Traveling 911 pt.2
Continuing the Blog series on benefits to the traveling 911 Telecommunicator. Outside of the professional growth benefits already discussed, there are many personal benefits that should be considered. Both for the Telecommuincator and the Agency themselves. One benefit is Networking. Travel workers have the opportunity to network with different emergency response centers and teams, creating valuable connections and potential career opportunities in various locations. Another benefit is Personal growth. Adapting to new environments and challenges can lead to personal growth, resilience, and improved confidence in handling emergency situations effectively. A critical benefit in today’s stressful PSAP environment is Job satisfaction. Making a difference in various communities by providing vital emergency services can be a fulfilling and rewarding experience for travel workers in the 911 dispatch field. That job satisfaction translates to a more stable and productive work environment. I’ll end with this but it's by no means the least. Professional compensation: Travel workers will often receive professional compensation packages, including benefits such as travel allowances, accommodation, and bonuses for their willingness to travel and work in different locations. As we all know, compensation for the job performed by these hero’s under the headset has been the Achilles heel for decades. Governments continue to ignore this vital piece of PSAP culture and personnel retention.
Is ‘professional 911 contractors’ the answer to the 911 PSAP understaffing crisis. No, not the full and complete answer. Bringing Flexible, Diverse, Experienced, Skilled, Satisfied and Professional workers to 911 is a great start. Many believe AI technology applications for off-loading non-emergency calls or automating low level 911 calls will help make a dent in the number of staff required. This along with leadership and telecommunicator training to create the desired culture and slow attrition as well as the ability for management to pursue the long, hard fight of elevating telecommunicator salaries will all be aspects of solving this challenge.
I believe we have to do everything in our power to create the desired outcome we all hope to see. or we continue talking, hoping, wishing for a holy grail to appear that solves the decades old PSAP challenges of culture, mental health and job satisfaction.
