On an ordinary day, you’re at the station with your crew when the tones go off, followed by dispatch: “Engine 15, Engine 437, Wagon 12, Ladder 6, Ladder 15, Battalion 42A: Respond to an automatic fire ...

As the very first of the first responders, 911 dispatchers play a critical role in helping those often calling in their darkest hours. For 27 years, Monterey County native Anna Helms has been a ...

PLAINFIELD – The national hiring crisis has extended to the Plainfield Police Department dispatcher’s hub, where roughly 75% of the section’s part-timers have departed. “We like to keep between five ...

It's often a grueling job that requires communicating with people when their life is at its worst. The shifts can exceed 12 hours, and no one’s getting rich doing it. The 911 emergency call takers and ...