The Signature
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The Calm Voice in the Chaos By Kyrene Resel, NAS Sigonella Dispatch
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mergency situations can happen in a second and can be just about anything from fires, gas leaks, break-ins, kidnappings, medical emergencies, natural disasters and terrorist attacks. Within minutes of being called, police, fire and emergency services arrive at the scene. However, rarely do those who need help get to meet the voice on the end of the line who provides the calm in the chaos. Being a public safety dispatcher is no easy task. It takes training and fortitude to listen to the desperation of someone trapped inside a vehicle, the relief of a parent when their child is found, the fear in the words of a victim of domestic violence, the voice of a child scared by their parents fighting, and the sound of someone’s last breath. For Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 11-17, we’d like to take you into the world of the dedicated staff of public safety professionals onboard Naval Air Station Sigonella (NASSIG) who are always available to answer the call. While the NASSIG Security Department might be one of the most visible public safety departments on base, there is a common misconception about who dispatch is and what they do. Many people believe that dispatch is staffed by the Master-at-Arms (MAs) and run by the Security Department, but this isn’t the case. NASSIG has a dedicated, independent team of public safety professionals ready to answer any emergency call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year. The NASSIG Emergency Dispatch Center is located on NAS II and has a staff of local nationals, active duty service members and civilians. Similar to the 911 call centers in the United States, NASSIG Dispatch is a group of highly-trained
dispatchers who can provide assistance no matter the situation. One of those dispatchers is Melissa Draper and she brings quite a bit of experience and knowledge to the field of 911. Draper first got her start in dispatching in 2004 when she was looking for a way to support herself as a single mom. During her nearly 20 years of dispatching, Draper has worked in both civilian and military dispatch centers, bringing a wealth of knowledge to Sigonella. Here at Sigonella, the types of calls for service tend to be a little different from those received stateside. “We rarely get calls for criminal activity here, but we frequently receive calls for intrusion alarms, gates that won’t close, brush fires, vehicle accidents, fire alarms and sometimes vehicle accidents,” Draper said. Once a call for service is received, the dispatch center works like a well-oiled machine: making notifications, dispatching, coordinating information, and completing other tasks in order to keep the people on the other end of the line safe. However, a dispatcher’s role does not end once responders show up on scene. Dispatchers also look out for their responders. Jamie Strotman, Emergency Operations Center Manager, said, “Once emergency personnel are on scene, dispatchers become their lifeline to monitor and protect their safety. The dispatcher may be the only one that hears a call for help, not only from the person across a phone line, but also from the responder via radio.” With so much responsibility placed on these telecommunicators, it takes a unique person to be able to handle such challenges. Draper noted that there are a few characteristics that make a good dispatcher, including “the ability to multitask while
"Chaos" cont’d on Page 11
