GREENSBORO, N.C. — First responders are some of the bravest souls in our community. They rush towards danger when others are running away.
Did you know the people who answer the phone when you call 911 aren't always considered first responders? Now, we're looking at the local efforts taking place to change that.
During a Guilford County Commissioners meeting Thursday, commissioners will talk about supporting a plan to officially designate 911 dispatchers as first responders.
We went over to the Guilford County Justice Complex and spoke with the Executive Director of Guilford Metro 911 about what all this actually means.
"We are the first responders that are heard and not seen. All of our sister agents recognize us as first responders, but the citizens and general public never think about us. Currently, at the federal level, telecommunicators are classified as secretarial and they are not under the protected service classification which means first responders", is how the Executive Director of Guilford Metro 911, Melanie Jones, described the current situation.
Jones went on to say that this designation would help with recruiting and retention. Which they've struggled with for the last decade as the role of the 911 dispatcher has evolved from handling a handwritten note to police or emergency services.
Now the position requires six months of training, life-saving measures, and medical knowledge.
"We answer calls for service. We send help, then we move to the next call. We deal with untold mental trauma and stressors because sometimes what you don't know can be worse than what you do know and we take calls and never know the outcome", Jones went on to say.
If reclassified as first responders, it would also allow dispatchers to get access to certain mental health services in times of crisis.