08/20/2026
First and foremost, our thoughts remain with everyone affected by yesterday's tragic incident. Nothing in this post is intended to take away from the seriousness of what occurred or, most importantly, from those directly impacted and their families.
Following the incident, we have been asked by members of the media and outside public safety organizations how we are addressing the mental health and well-being of the dispatchers who handled the calls and worked during the incident.
We believe that is an important question—and one that deserves an honest answer.
The Incident May Be Over. The Impact Isn't Always.
When a mass incident occurs, the focus naturally turns to the people directly involved, the responders on scene, and the work being done to protect the community.
But there is another part of the response that often happens quietly—taking care of the people who answered the calls, dispatched the resources, and listened to what was happening on the other end of the radio.
At our 911 center, we take the mental health of our team seriously.
Following a critical incident, we utilize two critical incident debriefings. One brings together the agencies involved in the incident, allowing everyone to process what occurred together. We have already completed that debriefing.
The second is held privately with the dispatchers and team members who were working during the incident. That debriefing will take place next week and gives our team a safe environment to talk, ask questions, and process what they experienced together.
But our support doesn't stop there.
Our team has access to:
• Chaplain services
• Peer support
• Professional counselors trained to work with first responders through Tennessee Crisis services
• Supervisors and administration who are available when someone simply needs to talk
We want our employees to know that "mental health" is not a taboo phrase in our center.
If one of our dispatchers comes to a supervisor or member of our administrative team and says, "I'm having a hard time," our response isn't judgment. It's support.
We will continue watching out for our team in the days and weeks ahead. Sometimes the effects of a critical incident don't show up immediately, and we understand that. We will look for signs that someone may be struggling and respond with compassion, understanding, and the resources necessary to help.
Every person who has ever worn the headset understands the mental fortitude this job requires.
We hear the voices.
We take the information.
We send the help.
And sometimes, we carry pieces of those calls with us after our shift ends.
That's why we take care of each other.
Our dispatchers spend their careers being there for everyone else when they need help.
After a critical incident, we make sure someone is there for them, too.
