It begins...

County 911, do you need police, fire, or ambulance?

How did I become a dispatcher? A bit of luck, a bit of insanity, and some good timing.

I left college after my sophomore year because I was miserable. I had been in a nationally-known engineering program, and realized that engineering wasn't where my future lay. Not that I was incapable of doing the work, but it bored me to tears. When I approached my academic advisor with my concerns, the answer I got was essentially, "Oh. Well, ok. That's tough." No suggestions of career counseling, or other programs I might consider.

Since my school had made it clear they were not terribly interested in keeping me around, I made some hard decisions and filed my withdrawal papers. I considered joining the armed forces, and nearly did so - I was in the recruiter's office with pen in hand staring at the enlistment forms when I changed my mind. Instead, I decided to take a chance and strike out on my own.

Right off the bat I found a job and an apartment. I worked in high-end retail for the next eighteen months, until my employer pulled his shingle and closed the doors. I spent a month on the dole, applying and interviewing for jobs. I was hired by a medium-size software company and spent the next several years doing tech support.

In other words, I was pretty good at talking to people on the phone.

Along the way, I had joined my local volunteer fire department, and one of the assistant chiefs suggested I take the dispatch exam. I met the posted requirements, and it would be a bit more money than I was making. I had found that the emergency world fit my personality, and this seemed to be a pretty good way to actually make a living doing it.

I signed up for the next test, and took it. Results came out in the standard "six to eight weeks". Score: 95. Rank: 1. I was ecstatic; I knew there were openings at the time and figured I had a pretty fair chance of making it. Unfortunately, the hiring gods were not smiling; the county decided to take several lateral transfers from other areas in an attempt to minimize training time and costs. Back I went to the trenches of software, but I made sure I answered every canvas letter and kept my resume and references updated.

Just over a year later, I got the call for an interview. I put on my nice suit, printed up everything I'd need, and went in, trying hard to hide the nerves I was feeling. The interview seemed to go well, though. A week later I was asked to come in and do a "sit-along" to get a feel for how things work.

I spent my four hour observation time watching the dispatchers watch TV, read books, do crosswords, and otherwise amuse themselves. White Cloud Syndrome!

The following week, I got The Call. Come work for us!

Three weeks after the call, I started training... and that is fodder for future posts.