PRINCE GEORGE – We don’t hear about them often, but they are the first of the first responders who come to your aid when you’re in trouble.
Have you ever wondered what it was like to be a 9-1-1 dispatcher? Did you know that Prince George is the main dispatch hub for all of Northern B.C?
“We take care of thirty-eight detachment areas in the whole northern half of the province. So, we cover all the detachments all the way from 100-mile house up to the Yukon Border,” explains Sharla Duchscherer who is the RCMP 9-1-1 dispatch recruiting coordinator for the North District.
It’s not always an easy job, but Larrysa Waldal, who is a TO2, telecommunications officer, says it’s the most rewarding.
“It’s been really fun, obviously there is going to be ups and downs. We work in a high-stress environment. The last year, year and a half with COVID have been a little bit of a challenge, just as far as the number of calls that we are getting, the level of violence that we are getting. Even staffing has been challenging,” says Waldal. “But, I love the job, I love the calls that we get, I love dispatching the officers. Making sure that we can get people to help when they need it and getting our officers to help if they need it.”
Right now, there is a shortage of dispatchers in our area. When fully staffed, the North District office can house four teams of 15. Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to do that due to many reasons, including the pandemic.
Sharla says The dispatchers unit has been hit hard since the pandemic began. They have lost a lot of staff and are having trouble filling positions. So, they are offering information sessions for those who may be interested in learning more. The next session is on October the 16th.
If you are interested you can head to the bcrcmp911.ca website to sign up.
