04/12/2026
"Who Am I?" A poem about our 9-1-1 Dispatchers.
I am the voice that calms the mother
breathing life into her infant son.
I am the invisible hand that holds and
comforts the elderly man who woke up
and found his wife of 50 years had
passed away during the night.
I am the friend who talks the disgruntled
teenager out of ending her own life.
I sent help when you had your first
automobile accident.
I am the one who tries to obtain the information
from callers to ensure that the scene is safe for
those I dispatch to emergencies - all the while
anticipating the worst and hoping for the best.
I am the psychologist who readily adapts by
language and tone of voice to serve the needs
of my callers with compassion and understanding.
I am the ears that listen to the needs of all
those I serve.
I have heard the screams of faceless people
I will never meet nor forget.
I have cried at the atrocities of mankind and
rejoiced at the miracle of life.
I was there, though unseen, by my comrades
in the field during the most trying emergencies.
I have tried to visualize the scene to coincide
with the voices I have heard.
I am usually not privy to the outcome of
the call, and so I wonder...
I am the one who works weekends, strange
shifts and holidays. Children do not say they
want my job when they grow up.
Yet, I am at this vocation by choice.
Those I help do not call back to say thank you.
Still, there is comfort in the challenge, integrity
and the purpose of my employment.
I am thankful to provide such a meaningful service.
I am a mother, a father, sister, brother, son or
a daughter.
I am here when you need me and still here when you don't.
My office is never empty, and the work here
is never done. I am always on call. The training is
strenuous, demanding and endless.
No two days at work are ever the same.
Who Am I?
I am an emergency dispatcher and I am proud.
Author Unknown
