators hear hundreds of gruesome live leak esque scenarios that are happening within 20 miles of them.
You're not wrong - it would def be a more helpless feeling only hearing it and not being able to do anything. Not always do we get there "during the aftermath" though. Sometimes we are there "during". I've been haunted by the noises but being in the environment to use all your senses to take it in, is also a very different and haunting place to be.@@seancorbett8777
I was a 911/EMS dispatcher for a little under 10 years in the mid-2000s. I can tell you, every single thing this man said is true. I still carry haunting memories to this day. And all for barely $15 an hour. It was sad.
Yep, it’s very traumatic.. there’s a ton of channels with real 911 calls on RUclips, you can just look up 911 calls and there’s tons of terrible 911 calls including a women burning to death and you can hear her screams on the pgone
I made 15 an hour in 2020 so u making it 20 years ago is pretty decent.. Idk what y'all are expecting at a PD especially if you not in a major city. Can't anybody apply??
I was in a city of about 500k, and as 911/EMS dispatchers we had to be both EMT and EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatcher) certified. In addition to answering 911 calls, at the same time I had to play a chess game of sorts with 98 ambulances, constantly shifting them to make sure all of our areas were covered. So no, not just anybody could apply. I had a computer mouse in each hand and 4 screens in front of me to keep track of, and it wasn’t even the full $15 an hour, it was like $14.75 if I recall. It was sad back then and I really hope they make more now.
@@ayla8345 the job itself wouldn’t have been easier, but being paid more would’ve made myself and my coworkers feel more appreciated, and that goes a long way towards retaining good people. Also, people who make more will generally accept a higher level of stress and psychological strain on the job because they feel the pay is commensurate with what they have to endure.
@@Officialjeffc or the firefighters from California that came to help when Australia was in need and paid the ultimate price for it We won’t forget, thank you for your service to our country all Californian firefighters
I wanna call mostly bullshit on this one. I have a hard time believing 911 operators training consists of: “If you can’t get a location of a distressed caller, just hang up as you might be able to better help the next caller.” I’d bet my entire yearly salary that nor anything close is found in ANY operator handbook in ANY part of ANY western country. And for the record, I have no experience, knowledge, or idea how, when, why, or what it’s like to be a 911 operator. That being said, it’s sad to think that there are operators out there like this clown who have become desensitized, jaded, &/or lack enough, if any, empathy for the person on the other end of the phone to whom you are their very last thread of hope in their most desperate & possibly very last moments of life. I couldn’t do that job. I couldn’t turn it off at the end of a shift, go home & sleep a restful night every night. But, if I did, & it came to these type of calls, I could never ever hang up. Even if there’s nothing I could do I wouldn’t stop trying to get something…anything & keep them on the phone. Very least I’d be a voice of compassion on the other end of the line all the way until the signal tone.
@@OVRxNxOUTit’s not common but there absolutely are scenarios where this can happen. Unregistered or deactivated cell phones can still dial 911. Only issue is when they do it comes up as a 911 area code. They’re completely untraceable and you can not get locations on them. If the operator can not make contact with the caller do you just expect them to stay on the line for hours until the battery on the phone dies? And if they do some dispatch centers only have 1 dispatcher on. What do you think they’re going to do when another call comes in? At some point you just have to disconnect and hope the person either calls back or can resolve the situation on their own.
It's cheaper. Haven't listened to it yet. If they don't mention about getting calls on powerful people abusing children, and having to call on a cell number to the police supervisor of that area to cover it up, it's all crap. They won't put it out over the radio, but they call the supervisor for that area on their cell.
In Florida, they(APCO)have been trying to change that. For some reason, not happening. I've been in this field for 19yrs. A lot of what is being said is common to all 911 dispatchers. It's rare we even get "debriefed" when terrifying calls happen.
This sounds absolutely terrifying. Hearing people scream for help and possibly not being able to help them And go on as if nothing happened is unimaginable. I could never do this 🥺
I think that I would like it. I’ve survived a lot of trauma and abuse, and am able to cope with such situations, as long as I can make a difference to a person at all. The difference I would enjoy making is just not being a judgmental jerk, as someone’s last connection in their dying moments…or in times of fear or loss. That’s why I’ve thrived in battered woman’s shelter and addictions treatment work. I got through my own trauma, despite certain “helping” people adding to it. I, now, find rewards in giving people what I didn’t have until one counselor helped me through the storm. Love 💝. Pass it on!
It's not *just* the sexual assault, the murder, the domestic, the child abuse or suicide... It's **ALL OF THEM** that broke me. I applaud this dispatcher's courage to share what it's like living through a shift. I hope he gets out of there before he breaks too.
I hope lots of people see this, that we can change the system to recognize them as the first responder, they can have therapy paid for, a higher salary, and more people getting the job. Yes, that does mean more people being traumatized by these horrible phone calls… but it also means less people being abused, killed, going missing, etc- and less family members and friends being traumatized by these tragic events happening to their loved ones. More calls will be answered on time, less calls will be hung up, and more people will be saved. The 911 operators will also be *less* traumatized, although there will be more of them, because they wont be carrying so much on their shoulders.
@@captainsquiggles5958I completely agree with you....our schools need a complete overhaul.... children, youth, young people need to be taught and trained how to be human and treat each other...
My significant other is a 911 operator and I am a CSI I very often see the aftermath of what they just heard on the phone. Luckily we have each other to talk to but it’s still extremely hard and being understaffed is an understatement.
I worked as a dispatcher and had PTSD. I had to quit because it was too much for me to handle. And I worked for a county that had small towns but you’d be surprised how much darkness there is.
Grew up in towns under 1,000 and know of countless tramautic drowning deaths, suicides, fires from volunteer fire fighting. One kid managed to hang himself and light himself on fire. How much darkness there is indeed.
Categorizing these folks as clerical staff is absolutely unacceptable. For the life of me I can't figure out why it's so difficult for states to support the people that supports everybody.
@@andrew627 As I understand it, there's a significant difference in the salaries and mental health resources. I think it goes beyond that into training as well tho.
Fortunately in certain states our classifications are changing- for example here in NJ we just finally got reclassified as first responders.. way overdue if you ask me. To even have been previously classified as clerical was such an insult- we’re definitely not secretaries. Also.. it can effect how many years we have to work before we can collect our pension/retire and there’s a lot more trauma resources available
The media usually highlights 911 operators failures, but rarely the ones who do a good job. I'm a nurse, and I feel like they deserve recognition as well.
The same applies to the police. They have to arrive at these horrific situations described, yet get constantly vilified by cowards that don’t have the guts or ability to do what they do.
@@colin6603 remember when dozens of cops stood in a school hallway for over an hour listening to kids dying and they did nothing at all? Cops don't even have the courage you're ascribing them.
Even the ones who aren't doing a good job, it might very well be circumstantial. I don't think I can handle a call at the end of 24 hour shift with grace and poise after getting 50 prank calls
My aunt had been an operator, she had quit after someone had suffocated their baby in their sleep. The things they hear are heartbreaking and it takes a lot of strength to do because of the toll it takes on you. They truly don’t get enough credit.
As a 911 dispatcher for over 15 years every word he said is true with the exception that where I am in Canada we are considered first responders. The calls definitely stay with you especially calls involving children and suicides.
@@davidsixside769 I wouldn't say "secret" however my center has no exterior signage and the windows which face the street are essentially one way and bomb resistant with concrete "planters" spaced so as not to allow a vehicle to hit the building. The only telltale sign is the radio tower at the rear of the building. All that said however, the address is public.
@@colin6603 policing isn’t a dangerous job stop spreading propaganda, more pizza delivery drivers are killed in the line of duty every year. If you want to lick a real hero’s boots head down to your local dominos
As a 911 operator; these things are so true. You really have such a big impact on people; you represent not only the police, fire, ambulance services but you also HAVE to be that calm voice. One wrong thing said can drastically ruin the outcome of the call or make the situation dangerous for other emergency personnel.
Damn.. the instance of the woman who mistakenly shot her husband really caught me off guard. That's so disturbing and through one mistake that women ruined so many lives including her own 😢
seems hella weird to me. Wasn't she expecting her husband? Did he not call out to her even once? Didn't he use his key to come in? I don't understand how you just accidentally shoot your husband in the head
Husband, stranger or not, the rule of thumb as a gun owner is...before you put your finger on the trigger you must be able to identify your target and what’s behind it. Either the woman didn’t take a proper course or got so paranoid, all rules went out the door and out of mind. OR, like all others are saying, could’ve been a cover up. Bottom line, NOT a responsible gun owner.
I’m so sorry that you have not been receiving the tremendous amount of recognition that you all deserve. You all have saved so many people and we are so grateful for all that you guys do. I can’t imagine the stress you guys must feel knowing that you’re the first or last person on a call with someone who needs help. Thank you so much for being a FIRST and important responder for our communities.
Maybe in the future this is the type of job a robot should take over, this is too stressful of a job to do 40 or more hours a week. It’s not sustainable.
@@sophiasoto1405 It's a shame though because even if we could get that to work, all it takes is a single mistake from a robot and the whole thing would get bashed into oblivion by the public. Even if it committed a lower % of mistakes than humans there would still be too many deluded people against it.
As a former 911 dispatcher, in a small county, where you are by yourself after 1 month, I heard a guy kill himself with a shotgun on the phone, I had to call child protective services because a four-year-old girl had ticks inside of every orifice of her body and was slowly dying, had to listen to so many domestic violence situations that I don’t care to count. I've heard "there's a very drunk man outside my house with a shotgun saying he's going to kill me!" And then proceed to hear him bang on doors until the state police showed up. Then they were the times where you have grandmothers calling you because their grandchild that they’re watching swallowed something and are turning purple and you have to walk them through infant CPR. Or the Heimlich. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. So many call I don't remember .. another thing is that in this small county I worked, I wasn’t just a 911 call taker I was the emergency services dispatcher as well. So I also had to dispatch the emergency services necessary to deal with the situation and stay involved until it was dealt with.
Jesus Christ. This shouldnt be categorized as some simple "office job", you are literally actively protecting and serving our community in one of the most stressful jobs in the world. This is one of those jobs where you just cant make a single mistake in. I have high respect for anyone who can handle this line of work.
@Fuhrious - As an EMT, YALL are 🏆 hands down THE TRUE FIRST RESPONDERS‼️👏 I made a comment just now naming just some of the MANY tasks you do, simultaneously!!!! Heroes ‼️💕🌎
That is absolutely insane. How can they not classify you as a first responder?? My heart goes out to 911 operators❤️ You guys aren’t alone and we are here for you all.
I was a 911 operator in my hometown for a while. It’s been almost five years since I left and I still have dreams about some calls. There is a sense of hopelessness when you can’t be there to help and it’s too late. I had a call once when a woman was murdered on the phone. All she could scream was help and All I could do was listen and pray the police got there in time. The job is not for a weak. That’s for damn sure
@@VGODPit just makes sense for operators to watch this video. It's not for everyone, lot of people quit the job. It's statistically possible for them to unite over how difficult this job is, on some video on YT. Even if my theory is implausible, it isn't funny.
@@VGODP there's nothing funny n, i bet you know nothing about these comments being a joke or not just bcuz u already saw too many lies in the comments. the world i living in now, *tsk
@@boohere2 that's the exact problem you've just confirmed, it's not all about the police. This time it's about the heroes who gets the police there! Have a nice day everyone, take care.
I survived attempted suicide, multiple. I can tell you first hand the regret and trauma I have years later since then. I couldn’t finish this video but these people have saved my life. Thank you for everything.
I survived 1 attempt. I feel no guilt to my parents (they created me in a world where hydro morphone is illegal) but a bit of guilt to the dispatcher. unless they also created somebody in a world where morphinans are illegal in which case it is completely cancelled out.
The story this person told about how you can't tell someone not to shoot, but you can't tell them to shoot and then that lady ended up shooting her husband in the head...I couldn't live with that guilt. Honestly. Serious props to dispatch operators. Just listening to these stories gave me anxiety and I listen to 911 calls on youtube for curiosity sake. My town just started a "text in" 911 service. I hope that somehow helps lessen the stress on dispatch.
@Brandon Krause Unfortunately some people are too quick at getting to the “shoot” stage rather than thinking rationally. But you’re right, it’s bizarre to me that her first thought wasn’t “oh, that’s probably my husband coming home”.
Here in Houston, we've had text for a few years now. I'd prefer to speak to someone, information gets transferred much more quickly by speech, but it is helpful in circumstances where someone can't risk being heard. Soon they will add the ability to send pictures/videos; it will be a mixed bag too as far as value to the dispatcher.
@Brandon Krause I don't find it strange for several reasons. We don't know how dark the room was at the least. My main point though is that I see a lot of relationships today that seem to be more about money than love. The partners are often extremely disconnected and independent. Depending on where the call was from, perhaps she wanted to kill her husband, but wanted to get off, but that last part is very deep in speculation
I was also deeply struck by that call as you were. The thing is what if it hadn't been her husband and the guy told her not to shoot. I think the biggest take away here is that people need to communicate with each other better
My mom was a dispatcher, she loved that job but quit due to politics. She's saved several lives, talked people through the worst time in their lives, and has won several awards. Sometimes I wonder how many ppl have died cuz she couldn't stand being treated like crap by the other ppl and cops there. Edit: I can very much confirm everything that guy said. All the budget goes to cops, no one cares about the ppl that send them there. Also some dispatchers have access to police files, and they have alot of messed up and crazy pictures. Liveleak is on the same level as the pics I may or may not have seen.
@@Tybolt1 nah man, my mom is a hippie who wanted to help people; she just lives in a small town. People are ignorant, and when you are a genuine person; it offends them. It's people like you with hate in your heart that have ruined the world. I don't understand why you can't just go about your life and keep to yourself? You aren't special, and neither are your opinions; we're all the same. One day you'll die and be forgotten just like the rest of us. You should try to make the world a little better before you go, not worse. Edit: that's what she tried to do, and just like you and your comment...the people she worked with did the same.
How long was your mom a dispatcher before she finally quit? I hope she was able to get some type of counseling.. I definitely know I’d need it if I had that job. What do you mean by Liveleak is on the same level? What is it?
Shoutout to whoever was the operator on the phone when I called at midnight when I was 9 years old, saying my mom was possessed. I witnessed my mom have a seizure for the first time, and being a kid, I just thought a ghost in the house possessed her. They could of easily just hung up and sent police as a prank call but they were so gentle and making sure to get someone out as fast as possible. Then when a ton of EMT’s show up, my mom is now coming out of the seizure but very disoriented.. I was terrified, the EMT’s told me it was a seizure and what seizures do. Love them for helping a terrified 9 year old :)
My father-in-law thought he wanted to do this job after he retired, and he went through the training process. But he quickly realized that he was not going to be able to do it without finding himself in serious trouble for developing PTSD or ending up being sued because there is a legal component that he might make a mistake and end up being sued, and he felt that it wasn’t worth attempting in his golden years. And I don’t blame him at all for that.
I was a 911 operator for a military base. Some of the stuff I heard still messes me up to this day. The thing that really broke me was a baby call. Mother screaming on the other line that she wasn’t breathing. Had the father get on the phone cause he was more calm way more calm than usual. Many of the calls you never hear the ending to it but this one I found out later that night the baby made it. I went home and was feeling great. Then a week later I was told by my supervisor the baby had passed and the reason she wasn’t breathing was because the father shook her that night. I had given this man instructions for cpr on an infant only to realize he was the one who shook her to death. I can still hear the mothers scream in my head loudly and that call was 3 years ago.
As someone who cleans up crime scenes I agree. The job can be tiring and I couldn’t imagine hearing people cry out as they die. Send much love and comfort to this individual
I wonder why she didn’t think that it was her husband- assuming they live together, why think intruder? Makes me wonder why , god that’s unbelievably heartbreaking
I don't understand why she didn't think it could be him. The first thing you do if you hear someone in your house when you think you're alone is call out to whoever you live with because there's an almost certainty it's going to be them
It could be a result of dementia or mental illness. I can’t even begin to imagine the aftermath of something like that. My condolences to everyone involved.
i’m planning on doing dispatch for the next few months until i’m 19 and can actually start working with my EMT license and even though i knew it’s a rough job, these stories really put it into perspective for me. i’m glad there’s content like this available on the internet so people can have a better understanding of the jobs they’re getting into because that’s what this video has done for me. thank you to this dispatcher and all dispatchers for telling your stories and helping so many people. ❤️
So, people can do this job in their teens? That explains a comment above that seemed to be from a 911 operator who may have been a young girl. I right clicked on her RUclips name to open her RUclips Channel and sure enough, this 911 operator was a VERY young girl. Her channel contained all children's cartoons.
My friend was an emergency hotline operator and heard the worst of humanity. She was left with severe PTSD which prevented her from working and was so incapacitating that she was hospitalised several times. Years later and she is still struggling with the trauma. It was horrible watching her suffer.
as an EMT, hats off to dispatchers. they have a very important and highly underrated job because they not only are the first to make contact with someone in trouble but they relay important information to us so that we are ready to take over help when we arrive. they don’t get enough credit for all they do. I absolutely could not do my job without them.
Mad respect for 911/112 responders. I'm a law student and 911 calls are the worse in case studies. (At least for me) The feeling of helplessness is so difficult. I can't imagine hearing those all (work)day.
Crazy how a cop can murder someone in cold blood, and then get a paid vacation with a slap on the wrist... but a 911 dispatch operator attempts to save someone's life and can potentially end up in jail or broke! What a country we live in.
@@Us3r739nearly all the ones who got put on trial or investigated only to find out that they did nothing wrong and it was the victims fault for "not complying"
My mom was a 911 for a little under five years. She still talks about the woman she heard murdered a block from the police station and the night she was on call when they found the sheriff's son dead from suicide in his car. I could never ever do what these people do.
Check out real 911 calls on RUclips. But if you can’t handle very gruesome stuff I’d suggest you skip that, they are very traumatic videos, including a women burning to death on the phone. It’s horrible the screams
I was a 911 dispatcher and I tell you, it changes your life. These people deserve so much for what they have to endure on a daily basis. They may be unseen but they are the unsung heroes.
I have a good family friend who is a 911 operator, a few years ago she was on the line with a 16 year old who was driving out on a rural road and she had accidentally driven off a gravel road and got stuck in a ditch. She couldn’t get her door open and the car burst into flames. And my friend had to listen to her burn to death because she couldn’t disconnect and help was still several minutes away. She said that was the worst call she’s received by far because there was just nothing that could have been done. She said it scared her for life.
I have called 911 twice in my life. 1 operator wasn’t really up for hearing about my emergency and I was rather annoyed (I was in a car accident) and the other time they were really nice and helpful (had to call paramedics for my grandma) I’ll try to keep in mind the horror they hear every day to sympathize with everything they go through.
Also don't mix up there lack of over empathetic customer service with annoyed. I think the US is too used to hearing super over exaggerated emotions from customer service, they forget how humans normally sound when on the phone. Most are trying to do their job and do it well....however they cannot be too emotionally attached or else it is hard to last long
An operator saved my life. Kept me awake while I OD’d and got me to communicate where I was while I was literally dying. I still don’t know how they did it, but I thank god every day I got connected to someone who effectively could save me. And I thank them, whoever they are, for saving me.
My high school had a Police Academy program that I joined. Basically building us up to become police officers after we graduated HS. One day, we went on a field trip to the police office. One of our stops was the operating/dispatcher office. They allowed us to listen into the calls that they received. One call I'll never forget was about a 80-something-year-old woman falling down a flight of stairs. I honestly don't know if she lived through that or not. This happened back in 2008.
Your job is incredibly important and I hope this video and others will raise awareness so 911 operators can get the resources they need (more pay, time off and therapy as needed). My SO just died of a heart attack and the 911 operator was helpful, firm and compassionate - I’m grateful he was helpful - never telling me to “calm down” etc. instead he said “you can do this”. I still hear his words in my head as I navigate this awful time.
ill never forget when my son had a seizure in the middle of the night. he was barely 2 y/o and i was stuck, just going through the motions. i broke down on the phone once i realized everything would be ok. ill never forget how calming and warm the woman was on the phone. she offered to stay on with me, the tone of her voice never changed. life savers.
I work as a disability claim processor and we always process 911 operators or paramedic claims. They submit horrific documentation about their traumatic condition they experience at work and my god the things I have read are absolutely brutal. I can’t imagine how tough it is for them to do this as a daily job. My heart goes out to all of them.
yeah like the one call that ask you *Have you ever felt a knife cut through human flesh and scrape the bone beneath ?* and then he said *The question isn’t who am I, the question is, where am I ?* i swear to god i heard something in my closet and i ran on the street as fast i can
I thought about training this, then I thought I have too much trauma/I'm too sensitive to triggers. Then I thought, that's not unique. These guys do it in spite of their own issues. Incredible selflessness. I have even more admiration for anyone who can do this.
This is absolutely heart wrenching, but also solidifies my stance on being self reliant on handling certain emergencies yourself to the best of your abilities before dialing 911.
I have only had to call triple 0 (the emergency number in Aus) once, and it was life and death. I’m so glad they were able to help. It’s interesting to see how the US treats emergency responders - I went and had a look and our salary for triple 0 operators is about $77k, and they are part of the emergency services team (with paramedics). I’m glad to live in a country that treats our operators with respect though I suspect much of the trauma is the same.
77k AUD is about 51k USD. Not much of a difference in pay considering the cost of living being higher in Australia. But yes, it’s NOT enough for the work they are expected put in.
I worked for life alert as a dispatcher a long time ago, we had a call once from an elderly man who notified us that he had an intruder in his home but was able to beat up the intruder with a baseball bat. Turned out that he had dementia and it wasnt an intruder, it was his wife.
I remember when I was little I used to see our neighbor up the street, he was an elderly man that had two dogs. He always looks so sad and never talk to anybody. My other neighbor had told my mom that when he was in his thirties, somebody broke into his house in the middle of the night, waking him up. He shot and killed them. It turned out to be his wife.
When I was younger, I really wanted to be a 911 dispatcher. After talking to ppl (some that I know personally) who were/are dispatchers, theres no way in the world I'd be cut out for this job. I have a whole new level of respect for each and every dispatcher/operator after hearing their stories & the gruesome situations they're exposed to day in and day out. If you're a dispatcher & you're reading this - I'm so proud of your strength & resilience. You're rad as hell & truly deserve the recognition, you're all heroes. Thank you for being so selfless 💛 Also, seeing the suicide warning ⚠️ before the video AS WELL AS right under the description breaks my heart. It makes me wonder how many dispatchers who watched this are struggling with suicidal ideations & thoughts. My heart goes out to ANYONE in that state of mind. You're worthy of happiness & love & most importantly, life. Do not let your mind lie to you about all the negativity it tells you. You're loved. You're needed here, and I promise it gets better. PLEASE reach out to someone.
As someone who has also been a 911 Dispatcher before, I can difinitively say everything he's saying is sadly 1000% true. People who have never worked that job before do not understand the amount of stress and PTSD that can come with working a job like that. My very 1st week as a dispatcher I had to take a call involving a shooting at a bar. I will never forget hearing the paniced screams and the voice of the lady who phoned it the 1st of many many calls.
My grandmother was a 911 dispatcher in Vegas. She passed away when I was 12 so I never got a chance to really ask her questions about it. I'm sure she had some crazy stories. My heart goes out to all first responders INCLUDING 911 operators.
i’ve always wanted to work in a line of duty where i can help anyone and everyone in need and for the longest time i was invested in being a 911 operator. i started doing research and found how truly serious it is , how much it can take a toll on you and your mental health and being an already sensitive person who gets anxiety and panic attacks easily i discovered that it wasn’t the best option for me. i truly can’t express or put into words how appreciative i am for all 911 operators , what you do doesn’t go unnoticed, sending all of my love. ❤️
All he is talking about is true. After working as a 911 operator/supervisor for over 10 years, one of the big reasons I had to leave was because I was tired of all the massive amount of liability I knew was on my shoulders all the time. You can't leave the job at the station. It follows you. There were always times where I would leave anxious because I wasn't sure if there was more I could've done. Even if I had, if the media or an attorney working a case gets a hold of your call, it will be played and dissected (sometimes in the news) and rarely do they point out how well a 911 operator did. Then like he mentioned, there were the LOOOOONG hours, the abusive callers, the calls that hit hard like listening to people die on the phone, the lack of support and resources... Several times I'd take one of those awful calls and its not like there is anyone there you can debrief with or talk to. You were on your own to deal with it. You would just have to suck it up and go right back to work. The agency I worked for would cross train us as 911 call-takers and dispatchers. It was not at all rare for me to be in the middle of a 911 call while also having to deal with the police radio for things like officer emergencies or taking traffic stops (you cant ignore these because of the huge officer safety issues that exist) because the person I was working with was already on an emergency call. The high stress and burnout was real.Thanks Vice for giving 911 operators a voice.
Sometimes VICE absolutely hits it out of the park. This piece deserves a Pulitzer Prize. My sincere thanks to the great work at VICE for drawing our attention to a critically important, yet often neglected area of our society. Not all heroes wear capes, folks.
@@Animedumptrucktheir reporters are typically left leaning, mostly due to the fact that most reporters are well….left leaning. Which is why they greatly outnumber the right leaning reporters even on other news stations. That being said, when they do stuff like this, it’s always amazing, they just let the person explain how it is, no interviewer, no reporter, just the blunt truth.
I took a course for 911 dispatching few years back. People don’t think dispatchers are part of the police but they absolutely are. They’re the first ones you call when you’re calling ‘911’ I never continued into the career further but I have a huge respect for them and what they do from what I learned. Thank you dispatch.
I applied for this job about a year ago in a rural area. The job paid like 45k a year after a much lower paid training period. Glad I found something else. These people deserve better.
to few for what are you experiencing so there was this one call that asked me *Have you ever felt a knife cut through human flesh and scrape the bone beneath ?* and then he said *The question isn’t who am I, the question is, where am I ?*
Been doing it for 28 years now in a major US city, where the burnout for 911 operators is 18 years. Yes, I've heard people's last gasps on the phone after being shot, and have been through an active shooter incident, which thank God the shooter was killed by police before he killed anyone, after wounding several people. I'm hoping to put in a few more years, although I can retire in a year. I don't know how much longer I'm going to last, not due to the stress of the job, but due to mental damage that has been done throughout the country in the last couple of years during COVID. People have become less rational than ever. I can deal with the horrors of the job, I'm getting burned out trying to talk sense to someone who doesn't want to hear, and will argue with me, and ignore every question or instruction. Over the last couple of years, it has been fun for the media and the public to bash 911 operators. Yes, mistakes are made, but you'll rarely hear when we do it right. Thankfully, I'm happy being in the background, as all of the thanks go to the officers, fire and EMS personnel, we are usually never thought of. Yes, I even saved a life by having to run into our jail to cut down a prisoner attempting to hang himself, thankfully I was more than rewarded by having done so, as there was little recognition even for that. Sadly, we are reaching a crisis, as no one wants to come in, or many lack the needed skills to be a dispatcher. As the guy pointed out, the additional strain of having to cover additional shifts is creating insane stress, putting us in a more and more vicious circle throughout the nation where more are leaving, without replacement.
@wehrmeister Because you mentioned you’ve been doing it for 28 yrs in a major U.S city I couldn’t help but think how you’ve managed to do it so long. Also, I couldn’t help thinking I hope you weren’t working on 9/11. Thank you for what you do.
@@estherstephens1858 Thank you ma'am. I don't work in NYC. I just got off after working a night shift on 09/11, just getting home in time to watch the horror, wondering what those dispatchers and other responders there in NYC had to be going through. I was off for my two days, staying glued to the TV, wondering if we were going to war, and if I was going to be recalled back to active duty in the Air Force (I wasn't, although I was angry and prepared to go). It's hard for me to believe that I've done this so long, and have always taken pride in my work, whether it's reuniting a lost dog with it's owner, to handling the major calls. But I'm ready to hang up the headset, and move on to relax a bit!
@@wehrmeister I hear you. I know you said you love what you do but I’m sure you’re ready to rest and relax. That doesn’t mean sit back and not do ANYTHING. It just means take a break from all of what you’ve been through. Thank you for your service.
Blown away by the fact that they aren’t provided with very accurate tools to locate someone. So basically if you’re in a rural location and you’re not sure where you are you’re fucked. And i can’t believe they HAVE to hang up the phone😱like wtf that is so traumatizing for both ends. The people who do this job are amazing. If you are a first responder(haha get it bc you literally are the first responders) hats off to you. Thank you for all you do.
This video was extremely eye-opening and quite alarming. My heart goes out to all heroic dispatchers. The emergency systems runs because of your jobs. Each and every one of you matter ❤
I used to work as a phone operator for an IT company (mainly tech support stuff), but I remember this one call. A woman was crying out loud and it was very odd as basically 99% of the phone calls we got were tech support related. Apparently, woman asked to connect her to HR because she had found her 20 year old son(who worked for our company) dead. It was just one call a few years ago, but I still remember the shivers I got from hearing this devastated mother's voice. I can't imagine what it must be like to deal with hundreds of emergency calls on a daily basis. Mad respect to all 911 operators ❤️
I used to be a EMT and I responded to a carbon monoxide call, I walked in the house and the family of 4 was sitting up right on the couch dead was a surreal experience I quit the job a couple days later Edit : I lied I was never an EMT
are they the ones that called? if so, why would they sit on the couch when they know there is carbon monoxide? i’m sorry you witnessed that. i couldn’t imagine finding people dead. i’m horrified enough that i’ll find a pet
I have so many questions . Wouldnt they have passed out with carbon monoxide poisoning instead of sitting up right? Were their eyes still open? Was their a tv playing as if they were all watching television prior to the incident ? Im so sorry you had to witness this .
I currently work in a department in a city of 100k, and we're typically always short staffed. In ours we are trained to and swap between dispatching EMS, Police, Fire, and handling teletype/warrants on top of dealing with 911 calls. We generally have five or six people on duty. I'm glad this video provides some insight to the terrible things that happen, but it also neglects the good. I have also heard people commit suicide, I've heard parents grieving the loss of their child. But I've helped deliver babies over the phone, I've had the honor of telling someone we found their missing husband, and I've gotten to help someone fight for their life by instructing CPR. It's not always good, it's often stressful and it all the things in this video are spot on. But at least once I've managed to be the difference in someone's life by giving the help they need, and I am thankful for it.
I'm glad to see something positive. I recently applied to be a dispatcher in a large area, and this video and some of the comments have me slightly worried, but to hear that it isn't all like that makes me feel better. Like, sure, it definitely isn't good most of the time, but there are moments.
I was a 911 operator for 6 months and I can confirm that this is all true. I didn’t resign because of the phone calls though, it was the work environment and coworkers (other operators) that made me quit because it was the most toxic backstabbing place I’ve ever worked. Also the hours were awful too (13+) hour days with no time off
They don't get paid anywhere close to what they should. Its a job I could never do and they are the 1st step in helping restore order from chaos. Bless them all.
I used to work as a first responder on the critical care side of the response and I have nothing but the utmost respect for our dispatchers, obviously because we depend on them for the most complete and accurate info that they can garner in an emergency as we respond in the field. Not to mention, they have their fair share of dealing with some real boneheads who abuse the system time and time again, and having to deal with deploying us for potential turkey calls. On the flip side, they are often the last person any hapless soul may talk to in his or her final moments of life.....and I can only imagine how much that would completely screw someone up for life, not to mention substance abuse, PTSD, and suicide. From a humble healthcare professional, I salute each and every one of you.
It seems like the people who care most are the ones who suffer most. Every time you want to help, but can't. The constant exposure to suffering you can't prevent. It scars the carer as much as the victim. Stay strong, brother. The reason you only see darkness is because you are the light.
A 911 operator sent the ambulance that got me to a hospital during my first asthma attack. My deepest thanks to those in this profession. They sholder the darkest moments of our lives with us to offer hope of help. Your work is worth far more than you recieve for it
Taking one call and moving on to the next is so true. I had a guy shoot himself while on the phone with me. I heard his last words and his last breath. The next call I had a mother walk in on her son that hung himself and right after that s guy screaming at me because a car was parked in front of his house. I took every call back to back and had to move on like nothing happened. It's truly not for everyone I've seen so many people come and go over the years. I love serving my community but it's not for the weak.
I couldn't even begin to thank this man and anyone who has the heart to have this job. But thank you to him and anyone reading this that has to hear the horrors humanity has to offer.
I was an over-the-phone interpreter and I can vouch for everything this person is saying. I still feel the pit in my stomach when I remember. It's been like 15 years since I left that industry.
My friend is a 911 operator. She got a call of a farmer who ran over a wasp nest. She couldn't find where he was cuz he was in a field somewhere. He died on the phone with her. When the police came they too (even with a bee suit) got stung.
To all the 911 operators. I respect you so much. The ability to help people, follow the rules and maintain control over your emotions in difficult situations is something that always fascinated me.
I was a 911 interpreter from English to Spanish and everything this person describes is true. I didn't go through it for more than 1 month and a half, I was waking up with panic attacks and falling asleep in tears. 911 is a nightmare, and the workers are the strongest people I know
To be honest this is what makes me hesitant to work as an interpreter in emergency. I have trained for it but I don't feel like I have the guts for something like that. I can't even imagine being the dispatcher. At the end of the day the interpreter does not make the decision but the operator does. So much pressure.
Like c’mon at least give them over $20 an hour if not $30. This is a terrifying profession and it takes major skill to handle these calls. Thank you to 911 operators and thank you for holding the victims in a place in your hearts for a moment. I couldn’t imagine the pain and suffering. This definitely puts thing into perspective. I pray we find peace..
Dont think thats enough to pay for all the trauma and stuff that happended to them yet the government would probably pay them a little above mininum wage
Welcome to democratic ideology too defund the police, they cities that actually fund their police departments have latest technology and pay them well. But continue to support who likes to defund police
I used to have a coworker at my retail job who used to be a 911 operator. He said he people were worse and the stress was greater at the customer service desk than at 911. I said that's because on 911 you were only dealing with people's lives, but here you're dealing with their money.
I have so much respect for these people taking these calls. I couldnt do it myself, going home and thinking about what you have had to discuss with people.
I’ve been incredibly lucky in my life and haven’t had any really terrible experiences with 911. The most recent one, I found my mother had passed away in her bed. I was completely in shock, like I can’t even imagine what I must have sounded like, all I knew to do was call 911. The dispatcher was amazing, she could tell right away I was a complete mess, she had to walk me through everything, right down to “remember to unlock your front door”. It was Christmas Eve, the second worst day of my life (first was the day my dad died), and I’m still so grateful that my dispatcher was so kind and patient.
To think that the people who do this job are thought of as clerical staff is horrible. To do such a mentally exhausting thing day in day out takes a different type of person alright, a goddamn hero! Why is it expected such traumatic 'jobs' like our front line defenders, even army/navy etc, to be able to do such emotionally destroying jobs without giving the recognition and support they deserve? These people are hero's! Treat them like it!
Internet moderators deal with this and are definitely getting paid less (esp in other countries) to endure the same amount of mental trauma. TikTok, FB, etc. Ruining people's lives and treating them as disposable and less than human by refusing to adequately provide counseling and living wage.
@@larzapan yes I've heard about this too. It's funny that so much is spoken about when it comes to mental health these days, but yet there is still so far to go. It is well understood the effects of persistent trauma has on a person. Therapy should be mandatory in these types of positions to work through the things they deal with, it is strange really that it's not..
WATCH NEXT ➡ ''I Buried Thousands in Secret Mass Graves'' - ruclips.net/video/lmmsLJhrmPE/видео.html
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´alience digisigned müy Döllbi - .-
nah
@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ 🤣
@@lewiskunst1089 round 3:05 got got me pausing this and looking at the celling, how horrible and so tragic. Surely we will pray for all people because the real enemy is unseen (Ephesians 6:12) ✝️✝️🤍🤍
The fact that some states don't classify 911 operators as first responders is absolutely ridiculous. They ARE the first responder.
@@heavyhead2k139 they can give instructions
@@asdoasdllasiuwiu he literally stated he couldn’t give instructions in the video
@@notyourfriend2648Can you please try to understand things in context? They can give instructions on how to do CPR, but not instructions on whether you should fire your gun or not.
@@notyourfriend2648
They can’t give instruction based on their own opinion. They can give instruction based on factual information. Such as the steps to perform cpr, instruction on slowing or stopping bleeding, etc.
We consider them Public safety officers in my field
Fact: a 911 operator helped my wife save my life 11 years ago. She talked her through CPR and kept her calm. A month later we tried to track her down so we could thank her, but the system wouldn’t give out her name or info. She remains an anonymous guardian angel.
Its funny how 50% of the commentators suddenly turned into 911 operators from every age 😂 like the Triple X 1999 , 2011 LMFAO
@@VGODPbro this guy said "a *911 operator* helped my *wife* save *my life*" read carefully before replying
@@VGODP
What?
@@notharixroxax nah s.cum
@@VGODP you just can’t read🤭
“I’ve *heard* the whole span of humanity in my job”
What a poetic, yet sad and terrifying line.
First reply 💀
Second reply
Third reply
Fifth reply
Hearing screams from hell
Having to disconnect a call from someone in a dire situation because you cannot triangulate the caller's location must be terrible :(
That part makes no sense to me, wouldn't you stay connected in hopes the victim is able to give you more information?
@@debradowner8761 He said sometimes theres more lines on hold than people able to take calls , so if someone spends an hour on one call that might be three or four calls they never get to.
@@debradowner8761just making up numbers but you get the point
@@debradowner8761that’s exactly what i was thinking. like for suicide it takes a lot to convince them most of the time. they should at least have better technology and more staff but i guess its a very difficult job but still doesn’t make sense to me.
That's not how that works. At least now a days. There are ways to triangulate, ping, and track numbers. If someone is in danger you do not disconnect help.
I can only imagine how hard it is to sleep being a 911 operator the trauma must be unreal I hope you all are doing well.
They all should have access to therapists 24/7...funded by gov. 😔
@@marie_84 but the government doesn’t give one fk if we suffer. They probably enjoy our suffering
Agreed. It must be hard to leave stories like this at work and not take this trauma home
Imagine being a cop and having to arrive at these horrible situations. But #acab right?
@@colin6603 fire & ems too- but shhh we’re not allowed to be human and open up about repressed trauma “we signed up for it” 🙄
When I graduated high-school I became a 911 operator. I only lasted 10 months. I started having these horrible panic attacks and would come home crying every night. I finally couldn't take it anymore and stepped down. I'm not even 20 and got diagnosed with panic disorder and ptsd. Every word this man said is true.
So sorry for what u been through I hope u are better now
@Ruby77755 thank you, I'm still getting help and meds worked with but I'm much better than I was
is the disconnecting calls necessarily true? I figure 911 operators would try to find landmarks and street signs, etc for address. hanging up doesn’t sound right. I would figure that if there is an emergency, 911 will try their everything to find the location.
Sweetie, you and every TikTokers has "anxiety". Stop bragging about it.
@@sneksteppywhat are you even talking about
I retired after 20yrs being a 911 operator. PTSD is real. God bless all those who take this career. It’s not for the faint at heart ❤️
20 yrs... wow. Thank you for your service
Why did u do something so terrible for 20 years?? Must not have been that bad
@@jessicajones8872 very very stupid comment Jessica
Incredible thank you for your service
@@jessicajones8872 your comment is highly ignorant & offensive. We are LUCKY to have such people that are willing to put their mental well-being at risk to help others in life-or-death situations, continuously. It takes an extremely strong person do such a job, and someone that is passionate about helping others at their own risk to be able to have a career in it. If you think it’s “not so bad” I’d like to see your dumbass attempt it for even a WEEK. Chances are, you wouldn’t last a second. Be GRATEFUL for those that work with 911/are first responders. I was an EMT…it was a very hard job but I loved it knowing the impact I was making on the community. I had to go to counseling once a week to make sure I kept myself in check, so I could do my very best to help others, while making sure I wasn’t damaging myself in the process. You hear and see things you can’t unhear/unsee. Stop with your stupid assumptions that if someone is STRONG enough to hold a career in this field, that it makes it “not so bad”. That just means she’s one of those extra special people that we are SO grateful to have. Now sit your ass down
This suddenly puts those “bad 911 operators” in a new light. Imagine them taking call after call on their 5th 12hr shift, taking their 100th call that day after pranks and whisper calls, listening to domestic abuse, and not being able to get someone’s address…it’s like every day is a bad day. With that much stress, it becomes a little easier to empathize with someone who snaps at a caller.
@@Rafid-ez8jm literally no one can handle that stress perfectly every single minute of every day, think about what you’re saying
@@Rafid-ez8jm this is coming from someone I would guess is a bus boy
@@Rafid-ez8jm Not a good comparison.
@@Rafid-ez8jm In my view. A surgeon is professional and knows what they're doing and what to expect and is highly accountable. An operator will be exposed to all kinds of things over the phone while doing it for hours. Like the guy in the video said, doesn't matter if you think you got thick skin. The job will have some level of mental toll no matter who you are.
@@Rafid-ez8jmguess what!! surgeons make mistakes all the time!! it’s actually one of the leading causes of death in americans!! saying you expect these people to be perfect after days like this, while making an average of $20 an hour, is absurd. god bless these people.
As a Paramedic, thank you. You are the first, first responder. I feel for you… the things you hear, I see. Definitely not for everyone.
Hahahaha. Total female narcissism. You call him the "first first responders" so that you don't have to call yourself the "second responder". You somehow managed to make this about you.
Paramedics are fictional. You think and act like thats untrue?
Thanks for your service I am training to be a firefighter and I must say ems police fire department nurses military dispatchers no one fights alone
Kind of…. This guy has to listen to the people die, get shot, get raped, as it’s happening, you get there during the aftermath. I’m sure you’ve seen death. But operators hear hundreds of gruesome live leak esque scenarios that are happening within 20 miles of them.
You're not wrong - it would def be a more helpless feeling only hearing it and not being able to do anything. Not always do we get there "during the aftermath" though. Sometimes we are there "during". I've been haunted by the noises but being in the environment to use all your senses to take it in, is also a very different and haunting place to be.@@seancorbett8777
I was a 911/EMS dispatcher for a little under 10 years in the mid-2000s. I can tell you, every single thing this man said is true. I still carry haunting memories to this day. And all for barely $15 an hour. It was sad.
Yep, it’s very traumatic.. there’s a ton of channels with real 911 calls on RUclips, you can just look up 911 calls and there’s tons of terrible 911 calls including a women burning to death and you can hear her screams on the pgone
I made 15 an hour in 2020 so u making it 20 years ago is pretty decent.. Idk what y'all are expecting at a PD especially if you not in a major city. Can't anybody apply??
I was in a city of about 500k, and as 911/EMS dispatchers we had to be both EMT and EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatcher) certified. In addition to answering 911 calls, at the same time I had to play a chess game of sorts with 98 ambulances, constantly shifting them to make sure all of our areas were covered. So no, not just anybody could apply. I had a computer mouse in each hand and 4 screens in front of me to keep track of, and it wasn’t even the full $15 an hour, it was like $14.75 if I recall. It was sad back then and I really hope they make more now.
So if you had made more money it would’ve been easier?
@@ayla8345 the job itself wouldn’t have been easier, but being paid more would’ve made myself and my coworkers feel more appreciated, and that goes a long way towards retaining good people. Also, people who make more will generally accept a higher level of stress and psychological strain on the job because they feel the pay is commensurate with what they have to endure.
Every time I feel stressed out at work I'll keep this person in mind.
❤
I like to think about the firefighters from 9/11 or fukashima power plant
Agreed. This sounds terrifying
@@Officialjeffc or the firefighters from California that came to help when Australia was in need and paid the ultimate price for it
We won’t forget, thank you for your service to our country all Californian firefighters
Don't undermine your own work stress because of them being much more resilient, your stress is just as valid!
The calls where you have to hang up because you cant help that person is probably one of the hardest things to do.
How awful....I couldn't do that. I couldn't hang up on someone...fire me then.
fr imagine being that person that’s terrible
That does not happen if that were true families could sue for millions.
I wanna call mostly bullshit on this one. I have a hard time believing 911 operators training consists of:
“If you can’t get a location of a distressed caller, just hang up as you might be able to better help the next caller.”
I’d bet my entire yearly salary that nor anything close is found in ANY operator handbook in ANY part of ANY western country. And for the record, I have no experience, knowledge, or idea how, when, why, or what it’s like to be a 911 operator.
That being said, it’s sad to think that there are operators out there like this clown who have become desensitized, jaded, &/or lack enough, if any, empathy for the person on the other end of the phone to whom you are their very last thread of hope in their most desperate & possibly very last moments of life.
I couldn’t do that job. I couldn’t turn it off at the end of a shift, go home & sleep a restful night every night. But, if I did, & it came to these type of calls, I could never ever hang up. Even if there’s nothing I could do I wouldn’t stop trying to get something…anything & keep them on the phone. Very least I’d be a voice of compassion on the other end of the line all the way until the signal tone.
@@OVRxNxOUTit’s not common but there absolutely are scenarios where this can happen. Unregistered or deactivated cell phones can still dial 911. Only issue is when they do it comes up as a 911 area code. They’re completely untraceable and you can not get locations on them. If the operator can not make contact with the caller do you just expect them to stay on the line for hours until the battery on the phone dies? And if they do some dispatch centers only have 1 dispatcher on. What do you think they’re going to do when another call comes in? At some point you just have to disconnect and hope the person either calls back or can resolve the situation on their own.
I can’t believe that these brave 911 operators are considered “office staff”!
It's cheaper.
Haven't listened to it yet. If they don't mention about getting calls on powerful people abusing children, and having to call on a cell number to the police supervisor of that area to cover it up, it's all crap. They won't put it out over the radio, but they call the supervisor for that area on their cell.
Sometimes officers take on this role as well.
In Florida, they(APCO)have been trying to change that. For some reason, not happening. I've been in this field for 19yrs. A lot of what is being said is common to all 911 dispatchers. It's rare we even get "debriefed" when terrifying calls happen.
At least in Austin, Texas, “operators” are called Medics and considered first responders.
That’s your takeaway from this video? How pathetic are you?
This sounds absolutely terrifying. Hearing people scream for help and possibly not being able to help them And go on as if nothing happened is unimaginable. I could never do this 🥺
its not the operators fault
I think that I would like it. I’ve survived a lot of trauma and abuse, and am able to cope with such situations, as long as I can make a difference to a person at all. The difference I would enjoy making is just not being a judgmental jerk, as someone’s last connection in their dying moments…or in times of fear or loss. That’s why I’ve thrived in battered woman’s shelter and addictions treatment work. I got through my own trauma, despite certain “helping” people adding to it. I, now, find rewards in giving people what I didn’t have until one counselor helped me through the storm. Love 💝. Pass it on!
I know you can do it. You just need to put your mind to it and be the best 911 operator in your town.
like, sorry, next. what!
I see you in every comment section
For anybody who has worked or is working as a 911 operator thank y’all for what y’all do
It's not *just* the sexual assault, the murder, the domestic, the child abuse or suicide... It's **ALL OF THEM** that broke me. I applaud this dispatcher's courage to share what it's like living through a shift. I hope he gets out of there before he breaks too.
I hope lots of people see this, that we can change the system to recognize them as the first responder, they can have therapy paid for, a higher salary, and more people getting the job. Yes, that does mean more people being traumatized by these horrible phone calls… but it also means less people being abused, killed, going missing, etc- and less family members and friends being traumatized by these tragic events happening to their loved ones. More calls will be answered on time, less calls will be hung up, and more people will be saved.
The 911 operators will also be *less* traumatized, although there will be more of them, because they wont be carrying so much on their shoulders.
Thanks so very much for your service! ❤ May God heal you and bless you abundantly ♥️🙏🌹🌺💐
@@captainsquiggles5958I completely agree with you....our schools need a complete overhaul.... children, youth, young people need to be taught and trained how to be human and treat each other...
My significant other is a 911 operator and I am a CSI I very often see the aftermath of what they just heard on the phone. Luckily we have each other to talk to but it’s still extremely hard and being understaffed is an understatement.
I hope you both have time to decompress away from the troubles and worries of your jobs ❤ you’re heroes! 💪🏼 💪🏼
Thanks for your hard work
Thanks for your hard work, you're the hope for humanity!
I saw they’re hiring on indeed for 911 operators . I was shook
I can't begin to imagine what it's like to do either job. Now more than ever. Big up both of you xx
I worked as a dispatcher and had PTSD. I had to quit because it was too much for me to handle. And I worked for a county that had small towns but you’d be surprised how much darkness there is.
Grew up in towns under 1,000 and know of countless tramautic drowning deaths, suicides, fires from volunteer fire fighting. One kid managed to hang himself and light himself on fire. How much darkness there is indeed.
Categorizing these folks as clerical staff is absolutely unacceptable. For the life of me I can't figure out why it's so difficult for states to support the people that supports everybody.
What does it actually do if they are classified as a emergency worker instead of a clerical staff?
@@andrew627 As I understand it, there's a significant difference in the salaries and mental health resources. I think it goes beyond that into training as well tho.
@andrew insurance. They have no legal or insurance cover if they are classified as clerical staff
Get over yourself
Fortunately in certain states our classifications are changing- for example here in NJ we just finally got reclassified as first responders.. way overdue if you ask me. To even have been previously classified as clerical was such an insult- we’re definitely not secretaries. Also.. it can effect how many years we have to work before we can collect our pension/retire and there’s a lot more trauma resources available
The media usually highlights 911 operators failures, but rarely the ones who do a good job. I'm a nurse, and I feel like they deserve recognition as well.
The same applies to the police. They have to arrive at these horrific situations described, yet get constantly vilified by cowards that don’t have the guts or ability to do what they do.
@@colin6603 Oh bullshit. The police get praised all the damn time and people just love licking their boots.
@@colin6603 remember when dozens of cops stood in a school hallway for over an hour listening to kids dying and they did nothing at all?
Cops don't even have the courage you're ascribing them.
@@SuqMadiq yeah I remember those spineless cowards. Those cops should absolutely be held accountable.
Even the ones who aren't doing a good job, it might very well be circumstantial. I don't think I can handle a call at the end of 24 hour shift with grace and poise after getting 50 prank calls
My aunt had been an operator, she had quit after someone had suffocated their baby in their sleep. The things they hear are heartbreaking and it takes a lot of strength to do because of the toll it takes on you. They truly don’t get enough credit.
As a 911 dispatcher for over 15 years every word he said is true with the exception that where I am in Canada we are considered first responders. The calls definitely stay with you especially calls involving children and suicides.
Thank you for your service.
Even though im in australia still thank you for saving peoples lives over there and hopefully you can deal with that somehow
Thank you for your service to humanity.
Is it true 911 call centers are secret locations?
@@davidsixside769 I wouldn't say "secret" however my center has no exterior signage and the windows which face the street are essentially one way and bomb resistant with concrete "planters" spaced so as not to allow a vehicle to hit the building. The only telltale sign is the radio tower at the rear of the building. All that said however, the address is public.
Thats got to be one of the scariest jobs to ever exist. Big respect to the people who take it up
😊👍
@@樂樂樂-l5m dawg huh
Being a cop is scarier and more dangerous, big respect to them too right?
@@colin6603 policing isn’t a dangerous job stop spreading propaganda, more pizza delivery drivers are killed in the line of duty every year. If you want to lick a real hero’s boots head down to your local dominos
Seriously, for many your the last person they will ever hear. And also, these people's lives rely solely on yourself.
As a 911 operator; these things are so true. You really have such a big impact on people; you represent not only the police, fire, ambulance services but you also HAVE to be that calm voice.
One wrong thing said can drastically ruin the outcome of the call or make the situation dangerous for other emergency personnel.
My mom was a police dispatcher for 20 years and she now has extreme ptsd and is super jumpy. She has heard, in her words, “literally everything.”
Damn.
I imagine screams, beating shootings last words and imagine listening to that everyday how could you even think properly.
@@Corey-jj9gw yeah she’s pretty messed up but she’s making progress every day
@seanarmstrong3788 me too, she’s in a much better place than she was a few years ago
@@westonnemitz1093I hope she’s doing better❤
Damn.. the instance of the woman who mistakenly shot her husband really caught me off guard. That's so disturbing and through one mistake that women ruined so many lives including her own 😢
Unless she wanted to do that, even asked the dispatcher to do it or not. So..
Might have been a cover call
seems hella weird to me. Wasn't she expecting her husband? Did he not call out to her even once? Didn't he use his key to come in? I don't understand how you just accidentally shoot your husband in the head
@@ritam8767 nobody does lol. She either planned it , so faked the ''fear of stranger in the house'' or had some psychosis or schizofrenia.
Husband, stranger or not, the rule of thumb as a gun owner is...before you put your finger on the trigger you must be able to identify your target and what’s behind it. Either the woman didn’t take a proper course or got so paranoid, all rules went out the door and out of mind. OR, like all others are saying, could’ve been a cover up. Bottom line, NOT a responsible gun owner.
I’m so sorry that you have not been receiving the tremendous amount of recognition that you all deserve. You all have saved so many people and we are so grateful for all that you guys do. I can’t imagine the stress you guys must feel knowing that you’re the first or last person on a call with someone who needs help. Thank you so much for being a FIRST and important responder for our communities.
They really should have therapists at the 911 offices so after a crazy call these poor operators can talk to someone.
911 is criminally underfunded by congress. They should have video-links, satellite navigation, etc.
Its so simple ud think it would already be in place
Maybe in the future this is the type of job a robot should take over, this is too stressful of a job to do 40 or more hours a week. It’s not sustainable.
@@sophiasoto1405 It's a shame though because even if we could get that to work, all it takes is a single mistake from a robot and the whole thing would get bashed into oblivion by the public.
Even if it committed a lower % of mistakes than humans there would still be too many deluded people against it.
@@sayithowitisliverpool448 it isnt because it costs money
As a former 911 dispatcher, in a small county, where you are by yourself after 1 month, I heard a guy kill himself with a shotgun on the phone, I had to call child protective services because a four-year-old girl had ticks inside of every orifice of her body and was slowly dying, had to listen to so many domestic violence situations that I don’t care to count. I've heard "there's a very drunk man outside my house with a shotgun saying he's going to kill me!" And then proceed to hear him bang on doors until the state police showed up. Then they were the times where you have grandmothers calling you because their grandchild that they’re watching swallowed something and are turning purple and you have to walk them through infant CPR. Or the Heimlich. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. So many call I don't remember ..
another thing is that in this small county I worked, I wasn’t just a 911 call taker I was the emergency services dispatcher as well. So I also had to dispatch the emergency services necessary to deal with the situation and stay involved until it was dealt with.
What would you think when you got to go home? "Damn"
@@kiiiizy luckily I was relatively young (20) and didn't dwell on it a lot but obviously 15 yrs later I still remember it.
@@kiiiizy don’t encourage his fantasies
Jesus Christ. This shouldnt be categorized as some simple "office job", you are literally actively protecting and serving our community in one of the most stressful jobs in the world. This is one of those jobs where you just cant make a single mistake in. I have high respect for anyone who can handle this line of work.
@Fuhrious - As an EMT, YALL are 🏆 hands down THE TRUE FIRST RESPONDERS‼️👏 I made a comment just now naming just some of the MANY tasks you do, simultaneously!!!! Heroes ‼️💕🌎
That is absolutely insane. How can they not classify you as a first responder?? My heart goes out to 911 operators❤️ You guys aren’t alone and we are here for you all.
I was a 911 operator in my hometown for a while. It’s been almost five years since I left and I still have dreams about some calls. There is a sense of hopelessness when you can’t be there to help and it’s too late. I had a call once when a woman was murdered on the phone. All she could scream was help and All I could do was listen and pray the police got there in time. The job is not for a weak. That’s for damn sure
Its funny how 50% of the commentators suddenly turned into 911 operators from every age 😂 like the Triple X 1999 , 2011 LMFAO
@@VGODPit just makes sense for operators to watch this video. It's not for everyone, lot of people quit the job. It's statistically possible for them to unite over how difficult this job is, on some video on YT. Even if my theory is implausible, it isn't funny.
@@VGODP there's nothing funny n, i bet you know nothing about these comments being a joke or not just bcuz u already saw too many lies in the comments. the world i living in now, *tsk
@@Anthony-dq4dl still funny
@@VGODP get out of here you unfunny edgy 10 years old
This is Just Tragic, the PTSD they must suffer is unreal..
Post Traumatic Society Disorder
@@boohere2 that's the exact problem you've just confirmed, it's not all about the police. This time it's about the heroes who gets the police there! Have a nice day everyone, take care.
I survived attempted suicide, multiple. I can tell you first hand the regret and trauma I have years later since then. I couldn’t finish this video but these people have saved my life. Thank you for everything.
I’m glad you are here and doing better Peter. Keep going! Life is an endless battle. 🫡
I survived 1 attempt. I feel no guilt to my parents (they created me in a world where hydro morphone is illegal) but a bit of guilt to the dispatcher. unless they also created somebody in a world where morphinans are illegal in which case it is completely cancelled out.
The story this person told about how you can't tell someone not to shoot, but you can't tell them to shoot and then that lady ended up shooting her husband in the head...I couldn't live with that guilt. Honestly. Serious props to dispatch operators. Just listening to these stories gave me anxiety and I listen to 911 calls on youtube for curiosity sake. My town just started a "text in" 911 service. I hope that somehow helps lessen the stress on dispatch.
@Brandon Krause Unfortunately some people are too quick at getting to the “shoot” stage rather than thinking rationally. But you’re right, it’s bizarre to me that her first thought wasn’t “oh, that’s probably my husband coming home”.
@Brandon Krause i was thinking that he came home early
Here in Houston, we've had text for a few years now. I'd prefer to speak to someone, information gets transferred much more quickly by speech, but it is helpful in circumstances where someone can't risk being heard. Soon they will add the ability to send pictures/videos; it will be a mixed bag too as far as value to the dispatcher.
@Brandon Krause I don't find it strange for several reasons. We don't know how dark the room was at the least. My main point though is that I see a lot of relationships today that seem to be more about money than love. The partners are often extremely disconnected and independent. Depending on where the call was from, perhaps she wanted to kill her husband, but wanted to get off, but that last part is very deep in speculation
I was also deeply struck by that call as you were. The thing is what if it hadn't been her husband and the guy told her not to shoot. I think the biggest take away here is that people need to communicate with each other better
My mom was a dispatcher, she loved that job but quit due to politics. She's saved several lives, talked people through the worst time in their lives, and has won several awards. Sometimes I wonder how many ppl have died cuz she couldn't stand being treated like crap by the other ppl and cops there.
Edit: I can very much confirm everything that guy said. All the budget goes to cops, no one cares about the ppl that send them there. Also some dispatchers have access to police files, and they have alot of messed up and crazy pictures. Liveleak is on the same level as the pics I may or may not have seen.
@@Tybolt1 imagine reducing saving lives to “loving drama” You sad little man
@@Tybolt1 nah man, my mom is a hippie who wanted to help people; she just lives in a small town. People are ignorant, and when you are a genuine person; it offends them. It's people like you with hate in your heart that have ruined the world. I don't understand why you can't just go about your life and keep to yourself? You aren't special, and neither are your opinions; we're all the same. One day you'll die and be forgotten just like the rest of us. You should try to make the world a little better before you go, not worse.
Edit: that's what she tried to do, and just like you and your comment...the people she worked with did the same.
How long was your mom a dispatcher before she finally quit? I hope she was able to get some type of counseling.. I definitely know I’d need it if I had that job. What do you mean by Liveleak is on the same level? What is it?
@@PiXie232 oh like 8 years, and I mean crime scene pictures and such
@@Athena_420 I never said she showed me anything, and wouldn't if she did lol
Shoutout to whoever was the operator on the phone when I called at midnight when I was 9 years old, saying my mom was possessed. I witnessed my mom have a seizure for the first time, and being a kid, I just thought a ghost in the house possessed her. They could of easily just hung up and sent police as a prank call but they were so gentle and making sure to get someone out as fast as possible. Then when a ton of EMT’s show up, my mom is now coming out of the seizure but very disoriented.. I was terrified, the EMT’s told me it was a seizure and what seizures do. Love them for helping a terrified 9 year old :)
My father-in-law thought he wanted to do this job after he retired, and he went through the training process. But he quickly realized that he was not going to be able to do it without finding himself in serious trouble for developing PTSD or ending up being sued because there is a legal component that he might make a mistake and end up being sued, and he felt that it wasn’t worth attempting in his golden years. And I don’t blame him at all for that.
I'm grateful for 911 operators.
😊👍
I was a 911 operator for a military base. Some of the stuff I heard still messes me up to this day. The thing that really broke me was a baby call. Mother screaming on the other line that she wasn’t breathing. Had the father get on the phone cause he was more calm way more calm than usual. Many of the calls you never hear the ending to it but this one I found out later that night the baby made it. I went home and was feeling great. Then a week later I was told by my supervisor the baby had passed and the reason she wasn’t breathing was because the father shook her that night. I had given this man instructions for cpr on an infant only to realize he was the one who shook her to death. I can still hear the mothers scream in my head loudly and that call was 3 years ago.
Oh my God, that is roughh.
Wow, just crazy.
As someone who cleans up crime scenes I agree. The job can be tiring and I couldn’t imagine hearing people cry out as they die. Send much love and comfort to this individual
Oh my goodness. I can't believe the horrors you must have seen. Thank you for your work and may God help you endure and heal. This must be so so tough
GOD BLESS PPL LIKE YOU❤❤❤
I feel so sorry for that poor woman. She must’ve really been scared for her life and it’s her husband the entire time. My heart breaks for her
I wonder why she didn’t think that it was her husband- assuming they live together, why think intruder? Makes me wonder why , god that’s unbelievably heartbreaking
I don't understand why she didn't think it could be him. The first thing you do if you hear someone in your house when you think you're alone is call out to whoever you live with because there's an almost certainty it's going to be them
It could be a result of dementia or mental illness.
I can’t even begin to imagine the aftermath of something like that. My condolences to everyone involved.
@@magda_pie maybe he was away on a trip or wasn't supposed to be home yet and she thought he was an intruder.
I called fishy maybe she wanted to take him out
i’m planning on doing dispatch for the next few months until i’m 19 and can actually start working with my EMT license and even though i knew it’s a rough job, these stories really put it into perspective for me. i’m glad there’s content like this available on the internet so people can have a better understanding of the jobs they’re getting into because that’s what this video has done for me. thank you to this dispatcher and all dispatchers for telling your stories and helping so many people. ❤️
So, people can do this job in their teens? That explains a comment above that seemed to be from a 911 operator who may have been a young girl. I right clicked on her RUclips name to open her RUclips Channel and sure enough, this 911 operator was a VERY young girl. Her channel contained all children's cartoons.
@@paulrichards2365 i doubt it haha. it’s probably either a bot, or someone who allows their child to use their youtube account.
My friend was an emergency hotline operator and heard the worst of humanity. She was left with severe PTSD which prevented her from working and was so incapacitating that she was hospitalised several times. Years later and she is still struggling with the trauma. It was horrible watching her suffer.
She needs a mind-wipe
as an EMT, hats off to dispatchers. they have a very important and highly underrated job because they not only are the first to make contact with someone in trouble but they relay important information to us so that we are ready to take over help when we arrive. they don’t get enough credit for all they do. I absolutely could not do my job without them.
Mad respect for 911/112 responders. I'm a law student and 911 calls are the worse in case studies. (At least for me) The feeling of helplessness is so difficult.
I can't imagine hearing those all (work)day.
Crazy how a cop can murder someone in cold blood, and then get a paid vacation with a slap on the wrist... but a 911 dispatch operator attempts to save someone's life and can potentially end up in jail or broke! What a country we live in.
TF are you talking about?!
what tf ru talkin about
What cop has got away with murder?
@@Us3r739nearly all the ones who got put on trial or investigated only to find out that they did nothing wrong and it was the victims fault for "not complying"
Been living under a rock if you haven’t seen any cops that kill random people
Omg when he said he had to disconnect on that lady and take the next phone call my heart drop
My mom was a 911 for a little under five years. She still talks about the woman she heard murdered a block from the police station and the night she was on call when they found the sheriff's son dead from suicide in his car. I could never ever do what these people do.
Damn.. I didn't think about it from their perspective. My heart goes out for them.
Check out real 911 calls on RUclips. But if you can’t handle very gruesome stuff I’d suggest you skip that, they are very traumatic videos, including a women burning to death on the phone. It’s horrible the screams
I was a 911 dispatcher and I tell you, it changes your life. These people deserve so much for what they have to endure on a daily basis. They may be unseen but they are the unsung heroes.
I have a good family friend who is a 911 operator, a few years ago she was on the line with a 16 year old who was driving out on a rural road and she had accidentally driven off a gravel road and got stuck in a ditch. She couldn’t get her door open and the car burst into flames. And my friend had to listen to her burn to death because she couldn’t disconnect and help was still several minutes away. She said that was the worst call she’s received by far because there was just nothing that could have been done. She said it scared her for life.
I have called 911 twice in my life. 1 operator wasn’t really up for hearing about my emergency and I was rather annoyed (I was in a car accident) and the other time they were really nice and helpful (had to call paramedics for my grandma) I’ll try to keep in mind the horror they hear every day to sympathize with everything they go through.
❤ I appreciate your understanding very much.
Also don't mix up there lack of over empathetic customer service with annoyed. I think the US is too used to hearing super over exaggerated emotions from customer service, they forget how humans normally sound when on the phone. Most are trying to do their job and do it well....however they cannot be too emotionally attached or else it is hard to last long
An operator saved my life. Kept me awake while I OD’d and got me to communicate where I was while I was literally dying. I still don’t know how they did it, but I thank god every day I got connected to someone who effectively could save me. And I thank them, whoever they are, for saving me.
Glad your alive God bless you .
I Hope you made a full recovery. ❤️ glad ur here
My high school had a Police Academy program that I joined. Basically building us up to become police officers after we graduated HS. One day, we went on a field trip to the police office. One of our stops was the operating/dispatcher office. They allowed us to listen into the calls that they received. One call I'll never forget was about a 80-something-year-old woman falling down a flight of stairs.
I honestly don't know if she lived through that or not. This happened back in 2008.
Your job is incredibly important and I hope this video and others will raise awareness so 911 operators can get the resources they need (more pay, time off and therapy as needed). My SO just died of a heart attack and the 911 operator was helpful, firm and compassionate - I’m grateful he was helpful - never telling me to “calm down” etc. instead he said “you can do this”. I still hear his words in my head as I navigate this awful time.
ill never forget when my son had a seizure in the middle of the night. he was barely 2 y/o and i was stuck, just going through the motions. i broke down on the phone once i realized everything would be ok. ill never forget how calming and warm the woman was on the phone. she offered to stay on with me, the tone of her voice never changed. life savers.
I work as a disability claim processor and we always process 911 operators or paramedic claims. They submit horrific documentation about their traumatic condition they experience at work and my god the things I have read are absolutely brutal. I can’t imagine how tough it is for them to do this as a daily job. My heart goes out to all of them.
10 years doing this job. I can confirm there's calls that definitely come home with you
yeah like the one call that ask you *Have you ever felt a knife cut through human flesh and scrape the bone beneath ?*
and then he said
*The question isn’t who am I, the question is, where am I ?*
i swear to god i heard something in my closet and i ran on the street as fast i can
@@VGODPwtf
I thought about training this, then I thought I have too much trauma/I'm too sensitive to triggers. Then I thought, that's not unique. These guys do it in spite of their own issues. Incredible selflessness. I have even more admiration for anyone who can do this.
Yep even before I had ptsd … I knew this is not a job I could handle. When I was 16 I talked a close relative out of suicide…that was enough for me.
This is absolutely heart wrenching, but also solidifies my stance on being self reliant on handling certain emergencies yourself to the best of your abilities before dialing 911.
I have only had to call triple 0 (the emergency number in Aus) once, and it was life and death. I’m so glad they were able to help. It’s interesting to see how the US treats emergency responders - I went and had a look and our salary for triple 0 operators is about $77k, and they are part of the emergency services team (with paramedics). I’m glad to live in a country that treats our operators with respect though I suspect much of the trauma is the same.
77k AUD is about 51k USD. Not much of a difference in pay considering the cost of living being higher in Australia. But yes, it’s NOT enough for the work they are expected put in.
Call the Triple X and your re save
I worked for life alert as a dispatcher a long time ago, we had a call once from an elderly man who notified us that he had an intruder in his home but was able to beat up the intruder with a baseball bat. Turned out that he had dementia and it wasnt an intruder, it was his wife.
I hope his wife was still alive after that
I remember when I was little I used to see our neighbor up the street, he was an elderly man that had two dogs. He always looks so sad and never talk to anybody. My other neighbor had told my mom that when he was in his thirties, somebody broke into his house in the middle of the night, waking him up. He shot and killed them. It turned out to be his wife.
You lied about being a crime scene cleaner then
what the hell
@@crakz5088this guy's never heard of having more than 1 job during your lifespan 😂😂😂
When I was younger, I really wanted to be a 911 dispatcher. After talking to ppl (some that I know personally) who were/are dispatchers, theres no way in the world I'd be cut out for this job.
I have a whole new level of respect for each and every dispatcher/operator after hearing their stories & the gruesome situations they're exposed to day in and day out.
If you're a dispatcher & you're reading this - I'm so proud of your strength & resilience. You're rad as hell & truly deserve the recognition, you're all heroes. Thank you for being so selfless 💛
Also, seeing the suicide warning ⚠️ before the video AS WELL AS right under the description breaks my heart. It makes me wonder how many dispatchers who watched this are struggling with suicidal ideations & thoughts.
My heart goes out to ANYONE in that state of mind. You're worthy of happiness & love & most importantly, life. Do not let your mind lie to you about all the negativity it tells you. You're loved. You're needed here, and I promise it gets better. PLEASE reach out to someone.
love your profile pic ❤️|-/
As someone who has also been a 911 Dispatcher before, I can difinitively say everything he's saying is sadly 1000% true. People who have never worked that job before do not understand the amount of stress and PTSD that can come with working a job like that. My very 1st week as a dispatcher I had to take a call involving a shooting at a bar. I will never forget hearing the paniced screams and the voice of the lady who phoned it the 1st of many many calls.
U worked the job then got in yt searching for it 🍪 here u go 🍪 we don't gaf
@@carlosgreene98
@@hoodedzero4051 n ur parents are both dead
My grandmother was a 911 dispatcher in Vegas. She passed away when I was 12 so I never got a chance to really ask her questions about it. I'm sure she had some crazy stories. My heart goes out to all first responders INCLUDING 911 operators.
i’ve always wanted to work in a line of duty where i can help anyone and everyone in need and for the longest time i was invested in being a 911 operator. i started doing research and found how truly serious it is , how much it can take a toll on you and your mental health and being an already sensitive person who gets anxiety and panic attacks easily i discovered that it wasn’t the best option for me. i truly can’t express or put into words how appreciative i am for all 911 operators , what you do doesn’t go unnoticed, sending all of my love. ❤️
All he is talking about is true. After working as a 911 operator/supervisor for over 10 years, one of the big reasons I had to leave was because I was tired of all the massive amount of liability I knew was on my shoulders all the time. You can't leave the job at the station. It follows you. There were always times where I would leave anxious because I wasn't sure if there was more I could've done. Even if I had, if the media or an attorney working a case gets a hold of your call, it will be played and dissected (sometimes in the news) and rarely do they point out how well a 911 operator did. Then like he mentioned, there were the LOOOOONG hours, the abusive callers, the calls that hit hard like listening to people die on the phone, the lack of support and resources... Several times I'd take one of those awful calls and its not like there is anyone there you can debrief with or talk to. You were on your own to deal with it. You would just have to suck it up and go right back to work. The agency I worked for would cross train us as 911 call-takers and dispatchers. It was not at all rare for me to be in the middle of a 911 call while also having to deal with the police radio for things like officer emergencies or taking traffic stops (you cant ignore these because of the huge officer safety issues that exist) because the person I was working with was already on an emergency call. The high stress and burnout was real.Thanks Vice for giving 911 operators a voice.
Thank you for your work. I hope you will be able to cope with all you have experienced.
Sometimes VICE absolutely hits it out of the park. This piece deserves a Pulitzer Prize. My sincere thanks to the great work at VICE for drawing our attention to a critically important, yet often neglected area of our society. Not all heroes wear capes, folks.
Vice is amazing they bring light to so many things
Vice is meh. Sometimes they're incredibly bias and other times they're great
the one where the woman shot her husband, chills. that’s so horrible.
@@Animedumptrucktheir reporters are typically left leaning, mostly due to the fact that most reporters are well….left leaning. Which is why they greatly outnumber the right leaning reporters even on other news stations. That being said, when they do stuff like this, it’s always amazing, they just let the person explain how it is, no interviewer, no reporter, just the blunt truth.
I took a course for 911 dispatching few years back. People don’t think dispatchers are part of the police but they absolutely are. They’re the first ones you call when you’re calling ‘911’ I never continued into the career further but I have a huge respect for them and what they do from what I learned. Thank you dispatch.
Bruh, those dispatchers get paid near minimum wage. That's a job not a career.
I applied for this job about a year ago in a rural area. The job paid like 45k a year after a much lower paid training period. Glad I found something else. These people deserve better.
to few for what are you experiencing
so there was this one call
that asked me *Have you ever felt a knife cut through human flesh and scrape the bone beneath ?*
and then he said
*The question isn’t who am I, the question is, where am I ?*
Been doing it for 28 years now in a major US city, where the burnout for 911 operators is 18 years. Yes, I've heard people's last gasps on the phone after being shot, and have been through an active shooter incident, which thank God the shooter was killed by police before he killed anyone, after wounding several people. I'm hoping to put in a few more years, although I can retire in a year. I don't know how much longer I'm going to last, not due to the stress of the job, but due to mental damage that has been done throughout the country in the last couple of years during COVID. People have become less rational than ever. I can deal with the horrors of the job, I'm getting burned out trying to talk sense to someone who doesn't want to hear, and will argue with me, and ignore every question or instruction.
Over the last couple of years, it has been fun for the media and the public to bash 911 operators. Yes, mistakes are made, but you'll rarely hear when we do it right. Thankfully, I'm happy being in the background, as all of the thanks go to the officers, fire and EMS personnel, we are usually never thought of. Yes, I even saved a life by having to run into our jail to cut down a prisoner attempting to hang himself, thankfully I was more than rewarded by having done so, as there was little recognition even for that.
Sadly, we are reaching a crisis, as no one wants to come in, or many lack the needed skills to be a dispatcher. As the guy pointed out, the additional strain of having to cover additional shifts is creating insane stress, putting us in a more and more vicious circle throughout the nation where more are leaving, without replacement.
Thank you for all that you have done. Helping others. I hope that all is going well.
@@myae9563 Thank you. As frustrated as I get sometimes, I'll stick it out and give it my all, but I'm so ready to hang up the headset for good!
@wehrmeister Because you mentioned you’ve been doing it for 28 yrs in a major U.S city I couldn’t help but think how you’ve managed to do it so long. Also, I couldn’t help thinking I hope you weren’t working on 9/11. Thank you for what you do.
@@estherstephens1858 Thank you ma'am. I don't work in NYC. I just got off after working a night shift on 09/11, just getting home in time to watch the horror, wondering what those dispatchers and other responders there in NYC had to be going through. I was off for my two days, staying glued to the TV, wondering if we were going to war, and if I was going to be recalled back to active duty in the Air Force (I wasn't, although I was angry and prepared to go).
It's hard for me to believe that I've done this so long, and have always taken pride in my work, whether it's reuniting a lost dog with it's owner, to handling the major calls. But I'm ready to hang up the headset, and move on to relax a bit!
@@wehrmeister I hear you. I know you said you love what you do but I’m sure you’re ready to rest and relax. That doesn’t mean sit back and not do ANYTHING. It just means take a break from all of what you’ve been through. Thank you for your service.
Blown away by the fact that they aren’t provided with very accurate tools to locate someone. So basically if you’re in a rural location and you’re not sure where you are you’re fucked.
And i can’t believe they HAVE to hang up the phone😱like wtf that is so traumatizing for both ends.
The people who do this job are amazing. If you are a first responder(haha get it bc you literally are the first responders) hats off to you. Thank you for all you do.
Bro. Mad respect that you shared all that. Can’t imagine all the inhumane going in your ear on the daily.
This video was extremely eye-opening and quite alarming. My heart goes out to all heroic dispatchers. The emergency systems runs because of your jobs. Each and every one of you matter ❤
I used to work as a phone operator for an IT company (mainly tech support stuff), but I remember this one call. A woman was crying out loud and it was very odd as basically 99% of the phone calls we got were tech support related. Apparently, woman asked to connect her to HR because she had found her 20 year old son(who worked for our company) dead.
It was just one call a few years ago, but I still remember the shivers I got from hearing this devastated mother's voice. I can't imagine what it must be like to deal with hundreds of emergency calls on a daily basis.
Mad respect to all 911 operators ❤️
I used to be a EMT and I responded to a carbon monoxide call, I walked in the house and the family of 4 was sitting up right on the couch dead was a surreal experience I quit the job a couple days later
Edit : I lied I was never an EMT
are they the ones that called? if so, why would they sit on the couch when they know there is carbon monoxide? i’m sorry you witnessed that. i couldn’t imagine finding people dead. i’m horrified enough that i’ll find a pet
Oh my god. That is terrible. Bless you and I hope you are doing okay after all these experiences.
I have so many questions . Wouldnt they have passed out with carbon monoxide poisoning instead of sitting up right? Were their eyes still open? Was their a tv playing as if they were all watching television prior to the incident ? Im so sorry you had to witness this .
@@laurelkendun most people don’t know it’s carbon monoxide they just feel sick
@@laurelkendun Carbon monoxide is odorless and tasteless gas. They would’ve not known.
I currently work in a department in a city of 100k, and we're typically always short staffed. In ours we are trained to and swap between dispatching EMS, Police, Fire, and handling teletype/warrants on top of dealing with 911 calls. We generally have five or six people on duty.
I'm glad this video provides some insight to the terrible things that happen, but it also neglects the good. I have also heard people commit suicide, I've heard parents grieving the loss of their child. But I've helped deliver babies over the phone, I've had the honor of telling someone we found their missing husband, and I've gotten to help someone fight for their life by instructing CPR. It's not always good, it's often stressful and it all the things in this video are spot on. But at least once I've managed to be the difference in someone's life by giving the help they need, and I am thankful for it.
......Helpline👆
I'm glad to see something positive. I recently applied to be a dispatcher in a large area, and this video and some of the comments have me slightly worried, but to hear that it isn't all like that makes me feel better. Like, sure, it definitely isn't good most of the time, but there are moments.
I was a 911 operator for 6 months and I can confirm that this is all true. I didn’t resign because of the phone calls though, it was the work environment and coworkers (other operators) that made me quit because it was the most toxic backstabbing place I’ve ever worked. Also the hours were awful too (13+) hour days with no time off
They don't get paid anywhere close to what they should. Its a job I could never do and they are the 1st step in helping restore order from chaos. Bless them all.
I used to work as a first responder on the critical care side of the response and I have nothing but the utmost respect for our dispatchers, obviously because we depend on them for the most complete and accurate info that they can garner in an emergency as we respond in the field.
Not to mention, they have their fair share of dealing with some real boneheads who abuse the system time and time again, and having to deal with deploying us for potential turkey calls. On the flip side, they are often the last person any hapless soul may talk to in his or her final moments of life.....and I can only imagine how much that would completely screw someone up for life, not to mention substance abuse, PTSD, and suicide.
From a humble healthcare professional, I salute each and every one of you.
It seems like the people who care most are the ones who suffer most. Every time you want to help, but can't. The constant exposure to suffering you can't prevent. It scars the carer as much as the victim. Stay strong, brother. The reason you only see darkness is because you are the light.
A 911 operator sent the ambulance that got me to a hospital during my first asthma attack. My deepest thanks to those in this profession. They sholder the darkest moments of our lives with us to offer hope of help. Your work is worth far more than you recieve for it
📍Helpline👆.
Its funny how 50% of the commentators suddenly turned into 911 operators from every age 😂 like the Triple X 1999 , 2011 LMFAO
@@VGODPhilarious, you're the entire circus.
Taking one call and moving on to the next is so true. I had a guy shoot himself while on the phone with me. I heard his last words and his last breath. The next call I had a mother walk in on her son that hung himself and right after that s guy screaming at me because a car was parked in front of his house. I took every call back to back and had to move on like nothing happened. It's truly not for everyone I've seen so many people come and go over the years. I love serving my community but it's not for the weak.
Working as a 911 dispatcher was the best job I’ve ever held. Difficult, but worth it.
Either your nosey as hell or like helping people or both 😂.
@@ctnative203😂😂😂
Extremely stressful job. Thank you for always being there.
......Helpline👆
I couldn't even begin to thank this man and anyone who has the heart to have this job. But thank you to him and anyone reading this that has to hear the horrors humanity has to offer.
I was an over-the-phone interpreter and I can vouch for everything this person is saying. I still feel the pit in my stomach when I remember. It's been like 15 years since I left that industry.
My friend is a 911 operator. She got a call of a farmer who ran over a wasp nest. She couldn't find where he was cuz he was in a field somewhere. He died on the phone with her. When the police came they too (even with a bee suit) got stung.
Omg that is horrible. God bless your friend.
"Earl got stung by a wasp nest"😂😂😂😂😂
@@Lawd_Treesh go get monkeypox
@@Lawd_Treesh Why is that at all funny?
@@Lawd_Treesh check yourself, and read the room
To all the 911 operators. I respect you so much. The ability to help people, follow the rules and maintain control over your emotions in difficult situations is something that always fascinated me.
I was a 911 interpreter from English to Spanish and everything this person describes is true. I didn't go through it for more than 1 month and a half, I was waking up with panic attacks and falling asleep in tears. 911 is a nightmare, and the workers are the strongest people I know
To be honest this is what makes me hesitant to work as an interpreter in emergency. I have trained for it but I don't feel like I have the guts for something like that. I can't even imagine being the dispatcher. At the end of the day the interpreter does not make the decision but the operator does. So much pressure.
Like c’mon at least give them over $20 an hour if not $30. This is a terrifying profession and it takes major skill to handle these calls.
Thank you to 911 operators and thank you for holding the victims in a place in your hearts for a moment. I couldn’t imagine the pain and suffering. This definitely puts thing into perspective. I pray we find peace..
Dont think thats enough to pay for all the trauma and stuff that happended to them yet the government would probably pay them a little above mininum wage
They should get MINIMUM $30, free therapy, and great benefits
them folks on contracts probably 😂..
Welcome to democratic ideology too defund the police, they cities that actually fund their police departments have latest technology and pay them well. But continue to support who likes to defund police
This person must work on a small operator center. The ones here get paid pretty good
This whole episode is crazy! "Seeing is believing" but "Hearing it before seeing it is mentally draining!"
"We listen to people die" is a horrifying truth to a 911 operator
I used to have a coworker at my retail job who used to be a 911 operator. He said he people were worse and the stress was greater at the customer service desk than at 911. I said that's because on 911 you were only dealing with people's lives, but here you're dealing with their money.
.Helpline👆
Are you in a small, medium, or large city? I'm just trying to get context, as that sounds like such an unexpected assessment.
I was almost a 911 operator. My uncle had been one for longer than I’ve been alive. I have so much respect for them! Thank you for your hard work!
Respect to all the 911 dispatcher/1st responders. I can’t imagine the amount of PTSD you guys go through.
I have so much respect for these people taking these calls. I couldnt do it myself, going home and thinking about what you have had to discuss with people.
I’ve been incredibly lucky in my life and haven’t had any really terrible experiences with 911. The most recent one, I found my mother had passed away in her bed. I was completely in shock, like I can’t even imagine what I must have sounded like, all I knew to do was call 911. The dispatcher was amazing, she could tell right away I was a complete mess, she had to walk me through everything, right down to “remember to unlock your front door”. It was Christmas Eve, the second worst day of my life (first was the day my dad died), and I’m still so grateful that my dispatcher was so kind and patient.
To think that the people who do this job are thought of as clerical staff is horrible. To do such a mentally exhausting thing day in day out takes a different type of person alright, a goddamn hero! Why is it expected such traumatic 'jobs' like our front line defenders, even army/navy etc, to be able to do such emotionally destroying jobs without giving the recognition and support they deserve? These people are hero's! Treat them like it!
Internet moderators deal with this and are definitely getting paid less (esp in other countries) to endure the same amount of mental trauma. TikTok, FB, etc. Ruining people's lives and treating them as disposable and less than human by refusing to adequately provide counseling and living wage.
Keep that same energy for the police, who have to arrive at these situations. 911 operators and the people arriving at these situations are heroes.
@@colin6603 100% they are true hero's, selflessly putting themselves physically and mentally at risk everyday. Definitely a good sort of people 😊
@@larzapan yes I've heard about this too. It's funny that so much is spoken about when it comes to mental health these days, but yet there is still so far to go. It is well understood the effects of persistent trauma has on a person. Therapy should be mandatory in these types of positions to work through the things they deal with, it is strange really that it's not..