Dispatchers are the key to our emergency system.
But you know that.
It’s a more than a little concerning, though, to realize that there’s a shortage of dispatchers nationwide.
That’s a situation that needs to be fixed–and fixed fast.
How do we do it?
My guest on this episode has some ideas.
Barry Furey is a public safety consultant and trainer.
He’s the former director of the Raleigh-Wake Emergency Communications Center in North Carolina.
In a career spanning four decades, he has managed 9-1-1 centers and served as a volunteer fire officer in three other states.
Article: Fire Dispatch: Curing the Dispatcher Shortage
Article: UNLV Report on Dispatch Center Staffing
Trivia question:
Where and when was the first steam-powered fire engine built?
Answer:
The first self propelled, steam powered fire engine in the US was built in 1841 in New York. But steam power really didn’t catch on for decades. And by then, gasoline engines were almost here.
