The Real Life of Emergency Dispatchers on Southern Tier Close Up

Broome County Communications Supervisor Michael Ballard and Dispatcher Jeffery Crane appear on the January 21st edition of the weekly local public affairs program, Southern Tier Close Up.

Listeners will hear about the challenges facing the men and woman in the Communications Center who are the first in line of response to emergency calls for law enforcement, fire and medical response.

Crane says residents can really help dispatchers do their job by remaining calm when they call for assistance and know where you are when you call.  Even if you don't know the address of a neighboring house that is involved, being able to identify to dispatchers where you can help speed response.

The men also open up on how they deal with the stress of the job while a situation is going on and after the incident is over. Understandably, a large amount of stress falls on the communications operators when a serious situation involves someone they personally know as with the killing of Johnson City Police Officer David "DW" Smith.

Southern Tier Close Up can be heard Sunday at 6 am on 99.1 The Whale.