Secret World of 911

Okay, so you know I'm looking for work. Did I tell you that one of the jobs I've applied for is 911 communication specialist? I did the first round of testing earlier in the month and went for the second round yesterday. The first round involved working on a keyboard, following instructions through headphones and keying in data. Yesterday's test was at the fire station in Newport, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Would we have to demonstrate CPR? Would there be a ride-along with some fire fighters? Nah. There were just 6 or 7 of us in a meeting room with one of those clocks on the walk that ticks so loud it sounds like a bomb. Remember those clocks from elementary school?

Turns out applying for this 911 dispatcher job is very different than applying for most jobs. So, I thought I would tell you what the process has been like for me so far, and shed some light onto the secret world of 911. After the keyboard test, (which I didn't think I'd pass because I'm not good at typing numbers and letters at the same time) there was this checklist I had to sign off on and mail in. It seemed to me a kind of CYA document, letting applicants know the full dimensions of the job so that we wouldn't have this rosy, unrealistic picture based on old episodes of "Emergency." Basically, we were told that dispatchers have to sit on their butts for long periods of time, and that there are times when the phone doesn't ring, but you can't take a nap or read a book. Applicants also have to be aware that if hired they will be making life and death choices, and if someone is seriously injured or dies because of one of your choices, well, you'll have to be able to deal with that, too. You have to be able to render help to someone who may be the victim of a crime in progress; you may hear terrible and upsetting things without being able to immediately intervene. The checklist gives a pretty good idea, I think, of what the job is all about. The pay and benefits for this kind of work are very good. The checklist helped me to understand why.

Did you hear about the Texas 911 dispatcher who jokingly told a woman he would send officers over to shoot her out-of-control daughter? It was in the news a couple of weeks ago. You always hear about people in this job who do or say the wrong thing . . . or nothing. You don't hear about all those who go to the office every day and routinely help people or save lives. The more responsibility someone is entrusted with on the job, the brighter the spotlight of criticism. This is especially true in the realm of public safety. You hear about the drunken airplane pilot or the pot-smoking train engineer because so much depends on their quick thinking and clear judgment in an emergency. Okay, that's why I don't understand why semi-truck drivers in the state of Oregon with a medical marijuana card are allowed to continue to get high and drive. But, that's another topic for another time.

The testing at the fire station yesterday took about 2 hours and comprised 6 different tests. On the first four tests, we had to listen to a CD with audio instructions, then answer questions based on what we heard. For another test, the audio gave us a long series of overlapping color, letter and number combinations and we had to record what we heard. Then we listened to actual 911 calls taped at the local communication center. There was a robbery, a man shooting a pistol, a juvenile assaulting a parent, and one call affectionately called the Screaming Woman. Our proctor says they get a lot of calls like that, people calling who need help but who are so emotionally out of control it's difficult to find out what they need help for. We listened to all these calls and took notes which the proctor collected. I'm sure they're looking at the way we organize information, not only what we record, but how we record it. Handwriting counts in this job.

One of the lengthier sections of the testing involved making decisions about prioritizing calls. You have five calls that come in at the same time: Robbery, burglary, Theft of Wallet, Request for Public Information, Broken Leg. Which do you send help to first? You also had to explain why you ordered the calls the way you did. Trash Can Fire, Small Brush Fire, Car Fire, Fire in Vacant Building, House Fire. My rule of thumb was to send help to the situation where there was immediate danger to human life. There was also a question about a stolen 1974 blue Ford pick up. Which of the following would be the most helpful additional information to pass on to authorities: Blue Canopy, Striped Seat Covers, Pinstriping, Cracked Windshield. This one almost got me. I ended up with Cracked Windshield because a canopy and seat covers could be removed and dirt could obscure pinstriping, something that would be difficult to see at a distance in any case. Also, I thought, a crook who steals a 1974 pick up is not going to spend $300 to replace the windshield anytime soon. The police can see that baby coming.

The last part of the testing involved mapreading skills and a spelling test. Whizzed through the spelling. I'd like to think that all that higher education and years ruining my eyes by reading books didn't go to waste. I'm pretty good with a map, too. My husband and I like to watch "Amazing Race" on CBS and we're always talking about how lousy or lack-of mapreading skills can sink an otherwise competitive team. That's not to say that we've never been lost, but we do okay with me as navigator.

The proctor let us know that there were 18 applicants testing yesterday; that evening, 7 or 8 would be called to set up interviews for the end of the week. One of the gals at the test asked me how many positions were open. There were two, I said, when I applied, but I see they are running the announcement again. The gal said she'd heard they really need people. Anyway, I got a call last night and will be interviewing Thursday at 3 p.m. Say a prayer. Thy Will Be Done.

One thing I like about the whole process of applying for this job is that they test for skills first. You don't have to have any kind of law enforcement or dispatch experience, but if you have certain skills, they can teach you to do the job. Seems to me that the testing also helps you learn a little bit about yourself, maybe identify areas you're gifted in and other areas where you're not so hot. Instead of depending solely on an interview and a resume, this application process digs deeper and tries to find people who possess traits/abilities that will translate into success on the job. I respect that.

The signs went up on the house this week, so we are now officially on the market. It will be interesting to see the time table God works out. Will we sell the house quickly? Or will I go to work for a while -- at this 911 dispatcher job or at something else? We'll see.