A Conversation With A Real 9-1-1 Dispatcher | Not Today, Pal

Summary

Not Today, Pal with Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler: A Conversation With A Real 9-1-1 Dispatcher

Episode Details:

• Title: A Conversation With A Real 9-1-1 Dispatcher
• Hosts: Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler
• Guest: Candace, a seasoned 911 dispatcher
• Release Date: May 1, 2025

---

1. Introduction to Candace

In this episode of Not Today, Pal, hosts Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler welcome Candace, a dedicated 911 dispatcher, to provide listeners with an authentic glimpse into the demanding and vital role of emergency dispatching. The trio dives deep into the nuances of handling emergency calls, the challenges faced, and the technology that supports 911 operations.

---

2. Finding and Selecting the Guest

Robert: "[00:40] I'm very excited for this episode. I started asking Zolo to have a 911 operator on the show..."

Candace shares how she was discovered by the hosts, emphasizing the importance of dedication in her field.

Candace: "[01:16] Adrienne sent me an email and said hi. She googled 911 operators in the Austin area."

This organic approach highlights the meticulous effort the hosts put into selecting knowledgeable guests.

---

3. Candace's Role and Responsibilities

Candace elaborates on her multifaceted role as a 911 dispatcher, detailing the various responsibilities that come with the position.

Candace: "[01:58] A 911 dispatcher does all of it: answering 911, non-emergency lines, and dispatching police, fire, and EMS as needed."

She explains the structure of her current agency, which specializes in handling police-related emergencies exclusively.

---

4. Handling Emergency Calls

A significant portion of the discussion centers around the intricate process of managing emergency calls.

Candace: "[03:00] When you call 911, we determine if you need police, fire, or EMS based on your response."

Hosts delve into how determining the nature of the emergency is crucial for appropriate dispatching.

Candace: "[03:43] The next most important question is location. Technology helps, but callers often need to provide specific details."

She points out the limitations of current location-tracking technologies, emphasizing the necessity for precise information from callers.

Notable Quote:

Candace: "[05:15] Earlier, the address was just the tower. Now, it's much better, but not like the movies."

---

5. Technology in Dispatching

Candace discusses the advancements in technology that aid dispatchers but also highlights areas needing improvement.

Candace: "[06:50] We're now able to receive texts to 911, which is invaluable for certain situations."

She appreciates the progress but remains realistic about the ongoing challenges in accurately pinpointing a caller's location.

---

6. Training and Skills Required

The conversation shifts to the rigorous training and essential skills required to excel as a 911 dispatcher.

Candace: "[07:10] The main thing on the job is decision-making. If you have good decision-making skills, I can teach you how to do the job."

Robert: "[07:10] Is there advice you’d give to aspiring 911 operators?"

Candace: "[29:45] Can you make good decisions? Can you multitask and are you willing to put in the work? It’s not for everybody."

She emphasizes the importance of emotional resilience, empathy without being overwhelmed, and the ability to handle shift work.

Notable Quote:

Candace: "[30:02] You have to be empathetic but not to the point where it cripples you."

---

7. Types of Calls Handled

Candace provides an overview of the various types of emergencies she encounters daily.

Candace: "[09:14] We frequently handle collisions, disturbances, assaults, and welfare checks."

Markets Variation: She explains how the nature of calls can vary based on the department's size and location.

Candace: "[25:32] During a tornado storm, we were answering calls non-stop, triaging between real emergencies and general inquiries like power outages."

---

8. Memorable Experiences and Challenges

The hosts and Candace share memorable and challenging moments from her career.

Candace: "[25:37] Once, during a tornado, we were overwhelmed with calls and had to manage simultaneously without immediate support."

Robert: Recounts an anecdote about being a detective shadowing for a day, highlighting the unpredictability of emergency situations.

Notable Quote:

Candace: "[31:12] Working holidays is interesting because families gather, leading to unique and sometimes weird calls."

---

9. Advising Aspiring 911 Operators

Candace imparts valuable advice for those considering a career in emergency dispatching.

Candace: "[29:45] Make good decisions, multitask, and be willing to put in the work. It requires empathy but not to the point of being overwhelmed."

She underscores the importance of understanding the impact of shift work and maintaining emotional balance.

---

10. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, Candace reiterates the critical role dispatchers play in emergency services and encourages callers to trust the process.

Candace: "[35:12] Different departments handle different emergencies. Don't hesitate to call 911 if you're unsure whether it's an emergency."

Jamie-Lynn: Reflects on the enlightening conversation, appreciating Candace's dedication and the life-saving work she performs daily.

Notable Quote:

Candace: "[37:30] Remember, when you call 911, they are asking questions to help you effectively. It's all about helping you."

---

Key Takeaways:

• Critical Role of 911 Dispatchers: Candace highlighted how dispatchers are the first point of contact in emergencies, playing a pivotal role in ensuring timely assistance.

• Importance of Communication: Effective communication and precise information from callers are essential for swift and appropriate responses.

• Technological Advancements: While technology has improved location tracking and introduced features like texting 911, there are still limitations that require human intervention.

• Emotional Resilience: Dispatchers must balance empathy with emotional detachment to handle high-stress situations without personal burnout.

• Comprehensive Training: Rigorous training focused on decision-making, multitasking, and familiarity with dispatch systems is crucial for success in this role.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Candace: "[05:15] Earlier, the address was just the tower. Now, it's much better, but not like the movies."

• Candace: "[30:02] You have to be empathetic but not to the point where it cripples you."

• Candace: "[35:12] Different departments handle different emergencies. Don't hesitate to call 911 if you're unsure whether it's an emergency."

---

This episode offers listeners an invaluable perspective into the intense and rewarding world of emergency dispatching, shedding light on the unsung heroes behind the 911 calls that save lives every day.

Transcript

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[Candace]

Not today.

[Host 1]

I'm very excited for this episode. We, you know, months ago, I started asking Zolo. I think it'd be really interesting to have a 911 operator on the show and be able to ask them all these questions and this. And Zolo, I just. Before we start, I just wanted to know what's that process been like? Because it's taken. It's taken a while. Right.

[Host 2]

How did you find Candace?

[Zolo]

Well, I actually tapped another, like, booking agency that we use for, like, some specialty kind of thing. So I wasn't special.

[Candace]

Yeah, that's what I am, special.

[Host 2]

You sure are.

[Zolo]

I was a little bit removed from the whole hunt, but maybe, Candace, you can tell us a little bit about what that was like and how they got connected with you.

[Candace]

Yeah. Adrienne sent me an email and said hi.

[Host 2]

How do you think she found you?

[Candace]

She said she googled me.

[Host 2]

Like, wow.

[Candace]

Yeah. Well, not me personally, but I guess she googled 911 operators in the Austin area. Communications. I'm not really. I didn't ask her that specifically.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Candace]

She said she googled me and that's how she found me. And I was like, wow, maybe I need to google me. Yeah, exactly.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Host 1]

What are people seeing?

[Candace]

Make sure. Like what?

[Host 1]

Yeah, so what?

[Candace]

I mean, I think there was a paper, an article in the paper, and that was online, and it had my name, and so that's how she narrowed it down to me.

[Host 1]

Well, starting with the obvious. How long have you been a 911 operator? Or now you're not? Exactly.

[Candace]

Right.

[Host 2]

Well, now she says she's a supervisor, right?

[Candace]

Yeah. What I consider a 911 dispatcher. So a 911 dispatcher does all of it? They answer 911. They also answer a non emergency line, but then they also dispatch to police. Some departments will do all of it. They'll do police, fire, and ems. Some departments have it to where you have a call taker that does just the ems. That's what they Call an emergency medical dispatcher or an emd and then they have fire, which is emergency fire dispatcher. And so it just kind of depends on how that goes. So the agency that I work for now is a fairly large agency. So when you call 911, you get the police 911 call taker and that's all they do as far as they don't have to do all the other jobs. But it's a very important job because answering 911 is a very important thing to do.

[Host 1]

And you used to do that.

[Candace]

And I used to do that. I used to do that along with all the other duties.

[Host 2]

Right, so does that operator decide then who to connect you with?

[Candace]

Yes. So what will happen is when you call 911, usually in most places they will ask you do you need police, fire or EMS? Okay, so the first question when you call 911 is what emergency services do you need? Police, fire or ems? And then once that determines, depending on where you are in the whole country, you could be at a place that's a small town. So you just that the same person that answered the phone is going to be the person that helps you. Or they could be transferred to a different department. So like where I'm at now, it's a bigger department. So if you need fire, you get transferred, transferred to that fire department. If you need ems, you get transferred to the EMS dispatcher and they to collect all your information, you need police. And the original 911 call taker helps you.

[Host 2]

And so but if you answered the phone, then you could help them regardless.

[Candace]

Yes, exactly. You're going to get help no matter which one it is. So you'll get that. And the next most important question after you determine what your emergency is, is where. Location, location, location.

[Host 2]

It doesn't come up for you.

[Candace]

TV and shows and movies are such a little myth. Now we do have it to where. Now most people that have their cell phones, they have a phase two or greater cell phone ability. So it should give you an idea of where they are. But it's not gonna be one of those things where, hi, I'm downtown on the corner of 6th and Congress in a 10 story building and I'm on the 10th floor in, in suite 1001 and I go, oop, there you are on the map. It doesn't work like that.

[Host 2]

You'd think technology would allow for that though, wouldn't it?

[Candace]

Yes, but it's not that fancy. So it'll probably show you at the corner of six and Congress, but it's not gonna tell me that you're in.

[Host 2]

In the building.

[Candace]

In the building.

[Host 2]

Got it.

[Candace]

It's gonna be like that.

[Host 2]

Okay.

[Candace]

So you should still always know where you are.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

So if you're in an area with a lot of houses, it's easier. Cause it's like, oh, well, it's showing you what house. Kind of.

[Candace]

Yeah, kind of. Sort of like it should probably put you on the street in front of the house.

[Host 1]

Okay.

[Candace]

You know, but it again, you know, technology isn't. Isn't what the 911 operator has to deal, you know, does. Like that's for up the cell phone company and all that technical stuff that they do. But it is fairly. It's a lot, lot, lot, lot, lot, lot better than it used to be. It used to be you were pretty much when you called 911, the address was the tower.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Candace]

Yeah. So the old school phones, like old, old, old, ancient ones, they probably still do that. So if you were to call and hang up, which you know, you should never hang up, always speak to the operator.

[Host 2]

Yeah. And say. Even say, sorry, I made a mistake.

[Candace]

Exactly, exactly. So we're not trying to hunt you down, then it would show up at the tower. So I wouldn't be able to help you anyway. But now it's a lot better. It has improved to where, you know, it's close to. It's just not like it is on the movies, you know, where they say, oh, I see you and you're right.

[Host 2]

Here and you're running up and down.

[Candace]

The elevator and you're like, yes, it's just so great.

[Host 2]

That's a lot.

[Candace]

No, but it is a lot better. So obviously if you have the location and if you know, like not everyone's going to know. Like if you're driving down the roadway, you're not necessarily know the address of where you're at, but you can come in intersection. So the call taker is going to ask you questions like that. They're going to try to ask you defining questions to clarify where you're at. You know, like if you're on a major interstate, you know, what's the billboard that you're seeing? You know, what's the next exit sign? Do you see, you know, do you see a business? You know, those things help.

[Host 1]

How often do people just not really know where they are?

[Host 2]

Yeah, I was gonna say there's probably a lot because they're not.

[Candace]

Especially when they call on an interstate and they're calling in crashes. Oh, I just saw this crash. Thank you. That's very nice. That's very helpful. Where?

[Host 2]

And they're like, I'm still driving, I don't know.

[Candace]

Well, like I just passed the exit 4. That's helpful, right?

[Host 2]

Right.

[Candace]

So that way I can say, well, how far? And then you have people that are directly challenged and that's not their fault. So, so then you start things like are you north of this or are you east of this? And so you have to reword your questions because not everyone knows which way's north.

[Host 2]

What is your training like? Like, what is that process? Because I can imagine, is it a personality type that can do this job? Because you have to stay calm, right? Like what are the characteristics you need? What is the training like? Because your job feels very stressful to me.

[Candace]

So yeah, I'm the opposite, of course. I'm what they call a unicorn. I think the job is like the best thing ever.

[Host 2]

Oh, that's amazing.

[Candace]

God probably just pretty much made me to be a dispatcher and so it worked out really, really well. But you have to be able to multitask. You have to. It's decision making. The main thing on the job is decision making. So as long as you have good decision making skills, I can teach you how to do the job. So every department's different. Most nowadays the way it is is you are in a training program. Some departments, if they're big enough, they have a classroom training and other ones don't. So what they call that is on the job training. So you sit with a trainer at the desk and they go over everything with you. So you have training where you learn about the CAD system, which is the computer aided dispatch. So everyone has a different kind of program that they use. It helps, it's your friend. And then you also learn like, so when you're a dispatcher, you. And if you're a 911 dispatcher, you're gonna do all of it, right? So you're gonna answer the phone, you're gonna put the call into the CAD and you're gonna turn around and dispatch.

[Host 2]

It all while you're talking to this person?

[Candace]

Well, yes, it's super fun. And then you'll talk to the officer and dispatch them or whatever. You have access to different computer systems. So like when an officer goes out, let's say like they go, let's say someone calls in a dist, the officer goes out, they have to identify the people that are involved in the disturbance. Well, they're going to want to run them and make sure that they're not wanted and that they're who they say they are. Right.

[Host 2]

What happens if they're wanted to get arrested?

[Candace]

So the dispatcher, you have to train them on how to access all those different computer systems and the different databases. So you learn those things. So that's where your multitasking comes in and your decision making. So you have an officer that's not on traffic, you have another call that comes in and you gotta dispatch it, depending on the priority system. So you're doing multiple things at once? Yes, at once.

[Host 1]

What's the call? When you're being a 911 operator, what's the call that you get the most frequently?

[Candace]

Well, in general, we get collisions, of course. You get your disturbances. Sorry, I'm just not gonna talk.

[Host 2]

No, go for it. Disturbances meaning anything?

[Candace]

People fighting, people having a verbal argument. Most of the time it's verbal, but then of course, you get the actual assaults going on that are in progress. You'll get your. Depending on what kind of department you work for or what area that you work in. So you can work for a smaller town where, like, there's not a lot of what people consider high crime. Like, there's not robberies and burglaries. You have your general theft and your criminal mischief, which you're going to have that everywhere. You know, teenagers abroad, there they are. But a lot of times it's just your disturbances. Crashes. You'll have some thefts. We do get a lot of check welfares too, where people are checking on people.

[Host 1]

Yeah, my buddy had to do that to me once.

[Candace]

Did he?

[Host 1]

I was drunk. Yeah, they had to send someone to make sure I was all right.

[Host 2]

Have you.

[Host 1]

Oh, sorry, no, go ahead.

[Host 2]

Have you had any calls that were hilarious?

[Candace]

Oh, I mean. What's hilarious to you? It's not necessarily hilarious, meaning just like.

[Host 2]

People that are calling that are maybe clearly inebriated or clearly under the influence, that are calling about things that are ridiculous, that you have to still do your due diligence, but, you know, it's not right.

[Candace]

You always have to make sure that it is, you know, and we don't really have prank calls anymore as much because, you know, they know that we can go find them.

[Host 2]

That's right, exactly.

[Candace]

Wow. You just said that in the past. Most of the time, you know, because.

[Host 2]

Like, it's really messed up. Occupy a line.

[Candace]

Well, if you've called the police before, you know, you know we're gonna have a record of it. And so we have your phone number. And so one of the things that you can do is check involvement See if that phone number. And that's one of the ways you can find people.

[Host 1]

So one of the only times I've called 91 1, I was in a car accident. My friend, he was driving, see?

[Candace]

Crashes. Yeah.

[Host 1]

We get out of the car And I call 911 and I tell them. And we were on the Merit highway, which is like, there's no guardrails, no lights on. And I'm like, there's no. There's nothing to tell you where I am. I'm on, like, the last exit. Is this. No, this is before that. So. And then we saw the ambulance going by and we were like, okay, they should be here. And then like 10 minutes went by, 15 minutes. And I'm like, oh, no, call them back. And they were like, we already picked you up. Like, and there happens to be another acc while they were on the way. They got those people and they. We were just standing out. It was like January, freezing cold, and.

[Host 2]

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[Host 1]

What surprise when you started being a 911 operator. What surprised you most?

[Candace]

Surprised me most?

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Candace]

I don't know if I should say this or not, but I don't know if you know this, but in general, there are a lot of not smart people out in the world.

[Host 1]

Yes. Again, at ymh, they deal with a lot of those people. Yeah.

[Candace]

I mean, I'm just saying there's really not a lot of smart people.

[Host 1]

And in what ways does that come across on a 911 call?

[Candace]

Well, I mean, do you know where you are? No. Do you know why you called 91 1? No.

[Host 2]

Oh my God.

[Candace]

Do you know what your emergency is? No. I mean like, so then you just have to necessarily.

[Host 2]

Smart people asking questions.

[Host 1]

But do those people ever have a real emergency?

[Candace]

Sometimes they just forgot it.

[Host 1]

They got stage fright.

[Candace]

I'm not really know why I called you. I just know that I'm supposed to call.

[Host 2]

Or is there still the technology where like you have to stay on the line for a long enough time to see where the person is? Like in the movies or tv, it can change.

[Candace]

So like they have some new technology, especially with the way that the new phones are. They have it to where as you move, it will update. But it's within a certain parameter.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Candace]

So like, you know, it's within so many feet or whatever, so it just kind of depends. But yeah, it's general. It will as long as you still have them on the phone.

[Host 2]

Is that what you've noticed the most as far as technology that has changed over your career, being a dispatcher?

[Candace]

Oh, definitely. I mean, now you can text 911.

[Host 2]

You can.

[Candace]

You didn't know that?

[Host 2]

No.

[Candace]

Well, you can. I assume you can do it everywhere. I know you can do it in this area, but yeah, you can text 911. So if you have a like, you know, texting 911 is really, really great for when you have like that situation where you're in, you know, somebody that you know that's hurting you and you don't want to. You don't want to call 911. Right.

[Host 2]

That's so.

[Candace]

Because you don't want to be on the phone and you don't want to be like, you know, hi, I'm ordering a pizza. And he doesn't know, you know, has.

[Host 2]

Anyone ever called and like tried to have you like, like not able to say this is an emergency, but you pick up on it, you ask the right question.

[Candace]

So you ask them yes or no questions.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Candace]

So that way that whoever they're who's ever listening, all they Hear is yes and nos. Yes and no.

[Host 2]

So how does the person usually start.

[Candace]

Where they're like, hey, I've never personally had one. I've only heard other people have them or whatever.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Candace]

Which, you know, it's like, wow, you just a great job. That was really, really awesome. But it's usually something like that where they say something that you would not like, I need to order a pizza or I need to order something like that. Something that. Where the other person would think that's a normal conversation that they would be having with someone and they have no idea that it was 911.

[Host 1]

That's scary.

[Host 2]

I already am having like such a, like, feeling in my body hearing that.

[Candace]

Yeah.

[Host 2]

How like, you are gifted. Right. To stay calm. Has there ever been moments, though, where you are feeling uneasy or the things are just feeling like, stressful to you?

[Candace]

Wow, I told you, I'm a unicorn. I don't feel stressful.

[Host 2]

You are a unicorn. But not everybody's like you.

[Candace]

That does. No, the average. I don't want to say the word average.

[Host 2]

It's fine.

[Candace]

Normal, I guess, because I'm not normal. I'm atypical. I like to say I'm atypical. They, I mean, it is stressful. It's stressful, you know, asking questions most of the time with the 911. The problem is that because people have seen TV and movies so much, they think all I gotta do is call 911, tell them I need them, and then I can hang up. They don't realize that the call taker has to ask you questions.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Candace]

Like especially like medical questions. So when you call and you have someone that's not breathing. Awful. Right. They're gonna ask you. They want to make sure they know where you are and they want to make sure that they have your phone number. Right. That's their normal protocol because if you get disconnected, they need to be able to call you back.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Candace]

But while they're asking your questions, help is on the way. And so it's very, very frustrating for the callers. It's not their fault, but it's very frustrating for them because they're thinking, why are you asking me these questions and not helping me? Yes, but they are helping you. But they, you have to help me help you.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Candace]

So they're going to ask questions and then they're going to get onto the details of, you know, how old is the person? Are they, you know, why do you think they're not breathing? Are they choking? Whatever their medical questions that they have to go to, but the help is on the way. And then the other thing will happen is, like, on the police side, when they're calling 911, they have the police emergency. They just think that they can just, yes, I have this, and this is going on. Or they'll continue talking to whoever they're having their argument with or whoever's, like, if they're wanting to report something, like, someone just came in and broke into here or whatever, and they'll talk to other people instead of the 911 call taker. And they don't answer their questions, and they're like, I need you to help me, but you're not helping me help you. So I'm not a mind reader. Yeah, I wish I was a mind reader. That would be great.

[Host 2]

You know, I had to call 911 once in my life, and I was so nervous. It is nervous. Is most people nervous when they're calling? Yes, nervous.

[Candace]

Well, think about it. What's going on in your body? Your adrenaline is pumped up, and I don't know about you. I usually when my adrenaline pumps up, I'm in my happy place. So that's different. Right?

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Candace]

But you can get to the point where it's overloaded. Right.

[Host 2]

I was just, like, afraid I was gonna do it wrong.

[Candace]

No. The best thing you can do when you call 911 is listen to what the questions are and answer them. Because what they want to do is they want to help you.

[Host 2]

And I do understand and know where you are. Yes. And I do understand what you're saying. Where, like, I remember them asking me so many questions that I was trying not to get frustrated because you're just feeling like, no, help me. No, help me. No, help me.

[Candace]

No, help me. Exactly.

[Host 2]

They, like, they're not going to. They're not the help until you ask all the questions. But it's important to remember it.

[Candace]

As soon as they answer the phone, help will be on the way. As soon as they know where you are.

[Host 2]

As soon as they know where you are, they've pressed a button, they've contacted someone, even though they're still talking to you, there's communication.

[Candace]

Like if you call in from your cell, which most people do. Right. Because nobody has. Nobody has landlines anymore unless you're inside of business, which is great because it's gonna pop up, hopefully.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Candace]

Unless it's a voip and it's not registered. Right. Anyway, so when you call 91 1, most of the time, it's gonna give a general area of where you are.

[Host 2]

Yeah, right.

[Candace]

So if you say, you know, like, I'm on the interstate and I'm not sure exactly where I am on the interstate, it's gonna. They're gonna ask you clarifying questions. Are you near this? Are you near that? You know, do you think, you know, like, how far did you travel? Or whatever. So that will kind of help. But if they have a general idea, the call is started right then. Yeah, they just use the general idea of the address that they have until they get the farther in that they can update it.

[Host 2]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Host 1]

Wow. How did. I wish this was something where people's lives weren't on the line and we could go, like, do it for a day. Because I would. I think I would love to do it.

[Host 2]

You know, it's. I know what you're saying.

[Candace]

We have some programs at Austin where you can. I mean, like, shout outs. I know exactly. Yeah. So, like, you know how you can go and ride with a police officer? You could do that. Where you would have to fill out. They call it a rider form, even though you're not writing.

[Host 1]

Oh, wow.

[Candace]

But it's an observation form. I did a ride along where you can come. Aren't they fun?

[Host 2]

They're crazy.

[Candace]

That was like one of the best things that I loved about being a dynamo. Dispatcher is good to go around. Around with planes.

[Host 2]

I played a detective in like a pilot. And I was sitting, eating lunch with the other detectives that I was shadowing for the day, thinking. It was just. I was in the office with them. It was a very boring day. We went out to lunch and then like, we were talking and all their walkies. It's like I didn't even register. And they were like, oh, we gotta go. And there was a homicide. And I went with them to it. And I went with them.

[Candace]

I mean, I just knew the fact that it was a homicide. Was it cool?

[Host 2]

It was wild. Yeah, it was wild. Like, it felt fake to me. Cause I just couldn't believe what I was witnessing.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Candace]

Yeah. Well, as one of the people that gets to be what I consider the better half of a police officer, because that's what the dispatcher is. She's the better half. Or he is the better half. We get to go ride out. And so when I worked at my other agency, I would go ride out all the time because it helps the dispatcher or the call taker. It's beneficial for either one of them, unless they're the same person, obviously, to do is to go right out and see what the officer does on their side because it makes you understand, why am I asking this question? Like, why am I asking this question? Well, the reason why you're asking this question is because it helps the officer when he's on his way to know what he's going to like. It's important to get descriptions of a suspicious person. Don't just tell me, oh, I have a suspicious person. What do they look like? You know, because who are they gonna go look for?

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Candace]

You know? Yeah, so. Or calling a Swiss vehicle. It's really nice to have license plates. You can't get a license plate. That's okay. Give me the other stuff. Like was there a bumper sticker on it? Did it have tinted windows? Was there a four door, two door color? You know, and of course then you get the ones that have no idea what a car. The difference is on the cars. And I'm all like, that would be this car. Just give me a color and the number of doors.

[Host 1]

I'd be like, I think it was a van. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. The only thing I know is New York City. I know what it' what a taxi is.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Host 1]

Everything else, I'm like, I don't know. I know like the BMW sign. You know, like the white and the.

[Candace]

I am the worst between a car and an suv.

[Host 1]

You're in Texas.

[Candace]

You know what a truck is?

[Host 1]

I would say truck, yeah. I'd be like, oh, I think it was a truck.

[Candace]

But I'm going to say it's a white truck in Texas.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Candace]

Saw a white truck.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Candace]

Like every 10ft.

[Host 1]

Yeah. Do you get, do you ever get calls on people who are high on marijuana and they're like, I'm too high.

[Candace]

We have people that are intoxicated when they call. Yes.

[Host 1]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But because there's like famous calls of people being like, I'm too high. Like, you know, and it's like, I.

[Candace]

Don'T know anything about that, that they don't necessarily call themselves. But I've had, we've had callers that are intoxicated and calling about other things.

[Host 1]

Oh, because there's, there's a, there's one where like you were talking about it.

[Host 2]

Yeah, there's like this viral clip from so many years ago and I think it was like an off duty cop that had confiscated like pot brownies and him and his wife had eaten them and they were calling 911 for help. And like in the middle of the con conversation he's like, I think we're dying. No, we're dead. We're dead. We died. And the dispatcher's like, okay, help is on the way.

[Host 1]

So you don't get close to people on too much edibles and stuff. Really?

[Candace]

No.

[Host 1]

Wow.

[Candace]

I guess maybe with, you know, they put their cell phone away before they did it.

[Host 1]

Or what about like, what about like we ate weed brownies by mistake? Because we did.

[Candace]

I've never had anything like that. Wow.

[Host 1]

Really?

[Candace]

That would go to the medical, you know, that would go to the medical dispatcher and they would get it, you know.

[Host 1]

Right.

[Candace]

So most people are like, oh, you know, what's your biggest save? You know, or whatever like that. Well, most of the time when you have saves, it's the medical emergencies or the fire, you know, so we don't.

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[Candace]

Know, take that call, per se.

[Host 2]

Well, when you say that you could handle all the calls. So if, let's say if it's somebody that's new, right. And then they got a call and it was for a medical dispatcher, do they transfer them to somebody else?

[Candace]

Yeah, but when you work at certain departments, the 911 call taker dispatcher stays on the line. They do the medical. Well, yeah, they definitely stay on the line and they monitor it because it might be something that police need to go to.

[Host 2]

I see.

[Candace]

So if it's not a straight just medical call, then the police are gonna go too.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Candace]

So like if someone called in and most of the common ones that you have that we're gonna go to is, you know, someone got hurt. So we're gonna go and check it out and make sure that there wasn't a crime that happened when they got hurt. You know, it wasn't like they, you know, it was an accident. Like maybe somebody fell down the stairs. Well, why did they fall down the stairs?

[Host 2]

Right.

[Candace]

You know what I mean? The medical dispatcher might not necessarily ask why because we don't really try to ask why because that's not what our job is. Our job is who, what, when and where.

[Host 2]

Yes.

[Candace]

But we leave the officers or the medical personnel when they show up to ask why or whatever. But you know, somebody falling down the stairs, that could be several different things. So we're gonna listen to. Sure. It's not something that we need to go to and if it is, then we're gonna go as well.

[Host 1]

What's the most you feel you've ever helped someone help someone?

[Candace]

I help someone every day.

[Host 1]

Yeah, but is there one that stands out where you're like, wow, that was.

[Candace]

I can tell you a story about once where he would call it. Me and the other dispatcher had pts after this incident. So I was working for a different department and where I was a 911 dispatcher. So we answered 911, we answered the non emergency, we transferred all the fire and EMS calls, but we did all the police calls and then we also were the dispatch. So we talked on the radio, we talked to the officers, we put the calls in, we take the call, put the call in, dispatch the call and do all that stuff at the same time. So I was working the night shift and at that time it was 12 hour shifts. So we worked 7 to 7, 7pm to 7am and I had a new dispatcher that I was training, so it was me training someone. So I was doing it all in training. And at the time a tornado like storm came through, so the winds were really, really high. Right. And it was a smaller department. If you were a sergeant or above, you lived in town, you lived in the city limits. So that way if you had big calls or an emergency, just call you and you come in and you're right there. So the phones start going off the hook and I'm all like, let's go.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Candace]

So we're answering it. So we're literally there with I have a 911 phone in one hand, the non emergency phone in the other hand and we're just taking calls if it's something that I need. Like if it's something they're not just calling because. Because it's very windy and their electricity went out. Which people are known to do call 91 when their electricity goes out because we're the electric company too. I mean obviously electricity's out nowadays. It's so much better with apps because they just go onto their app and report it. But back in the day you didn't.

[Host 2]

Have apps so people didn't know where to turn.

[Candace]

They didn't think, they don't have a flashlight handy, they don't have a candle, so they can't look up the phone number to the electric company. So they, oh, I'll just call the police department. No. Gave me the number to the electric company. So we're literally doing this. We're triaging basically at this point. Call, call, call, call, call. And then the phone stopped ringing. And I'm all like, my 911 just broke. So I had my cell phone. We couldn't have the cell phones out at the time because cell phones were like a new thing. And so I go and pick up my cell phone, I call my. My assistant chief, and I say, I need you to come now, and hang up, because at that point, the phone start ringing again. So we literally for like an hour, me and this trainee. And then as the officers come in, they come in, they help too, answering the phones. We're like, phone ear to ear, taking calls. Like, people were calling in all things. But the funniest one was, is I had my assistant chief sitting at the radio for me because I'm like, the officers aren't doing anything. They went to go find some place to hunker down because the winds were so bad. At one point, one of them keyed up on the radio and said, I think my car just tried to run away because the wind was so bad it was lifting his car up. So they were trying to go hunker down somewhere because they didn't know if there was gonna be hail too. Right. But I mean, the wind, you know, the wind was bad. So it was bad enough that. But none touched down in that area, but it was bad. And it's nighttime. So, like, everyone's at home, which is nice, but, like, you know, everyone's calling. Cause they don't have any electricity and there's wind blowing. And we got a call where somebody had reported one of their storage sheds up in the tree on the side of one of the roads. And my chief thought that it was really, really cute to key up on the radio and dispatch an officer said, I have a suspicious building.

[Host 1]

What about. Have you ever been disconnected with somebody at, like, a very crucial time?

[Candace]

No, because these days, this stuff works out really, really well. Usually if you get disconnected, it's usually at the beginning, and you can tell, like, that's the way the conversation's gonna go. I mean, like, the call's gonna go itself. And usually they find another place before they can call you back.

[Host 2]

Okay.

[Candace]

Yeah. I mean, that's one nice thing about technology these days is unless you're in what my mother would call 40th and Plum. Have you ever heard of 40th and Plum?

[Host 1]

No.

[Candace]

40 miles out in Plum, in the middle of nowhere.

[Host 1]

We're from New York City. Anywhere outside of New York City is 40 in Plum. You know, we don't know.

[Candace]

Exactly. So. Yeah, no.

[Host 1]

So is there. If somebody was telling you, oh, I'm gonna. I'm trying to become a 911 operator. Is there advice that you would give them?

[Candace]

Can you make good decisions? Can you multitask and are you willing to put in the work? Because it really is not for everybody. I mean, you have to be. It's not that you shouldn't have empathy. Cause you should have empathy. Yes. Right. But you shouldn't be to where empathy cripples you.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Candace]

So you have to be able to differentiate. You still have to. You have to be empathetic towards what's going on with the situation, but not let it affect you to the point where it enables you to be able to do the job.

[Host 2]

Yeah. You have to be confident that you can help somebody.

[Candace]

Right. And then the other thing that is, you have to understand that you are working shift work, and it's real shift work. It's not the, oh, I work at a store where my hours are, you know, between here and here. And my days off might be different. Everywhere you go, you're going to either be stuck on nights for a while until you get enough seniority to be bumped up to either day shift or evening shift, depending on what kind of rotation schedule they have, or you're going to, you know, get stuck working every holiday for a while there. Now, the nice thing about working holidays is those are interesting because, you know, people get together families and they drink and they argue.

[Host 2]

Tell me what you mean by interesting.

[Candace]

Like one example, it's like, interesting like that interesting where, you know, they come in and you're gonna get. That would probably be the one time you would get a weird, interesting call is because it's not normal, because these people usually are not together.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Candace]

You know, you have your family that comes, like, Christmas time. You have your family that comes in out of town and you're traveling. So you'll have, you know, the opportunity for a weird call because they're traveling and they don't know where they are.

[Host 1]

Right.

[Candace]

You know, and they come across something and they're not used to it. You know, like you said, we're in Austin. Austin has, you know, homeless people. There's some cities that have homeless people and some people that don't.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Candace]

And so they see a homeless person and they call and they're like, oh, I think something's going on with this person. And they're just sitting there.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Candace]

You know, but they don't want to approach them because it's scary, you know, Like, I don't want to approach them, but I'm worried about them, which is, you know, great that you're calling, you know, or whatever. So you'll have more things like that where you have somebody that's not used to your town calling in about stuff.

[Host 2]

Got it.

[Candace]

You know, like, we have one hotel downtown that the venting system, like from the kitchens, you know, it blows out a bunch of smoke. It comes out from the venting system. Well, if you're driving by and you've never seen this before, they call in and they're like, I want to report a fire.

[Host 2]

And I'm like, no, no, not there.

[Candace]

No, no, not there.

[Host 1]

What happens the one day that that place catches on fire?

[Candace]

We still send the fire department.

[Host 1]

Oh, really?

[Candace]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

I mean, the fire department.

[Candace]

The fire department will go out there and chat.

[Host 2]

You have to.

[Candace]

They can't. They can't. Not just like on a. If you call in an ambulance and you say, you know, someone's passed out on the. On the ground or passed out in a chair or passed out somewhere, you know, or whatever, but you don't want to approach because you don't know them or you're shy, you know, because that's like. I mean, there's some people I wouldn't want to approach.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Candace]

You know, I mean, I don't. You might have cooties, and I don't want your cooties. You know, they have to go because you don't know.

[Host 1]

Yeah. There's a lot of times in New York City where, like, somebody who's homeless dies on the street or whatever, and it'll be like he was dead for six hours. And people are like, people in New York are so disgusting for not checking on him in this. And it's like, if you check on every homeless person who's, like, sleeping on the street in New York City, you're not.

[Candace]

That would. But what you do all day, you'd be spending there doing that.

[Host 1]

Exactly.

[Candace]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

You can't function.

[Candace]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

So how has being a 911 operator changed your life, Your day to day life? Like, are you a different person now than you were before you started?

[Candace]

No.

[Host 1]

Do you look at anything differently?

[Candace]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Really? So you never, like, problem solved differently? You never. You don't. It hasn't changed the person.

[Candace]

My siblings would be like, oh, yeah, that's Candace.

[Host 2]

You know, it's so beautiful. Because I can imagine you. You seem like such a wonderful person.

[Candace]

Thank you.

[Host 2]

And I think you are truly of the most service every single day that you go to work and you're saving lives, literally. And I can imagine that. That that's how difficult that is, but also how much pride and how fulfilling that must be to know the difference.

[Candace]

When I read that question, like, who you help? I'm like, I help every day. That's literally my job. My literally job is to help people.

[Host 2]

Well, thank you for your service.

[Host 1]

Are there any sexually related calls that you get that would surprise people?

[Candace]

No.

[Host 1]

No, never.

[Candace]

No. I mean, we do have sexual assaults, obviously.

[Host 1]

Yeah, yeah. I just remember when I watched that 911. Not 911. Sorry, the emergency room show. It was shocking how many.

[Candace]

I can imagine with like, sexual related. They come in and they go straight to the emergency room, though. But they don't. They don't call them.

[Host 1]

Right. Injuries in the bedroom. But also like, oh, I was just trying this thing. Or like, I got this thing stuck on my penis and it's like, whoa, for that one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Has anyone ever called you speaking a different language and you didn't know what language it was?

[Candace]

I have had that happen before. But the really wonderful thing is we have the language line and most people that are gonna be. They'll. They kind of tell you, like, what language, and if you don't know, just start calling them out and they'll be like, yeah. Oh, wow. Because most people know yes and no.

[Host 2]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Candace]

Or their form of yes or no is most common.

[Host 1]

Okay.

[Candace]

But we do have language interpreted services that we can do that you can dish back to the. We have the service and they pretty much speak, like, all of the languages, which is really nice.

[Host 1]

Is there anything that you want people to know about 911 operators that you feel like they don't know or they wouldn't get or they don't think about.

[Candace]

Or probably that they really do just want to help you and that they're asking their questions isn't stopping them.

[Host 2]

Yes. That's such a good one to know.

[Candace]

Please know where you are, but don't let that stop you from calling 911. I don't want to get the idea of, well, I can't call 911 because I don't know where I'm at. No, call 911. And I would rather you call 911 if you're not sure whether this is an emergency or not an emergency call, because I can. The call Taker can ask you the questions and say, okay, well this is what you need. But then don't be upset if they say this is. They refer you to someone else to talk to, you know.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Candace]

Because different departments do different things, you know.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Candace]

You know, all cities have different, like they have code enforcement departments. Maybe what you're calling about is really, really important to you.

[Host 2]

Right.

[Candace]

But it's not an emergency per se. But it does need to get addressed. But it's not something that a police officer is going to help you with, you know, so not all emergencies are police, you know, so sometimes it's that police get that little catch all where they pretty much. If it's not fire, ems. Oh, it's the police. Let's go take them.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Have you ever gotten call that was like an anonymous tip about something else going on? Like not someone's emergency.

[Candace]

But yeah, we do that and we get also. And I assume they have it everywhere. Have you ever seen the billboards on the highways that. The Amber alerts.

[Host 2]

Yes.

[Host 1]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Candace]

So we'll get calls on those as well. Because it says call 911. Right.

[Host 2]

And then do you send out the Amber Al alerts to all our phones?

[Candace]

I don't personally know. So the way that works is that goes through a particular department, but that's through the national database or whatever and that gets sent out to their.

[Host 2]

There's a lot of those in Texas.

[Host 1]

Before we go, I just want to send a very clear message to stupid people. So don't call 911 if. If your power goes out. Give us a list for stupid people. Don't call 911 when your power goes out.

[Candace]

Don't be saying stupid people.

[Host 1]

I said it. You didn't say it.

[Host 2]

I said it for, for those at home that listen to this podcast.

[Host 1]

I said stupid. It's fine. So don't.

[Host 2]

What are reasons not to call 9 toilet stopped up?

[Candace]

Anything that doesn't have to do with police, fire or ems.

[Host 2]

There you go.

[Host 1]

Okay.

[Host 2]

Thank you for what you do. It's like I hope I never have to call 911.

[Candace]

I hope you don't have to call.

[Host 2]

Me again in my life. But I will think of you as the person on the other end from now on. You know, it will be very helpful to think of that.

[Candace]

Yeah. And just remember that they're gonna ask you what emergency service you need, where's your location and then they're gonna ask you follow up questions. But that does not stop.

[Host 2]

Right. That is the. That's my main takeaway here.

[Candace]

So stressful. I mean, think about it. When people call you, they're calling you in their most bad moments. Right.

[Host 2]

They're terrified.

[Candace]

You know, a little bit bad to. Oh, my gosh. Bad. You know, so.

[Host 1]

Oh, yeah. If we ever have to call, we hope it's you who picks up.

[Host 2]

We'll be like, Candace.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Candace]

I'll give you the non emergency line. You'll be like, I need to talk to Candace.

[Host 2]

Yeah.

[Candace]

They'll be like, what?

[Host 2]

Exactly.

[Host 1]

So thank you so much for.

[Host 2]

Thank you so much.

[Candace]

Yeah, it was fun. I really. I'm so glad that I came.

[Host 2]

I'm so glad. Good.

[Candace]

We could maybe do a part two sometime.

[Host 2]

Love it.

[Host 1]

Would love it. Yeah.

[Candace]

Not today.