“9-1-1; what’s your emergency?”
Every time these words are said, a 911 dispatcher never knows what is going to be the answer.
“I just found my 14-year-old hanging in his closet.”
“I think my mom had a heart attack and she’s not breathing.”
“My dad is hitting my mom again, she’s bleeding really badly.”
“My neighbor’s dog won’t stop barking and I am trying to sleep.”
Every moment answering emergency and non-emergency phone lines is a roller-coaster ride, and you never really know what twist and turn it will take.
A dispatcher might take three CPR calls in a row, and then the very next call is someone complaining their neighbor parked in front of the caller’s house rather than their own. Or maybe today is the day an active shooter call comes into this communications center and everyone’s lives are changed forever. Then for many dispatchers, as the day progresses, it has now reached the part of the shift in which the dispatcher moves to the radio channel to dispatch calls and be the line of information and assistance to their field responders.
Perhaps for some, they handle both the emergency calls as well as the radio traffic, increasing the stress and pressure. The time at the channel could be calm, maybe a couple of easy car stops and a few calls for service, or it could be every dispatcher’s worst fear, hearing their officer scream into the radio, “shots fired, I’ve been hit!” and all hell breaks loose.
It is this constant shift from routine, innocuous tasks to the highest level of emergencies – and the uncertainty of what the next call or radio transmission might bring or how deeply it may affect the dispatcher’s mental, emotional, or physical health – that creates a unique and ongoing strain on those in this profession. Many in this field just assume this is how it is, that there is no name for it other than, “that’s just my job.” However, there is in fact a name for this roller-coaster: the hypervigilance cycle.
Dr. Kevin Gilmartin introduced this cycle to first responders in his book Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement, highlighting the highs and lows they experience both on and off duty.
Because of the constant uncertainty about what will happen next, and knowing how quickly things can change, the dispatcher’s brain while on duty is on high alert. It is primed for whatever might come its way, firing up the synapses and readying the fight-or-flight stress response in order to prepare itself for what’s to come.
The control room can go from being a sleepy, boring room to a place of controlled chaos when the waves of 911 calls come in due to a major pileup on the highway, a protest that has turned violent, a house fire that has spread to the neighbors, or a stolen vehicle that led officers in a high-speed chase and has now crashed on the freeway with the suspect running across lanes of traffic.
Brain on Alert
The brain, in its alert state, is ready for all of this. This is when 911 dispatchers come alive. They are quick, multitasking, resource managing, scratchy radio traffic hearing, life-giving instruction providing, problem solving, critical thinking rocket scientists of the first-responder world. They are hyper-focused on bringing about the best outcome for whatever situation that comes their way.
It is an amazing feat to be accomplished every single time they cross the threshold to the communication center. Whether that is for an 8-, 10-, 12-, or 16-hour shift that could stretch anywhere from 4-45 days in a row, depending on staffing needs.
The hypervigilance part of the cycle, while helpful on duty, has chronic effects that wear on a dispatcher’s mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health. The constant and long-term exposure to the high levels of vigilance and stress hormones leads to weakened immune systems, a dysregulated nervous system, and other stress and trauma-related injuries. While the brain and body are amazing things, staying at this level of hypervigilance while on duty is exhausting and unsustainable beyond work hours.
Then There’s Hypovigilance
Once off duty, the dispatcher (as well as most first responders) cannot sustain this level of hypervigilance, and they crash to the bottom of the cycle and experience hypovigilance.
This side of the cycle brings exhaustion, apathy, a desperate need to isolate, and for all intents and purposes, a desire to hibernate until it is time to go back to work. These feelings come from a complete neurochemical crash as opposed to the dispatcher failing to engage in their life.
However, as most dispatchers are not aware of this cycle, much less the effects of it on their off-duty time, they begin to layer on feelings of guilt and shame that they do not have the physical, mental or emotional energy to engage with their family or friends.
These feelings, along with the shutdown their brains and bodies experience, affect the dispatcher and their relationships significantly. Dispatchers can struggle to engage in meaningful conversations or show affection, which spouses and children may perceive as disinterest or rejection.
The emotional walls 911 dispatchers build during their shifts to protect themselves often make it difficult for them to express feelings or connect with their loved ones once they are home. This often leads to feelings of loneliness and disconnection on both sides.
Another effect of the hypovigilance cycle is a sense of numbness or apathy. This makes it difficult for dispatchers to experience joy, empathy, and other emotions during what would be considered “normal” family interactions.
Struggle With Making Decisions
Decision fatigue, also known as a freeze response, is also a significant side effect of this numbness due to the brain’s exhaustion over how many (and often lifesaving) decisions must be made over the course of their shift.
This leads to the inability to make even small decisions such as what to have for dinner, what activities to participate in over their weekend, if they should go to the gym, and so on. This lack of ability to participate in decision-making also often leads to tension with significant others in their lives, as it can be perceived as a lack of interest, lack of caring, and disengagement with their lives.
Oftentimes, due to this dramatic shift off duty, the first responder feels like they are incompetent and a failure. They are failing at being a spouse, a parent, a friend, a son, a daughter, etc. Feelings of guilt, shame, numbness, apathy, and incompetence can be overwhelming and crushing. To escape these emotions, dispatchers often return to work, where they feel energized, alert, and competent. Ironically, even while experiencing burnout, being back on the job provides a sense of relief and purpose.
Regaining a Sense of Balance
The good news is these extreme highs and lows are not a life sentence for any first responder, including dispatchers. There are steps that can be taken to offset the fluctuations and mitigate such intense side effects.
Open communication is one of the biggest alleviators of stress and trauma injuries. Many first responders believe they cannot share what they experience during their workday in order to “protect” their families. However, the ability to share the stressors of the day, how it affected them as a person, and allowing for empathy to be shown to them without having to give the gory details shows exponential benefits to the dispatcher’s mental and emotional health.
While it is difficult when struggling with the effects of the hypovigilance cycle, by pushing themselves to be physical in some way, even if that’s house cleaning, gardening, yoga, walking, etc., it moves the stress hormones out, increases serotonin, and brings the first responder back into the normal range of vigilance. Finally, connecting with a culturally competent therapist, coach, chaplain and/or trusted peer support members are key to helping learn stress-management techniques and becoming more emotionally regulated.
Extreme Fluctuations
The life of a 911 dispatcher is a relentless balancing act between moments of calm and the most intense emergencies imaginable. This constant state of hypervigilance, while essential on the job, takes a significant toll on their well-being. The subsequent crash into hypovigilance off duty can create feelings of isolation, numbness, and disconnection from loved ones, further exacerbating the emotional burden.
However, understanding the hypervigilance cycle and its effects is the first step toward breaking free from its power. Through open communication, physical activity, and seeking support from culturally competent professionals, dispatchers can begin to manage these extreme fluctuations and reclaim a sense of balance in both their work and personal lives. With the right tools and support, it is possible for dispatchers to not only survive but thrive – both on and off duty.
