(Spirit Lake)– This week marks the observance of “National Telecommunications Week”…time to recognize those who work as law enforcement dispatchers and 911 operators.
11 dispatchers, four full time and seven part-time, are currently on staff at the Dickinson County Communications Center. Jared Fischer is one of them. He tells KUOO news their duties are wide and varied, with public safety the number one priority.
Fischer says the job as dispatcher comes with some rigorous qualifications, including the need to multi-task and listen and communicate carefully. And he says training and certification requirements are pretty much ongoing.
Fischer says the Dickinson County Communications Center has three different operating stations with state-of-the-art equipment made possible when the new courthouse was constructed.
So just how busy is the Dickinson County Communications Center? Fischer says in 2010 the center received 15,602 calls for service along with 4,955 911 calls.
Fischer says they’re grateful to Sheriff Greg Baloun and the Dickinson county board of supervisors for their support of the Comm Center and dispatch staff.
Pictured in the photo front row left to right are dispatchers Marianne Lynch, Jarrod Fischer and Anne Ricke. 2nd row: Art Jones, Teresa Eakin and Kathy Frey. 3rd row: Richard Zalabowski, Annette Vassar and Konnie Beck. Missing from the photo are Kari Karnes, Tim Nelson and Scott Christianson.
