Introduction to the Crisis
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and emergency service operators warn that 911 callers may soon hear an answering machine if immediate action is not taken.
Photo by Dean Moses
The Role of 911 Operators and Dispatchers
The 911 operators and dispatchers say they are the first line of defense for members of the public experiencing an emergency and the guiding voice for first responders sent to assist those across the five boroughs, but now these workers are facing an emergency of their own.
The Staffing Crisis
Standing outside of police headquarters on March 27, the dispatchers told horror stories of extreme workloads, 16-hour days, and even being forced to sleep in cots at the call center due to an ongoing staffing crisis.
The Impact on Workers
“The mental stress that we go through every day is unreal. It’s something that we can’t even fathom — sleep deprivation. We take more than 100 calls a day of people dying, shootings, people are having a hard time breathing, children who are dying, and we have to, in less than three minutes, activate who are we going to send to that person,” 911 operator and NYC Police Communications Technicians and Supervisors Union president Arisleyda Estrella-Skinner said.
Standing outside of police headquarters on March 27, the dispatchers told horror stories of extreme workloads, 16-hour days, and even being forced to sleep in cots at the call center due to an ongoing staffing crisis.Photo by Dean Moses 911 operator and NYC Police Communications Technicians and Supervisors Union president Arisleyda Estrella-Skinner speaks at the March 27 rally.Photo by Dean Moses
Consequences of the Crisis
Other workers — who asked not to be identified out of fear of retaliation — say they are forced to work 16-hour days almost every day, leaving them exhausted during life-and-death moments. They also argue that they are forced to stay past their work hours even when their children are waiting at home. If workers say they can’t do it anymore, they are disciplined.
The Double-Edged Sword
“If you go to them and say I’m burnt out, I can’t work 16 hours. They’re gonna say, do what you have to do, which means you have to go sick and get a doctor’s note. If you do go sick and you did not bring a doctor’s note, you get a command discipline. Let’s just say you stay there and do the 16 hours. You’re tired, you’re burned out, you fall asleep. What do you get? A command discipline. It’s a double-edged sword,” one worker said.
The Possibility of a Silent 911
The crisis is becoming so dire, workers warn that callers experiencing an emergency could face the possibility of not hearing a live voice at the other end of the line.
The crisis is becoming so dire, workers warn that callers experiencing an emergency could face the possibility of not hearing a live voice at the other end of the line.Photo by Dean Moses Public Advocate Jumaane Williams said he wrote a letter to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch in which he outlined some of the most egregious concerns, such as the docking of pay for being unable to work the forced overtime, a lack of adequate mental health resources despite the trauma inherent in the work, and photos of employees sleeping in locker room facilities due to time and financial constraint.Photo by Dean Moses
The Alarm Sounded
Williams played a recording of an answer machine message he says some are already hearing when they need help. “This is the actual recording of what people have heard when they’ve called 911, as they’re trying to get an operator to pick up the phone. This is alarming. This is scary. It is terrifying,” Williams said. “We have to sound the alarm before that message turns into all you get.”
Calls for Action
Williams said he wrote a letter to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch in which he outlined some of the most egregious concerns, such as the docking of pay for being unable to work the forced overtime, a lack of adequate mental health resources despite the trauma inherent in the work, and photos of employees sleeping in locker room facilities due to time and financial constraints.
“Overworked individuals cannot properly advise callers or provide information to authorities on a continuous basis with the necessary accuracy,” Manhattan Council Member Yusef Salaam said. “It’s a very, very dangerous situation.”
“Overworked individuals cannot properly advise callers or provide information to authorities on a continuous basis with the necessary accuracy,” Council Member Yusef Salaam said. “It’s a very, very dangerous situation.”Photo by Dean Moses
Conclusion
The crisis facing 911 operators and dispatchers is a serious one, with potentially deadly consequences. It is imperative that immediate action is taken to address the staffing crisis, provide adequate mental health resources, and ensure that workers are not forced to work excessive hours without rest.
FAQs
Q: What is the crisis facing 911 operators and dispatchers?
A: The crisis facing 911 operators and dispatchers is a staffing crisis, with workers facing extreme workloads, 16-hour days, and inadequate mental health resources.
Q: What are the consequences of the crisis?
A: The consequences of the crisis include the possibility of callers experiencing an emergency not hearing a live voice at the other end of the line, as well as the potential for errors and accidents due to worker fatigue.
Q: What is being done to address the crisis?
A: Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has written a letter to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch outlining the concerns and calling for action, and Manhattan Council Member Yusef Salaam has spoken out about the dangers of the situation.
