First on the line last on our mind.

Most residents devote little attention to thoughts of potential emergency situations until they happen. In Tucker County like many towns and cities across the U.S. the task of answering these last minute and often panicked calls falls to the men and women of the local 911 system.

In a time of terror and uncertainty the voice of a 911 operator can seem like a beacon of hope calming you as they dispatch the required EMS, Fire, Law Enforcement, or other needed asset to assist with your emergency situation.

These often overlooked heroes man their station 24 hours a day 7 days a week to ensure that your calls never go unanswered and someone is always there to rapidly dispatch the help you need.

When you face that inevitable emergency situation and reach for the phone to dial that well known three digit number your call is routed to a com center where a dispatcher answers the phone and requests information about your emergency in order to assess the situation and determine which assets to page out in response.

In the case of a fire depending on the size and location a page will be sent out to one or more of your local fire houses, a fire whistle will sound alerting members of the paged fire company to report to station, details and pertinent information will then be sent via your local emergency scanner frequency, and in a short time geared up firefighters are once again bravely racing towards the flames.

Being a 911 operator isn't for everyone as when calls come in it's a fast paced high stress job, yet many opt to become a dispatcher due to the necessity of the position and to get the chance to help their fellow citizens.

If being a 911 dispatcher sounds like a job you'd enjoy doing part time applications are available at the Tucker Comm Center. You can also read more about the job Here.