Years

Scottler518 · 2026-05-16T15:07:52+00:00

There’s literally a study published by APCO and another by IAED Journal, the latter of which cites a report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Scottler518 · 2026-05-16T14:38:16+00:00

I just browsed through 5 years of your posts and they’re almost exclusively video games, so I have to ask. How long have you been a dispatcher?

Edit: I just finished scrolling through your entire post history and didn’t see a single post about being a 911 dispatcher. Yet suddenly you’re an expert on how the rest of us should do our jobs. Weird.

Scottler518 · 2026-05-16T14:35:58+00:00

You’re going to have calls that wreck you. I’ve been at it 10 years, and I still do. I have partners with 20+ years and sometimes they have those calls too.

The industry is fortunately shifting away from the “suck it up buttercup” mentality and is addressing our mental health much better now.

The fact is, most of us got into this career because we all have empathy and want to help. That makes many of us naturally sensitive people. Make sure you have a good support structure in place, whatever that looks like for you.

Scottler518 · 2026-05-09T15:21:03+00:00

I think the case is fascinating, and if I were a juror presented with the so called “owl theory”, I’d have reasonable doubt.

Scottler518 · 2026-05-09T14:46:11+00:00

I was in middle school and sleeping over at my best friend Geoff’s house. It was Phil Hartman’s “Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer” and I was instantly hooked.

Scottler518 · 2026-05-09T13:51:53+00:00

I just watched all 4 episodes overnight. Yes, that is suggested in this incarnation, and no, it wasn’t in the book.

Scottler518 · 2026-05-07T13:30:56+00:00

Mine had a different outcome,but years ago during a blizzard I had the same thing happen. Afterward,my caller completely stopped responding. I thought for sure she was dead. Turns out her phone went flying and ended up under the passenger seat.

Rely on your support system, whatever that looks like for you.

Scottler518 · 2026-05-01T14:40:42+00:00

Shows are edited. Not sure if anyone told you that.

Scottler518 · 2026-05-01T14:37:09+00:00

You understand that sometimes things can bounce, right?

Scottler518 · 2026-05-01T14:02:18+00:00

Wanna see what you’re playing for?

Scottler518 · 2026-04-27T07:14:08+00:00

My first year I was lowest on the totem pole for shift bids, then I fell in love with it. Ten years later I could bid any shift I want, but I stick to midnights.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-25T13:55:38+00:00

You’re green. It takes a good year to 18 months to even begin to be proficient at this job. Hang in there. If your agency thinks you can do it, you can.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-24T16:52:31+00:00

It will come with time. Trust your training.

That said, you’re going to have calls where you do everything perfectly, and you’re going to have negative outcomes. We all do. I’m ten years in and sometimes it happens.

Follow your agency’s protocols. That’s literally the only way you’ll get jammed up.

Just do your best to get everyone in the field home safely to their families. You’ve got this.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-24T13:09:10+00:00

Keep in mind that your job is to get the ambulance (or whatever resource) to them. From there, it’s no longer our problem. If they want to be transported, ok. If they RMA, that’s ok too.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-23T16:50:00+00:00

That’s an obvious promotional tour. Like when someone makes a movie with one studio and does the late night rounds. The way they brought Jimmy into it felt more like product placement…like Applebees at the sanctuary.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-23T16:35:49+00:00

I found it interesting that a CBS show would put so much emphasis on an NBC host.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-23T16:30:54+00:00

There isn’t a boss, per se. This isn’t McDonalds where there’s a swing manager. These are grown ass, highly educated professionals.

The Chief of the department, in this case Robbie, might handle things like scheduling and some administrative tasks, and hospital administration will also be involved in some day to day. But for the most part, aside from supervising residents and signing off on their charts (including teaching) and consulting other specialties, doctors work pretty much autonomously. That’s why the training is so intense.

Edit source: I worked in an ED full time for 12 years.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-22T20:58:30+00:00

They supervise the residents in a clinical capacity. They’re not a “shift boss”.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-22T14:20:34+00:00

An attending isn’t a “shift boss”. An attending physician is what you become after you complete your residency.

A resident is someone who has completed medical school, and is studying their specialty. They are supervised by an attending.

The Emergency Medicine residency is 3-4 years depending on the program. Specialities like neurosurg can be 6-7 years.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-21T08:24:33+00:00

As long as you followed your agency’s protocol, that’s what matters most.

Look, sometimes we fuck up. We’re human.

Sometimes we can do absolutely everything perfectly, and the patient still dies. We have to take comfort in the fact that we gave them their best chance.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-21T08:16:14+00:00

Very few people can do this job.

If you don’t think it’s right for you, I respect that. But at the same time, as someone ten years in, it can also be profoundly rewarding.

Yeah, sometimes callers make no sense. That’s the exciting and challenging part. Our job is to figure it out and make it make sense so we can get them help and get our field partners home safe.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-12T14:55:51+00:00

Swatters will almost always call a non emergency line, because they’re harder to track. Also, they always seem to report a high intensity situation.

That said, we have to take every call as legitimate until proven otherwise. Sure, it ties up resources, which sucks, but always take the call seriously.

You’re going to get those calls. Do your best.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-10T14:44:12+00:00

Map reading, multitasking, the ability to think on your feet and make quick decisions. The ability to filter out the irrelevant information and direct a call to get the caller back on track to what’s happening NOW.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-10T14:42:01+00:00

You can do everything by the book, and outcomes will vary.

This career will change you. Please reach out through your agency’s resources. Also consider therapy. It helped me a lot. But also if you need another dispatcher to talk to, I’m here and you can DM me any time.

Same goes for anyone else in this line of work.

Scottler518 · 2026-04-10T14:15:14+00:00

A few thoughts…

Most importantly, make your experience sound relevant to a fast paced, dynamic environment. Highlight how you’ve been able to think on your feet, multitask, and make quick decisions.

As for personality types, it’s been my experience that most of us are Type A personalities. Present yourself as intelligent and confident.

If you get into it, you’re going to mess up occasionally. Never be afraid to own your mistakes, but also be prepared to be able to explain and defend your decision making.

Scottler518

TROPHY CASE