Ill. Telecommunicator Class Training 911 Dispatchers

July 29--Students in Illinois Central College's 911 telecommunicator certificate program were transfixed by the scene -- a tornado spiraled down from the heart of a black cloud and began ripping a path toward downtown Elmwood, throwing debris and electrical sparks high into the air.

Shot by storm chasers, the May 5, 2010, video showed the event which prompted many frightened residents to dial 911. A busy evening for Peoria's 911 operators, and it became a good teaching tool for David Tuttle, manager of the call center and instructor of the new ICC class.

"Most people don't know north, south, east and west, so you have to ask them what town the tornado is heading for," said Tuttle.

Clear communication is key to the job of a dispatcher, as is the ability to multi-task while taking control of an emotionally-charged situation.

"The dispatchers are the first first-responders," explained Tuttle. "The questions they ask impact people's lives."

Dispatchers are responsible for relaying key information to paramedics, police, and firemen so the response is quick and effective.

Firemen and police officers tend to get the recognition after an emergency, but the 911 dispatchers working behind the scenes are just as important, said Tuttle. Creating a certificate program to train operators was the idea of several area law enforcement officials.

"We certify people as welders, but here we've got the first-line public safety people but there's nothing out there for them," said Brian Fengel, Chief of the Bartonville Police Department and one of the people who helped create the class. Aside from a class near Chicago, ICC is the only place in Illinois offering a 911 telecommunicator certificate program, Fengel said.

During the two semester, 15 credit hour program, students learn call-taking basics and the technical jargon. They also learn about the job from the perspective of responding firefighters, police officers and paramedics. They even meet the coroner.

"Most people have no idea what the coroner does," said Tuttle.

Before the class became an option, people interested in becoming a 911 operator took the certification test without much opportunity to prepare.

"Nine out of 10 people don't pass," said Tuttle. "Most people struggle with the typing." Dispatchers must be able to type quickly and accurately -- in Peoria the requirement is 45 words per minute.

People who pass the test receive three months of on-the-job training. For some, the stress of the job proves to be too much.

"I do the hiring for dispatch and police in Bartonville, so I'm talking with a lot of people coming through the testing process, and I hear the constant message that 'we really didn't know it was going to be this tough,' " said Fengel. The ICC program, which includes an internship, will help applicants know exactly what the job is like.

"They may say, 'Maybe it's not for me,' " Fengel said.

A shortage of qualified applicants prompted Tuttle to get involved with the program. The Peoria 911 center recently lost eight experienced operators to retirement, and they've had problems finding qualified applicants to fill the positions, Tuttle said.

The financial reward for becoming an operator are pretty good. In Peoria, the union-represented job pays new employees $16 to $26 an hour, Tuttle said. And there is a demand for experienced 911 operators all over the United States.

"This can be a career," Tuttle said.

911 dispatchers must cope with stress, be calm and strong

After seeing the new program advertised on the college's website, Sherry Duckett, 46, jumped at the chance to enroll in Illinois Central College's 911 telecommunicator certificate program.

"I've always been interested in the 911 field, but I never knew how to get into it otherwise," said the Emden resident. Duckett began looking for a second career after the youngest of her seven children turned 12.

"I knew I wanted to be in the service field," she explained. A former group home manager who once worked for the Salvation Army, Duckett likes helping people. Being a 911 operator seems to fit the bill.

Duckett isn't worried about passing the certification test. Her typing skills are good -- she can do about 70 words a minute. But one thing is of moderate concern -- the emotional stress of the job.

"I'm an emotional person," said Duckett.

All long-term 911 operators remember calls that were upsetting, said class instructor David Tuttle. That's why it's important for operators to be able to distance themselves from the tragedy unfolding before them.

"We need people who are calm, compassionate and understanding, but also strong," said Tuttle. "They need to be able to take information and not necessarily get rattled by it."

Part of the curriculum in the 911 program at ICC is designed to help students deal with the stress of the job, said Tuttle. It's information Duckett is looking forward to learning.

"I'm sure there's techniques that they teach to help with those skills," she said.

Leslie Renken can be reached at 686-3250 or lrenken@pjstar.com. Follow her on Twitter, @LeslieRenken, and Pinterest, larenken.

Copyright 2013 - Journal Star, Peoria, Ill.