Answering the call: Ottawa County navigates critical 911 dispatcher shortage

OTTAWA COUNTY — At the Ottawa County Central Dispatch Authority, a crisis is unfolding one empty seat at a time. With eight of its 28 dispatcher positions vacant, the agency is struggling to staff the front line of emergency response, mirroring a nationwide shortage.

It is a quiet crisis that Executive Director Matt Groesser and Deputy Director Tammy Smith are fighting daily — battling attrition, burnout and a competitive labor market to keep the county’s emergency lifelines staffed. Their struggle is a part of a deepening issue across the United States, where the average vacancy rate in 911 centers hovered around 25 percent between 2019 and 2022.

Groesser, who previously oversaw the Kent County Communications Center, said discussions continue about the issue across the state with very few immediate solutions on the horizon. 

The state’s central dispatch directors meet once a quarter, Groesser said, and during those meetings, there is “rarely a time where a majority of the centers aren’t talking about what they’re doing to try to do to be more creative than the competition.” 

“By competition, I don't necessarily just mean other 911 centers. I mean other opportunities locally in the area to try to attract talent and then retain talent. Recruitment and retention have been issues in 911 for at least the 15 years that I can recall, struggling greatly with it,” he said. 

While public attention often focuses on police officers and firefighters, the dispatchers who send them into harm's way are facing their own workforce emergency. According to a 2023 report by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch and the National Association of State 911 Administrators, nearly one-third of centers nationwide reported "stunning" vacancy rates in 2022.

Ottawa County is not an outlier, but rather a microcosm of a system under stress.

Between 2019 and 2022, the average vacancy rate in 911 centers across the United States hovered at approximately 25 percent. Simply put, one in every four positions needed to answer life-saving calls sat empty.

"This vital public system depends on the presence of trained professionals who respond to emergency calls," the report states. "But according to new research, many 911 centers are facing their own workforce emergencies."

Hard work, high reward

The shortage in Ottawa County is not due to a lack of effort, but the sheer difficulty of the profession.

Smith, a veteran with nearly 23 years of experience in dispatch management, estimates that only a fraction of the workforce is cut out for the role.

"The world average is only 2 to 4 or 5 percent of the population can actually do this job," Smith said. "It is not a job that just anybody can do. The training is intense. The hours are intense. The emotional, mental toll that this job takes on you is intense."

However, for most, the reward outweighs the difficulties of the job. A dispatcher is a friendly voice, a lifeline for callers in some of their most trying times. It’s a job like no other, Smith said.

In addition, Ottawa County dispatchers have an entire team around them, so they are never left to bear the weight of some of the more difficult days alone. 

“I will help out if needed. I don't want my people over-stressed and over-extended and overworked. Our supervisors all jump in and help out when needed and possible. So it's truly a team effort,” she said.

Groesser agrees. He said the position of a dispatcher isn’t just a “stepping stone” to something else — it can be “an extraordinarily rewarding career.” 

“It's hard, yes, but it's also meaningful work. It's purpose-driven work. It can absolutely be a very rewarding way to be a part of the public safety spectrum,” he said. 

Dispatchers in Ottawa County work 12-hour shifts on a rotating ‘Pittman schedule.’ 

The Pitman schedule is a popular 24/7 shift pattern using four teams and 12-hour shifts, intended to provide consistent coverage with better work-life balance, featuring blocks like two days on, two days off, three days on, two days off, two days on, three days off within a 14-day cycle, giving employees every other weekend off. The hope is that this type of schedule reduces fatigue by limiting consecutive workdays to three. It's common in public safety. 

While the schedule allows for more days off per month, the 12-hour grind can be grueling for families. National data indicates that work hours and schedule are the leading reasons employees leave the profession, with 46.4 percent of survey respondents citing it as a factor.

"Crime doesn't get scheduled. Emergencies don't get scheduled. You can't schedule a heart attack," Smith said. "So that's where the reminder ... that we're doing something for the greater good comes in. We're working to try and help people in their worst time."

The stress of the job — specifically the 24/7/365 requirements — compounds the staffing issue. When vacancies rise, remaining staff are often forced to work overtime, creating a cycle of burnout. In 2022, 71 percent of agencies nationwide utilized mandatory overtime to fill gaps.

A steep learning curve

Recruitment is further complicated by a rigorous training process. In Ottawa County, new hires undergo extensive classroom instruction followed by months of tethered, one-on-one training with a certified mentor. 

The entire process to become a fully independent dispatcher can take six to nine months.

"You can have somebody interview just excellent ... and then all of a sudden they sit in the chair, they take that first call from, you know, maybe some mom saying their baby's not breathing," Smith said. "You don't know how things are going to affect you until it happens to you."

This "washout" rate is a national phenomenon. The number of new hires who failed to complete their probationary training period increased by 50 percent between 2019 and 2022.

Currently, Ottawa County has four trainees preparing to move from the classroom to the floor, a small but significant step toward closing the gap.

Ottawa County officials are looking beyond traditional recruitment methods, Groesser said. The dispatch authority, which is funded primarily through a dedicated millage, is leveraging technology and financial incentives to retain staff. 

"They are truly 'dialed-in' and supporting our efforts to fill the open seats," Groesser said. The 20-year millage will be up for renewal in 2028.

Starting in 2026, the starting wage for a dispatcher will be $24.84 per hour, topping out at $32.29. This aligns with national trends, where 62 percent of agencies have increased pay to attract talent.

However, Groesser notes that money is only part of the equation. The authority is exploring vacation buyback programs, retention incentives, and a heavy focus on mental health resources.

They have also implemented technology allowing staff to handle calls remotely during extreme circumstances. Groesser described an instance where a staff member, landing at a local airport during a severe storm, was able to set up a laptop in an office at the airport and immediately begin taking calls to assist the overwhelmed center.

"We're trying to hit this from every single angle possible," Groesser said. "We're focusing on our culture, we're focusing on our mental health, we're focusing on our physical health, our financial health."

The human element

Despite the high vacancy rates and the punishing nature of the work, leadership remains optimistic. The national survey suggests that while the crisis is deep, the "misclassification" of 911 workers as administrative support rather than protective service workers has contributed to a lack of recognition.

Changing that perception is key. For Smith and Groesser, the goal is to help applicants see dispatching not as a stepping stone, but as a career.

Currently, there is a dispatcher on staff who has been there for 23 years — a career run they hope catches on with new recruits. 

"It's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life," Smith said of the job. But she also noted the unique bond among the staff, who trade shifts to ensure parents don't miss birthday parties and support one another through the trauma of the calls they take.

Groesser added. "You literally can be a part of someone's worst day and give you all the tools that they need to make an improvement. That's pretty cool."

Anyone interested in becoming a dispatcher for the OCCDA can visit the website here for more information about the position and how to apply.

By the numbers

Key findings from the nationwide 911 staffing survey:

• The average vacancy rate in 911 centers across America was approximately 25 percent from 2019 to 2022, which is about a five-point increase from the anecdotal number cited before the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The staffing crisis is widespread, affecting every region and all types of 911 centers.
• Nearly one-third of centers reported stunning vacancy rates in 2022. For example, 23 centers reported vacancy rates between 71 percent and 100 percent.
• Attrition of new hires increased by 50 percent from an average of two new hires lost in 2019 to three in 2022, indicating that the job demands are high.
• Loss of experienced employees increased by 33 percent in the mean (from three to four employees) and 100 percent in the median (from one to two experienced employees) between 2019 and 2022.

The top reasons for 911 employees leaving their agencies, as reported by respondents, included:

• Work Hours/Schedule (46.4 percent of 774 respondents).
• Better Opportunity (43.9 percent of 774 respondents).
• Pay (32.8 percent of 774 respondents).
• Stress (30.4 percent of 774 respondents).
• Agencies are primarily using voluntary overtime (85.1 percent) and mandatory overtime (70.7 percent) to cover the gaps, which are not considered long-term sustainable solutions.
• To attract and retain staff, 62 percent of centers have increased pay, and nearly 45 percent have improved retirement and other benefits.
• A lack of public recognition and support compounds the problem, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies 911 jobs as "Office and Administrative Support Occupations" instead of "Protective Service Occupations.”

— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at hvandyke@ottawanewsnetwork.org.