Dispatcher Stress: 50 Lessons on Beating the Burnout

Working in a 9-1-1 communications center can take a toll. Recent studies have proven the link between handling traumatic calls of life-threatening nature and the onset of burnout, compassion fatigue, and even PTSD symptoms. Over the life of a 9-1-1 professional's career, these symptoms- including emotional numbing, avoidance and isolation, and hypervigilance- can cause effects felt both on and off the job. We may grow disconnected from callers and coworkers, seem distant to family and friends, and perceive the world in a different way. Those who thrive in their 9-1-1 career for the long haul - to retirement and beyond - do something differently. With the tools and perspectives found in this book, every 9-1-1 professional can more easily leave work and work, sleep better and chart a course for less stress and more happiness.

Written by a former 9-1-1 dispatcher with the Los Angeles Police Department, the tools are tried and true. A short and accessible read, this book is found in 9-1-1 centers all across the country, praised for its easy-to-use takeaways and relatable voice. Perfect for reading while at the console. The primary author, Adam Timm, spent over 10 years as a 9-1-1 dispatcher and grappled with years of burnout before finding a way out. He now travels around the country offering training classes and consulting services through his company The Healthy Dispatcher.