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I
have just finished reviewing the preliminary APCO RETAINS Survey Report.
Of the preliminary findings these points stand out.
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85% Percent of managers stated total call volume has increased,
while 82% stated that wireless call volume increased. 80% of
managers cited a increase of calls that required response.
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While call volume and response increased 31% of managers said that
staffing increased to meet demand while 62% stayed "about the
same".
-The
study also found that retention rates averaged above 70-94% around
the country and that the current turnover rate is only 17%. A figure I'm sure many say needs to be looked at
again.
Still they also cite a score of 16 (out of a possible 30) on the
Employee Satisfaction Indicators, which is a little better than
50% satisfaction rate among respondents.
Recently
I was interviewed by a newspaper about the reported current
National 911 Dispatcher Shortage.
This was in no doubt in response to increased media
attention covered the problem and its effect in relation to Homeland Security.
I
am asked this question a lot, as well as speaking and writing
about it. It's what
Headsets911 is all about - helping Dispatchers cope and help
agencies find ways to reduce organizational stressors.
A few months
ago, USA Today had an article on this subject (link below) citing
in one large metropolitan county a 25% percent turnover of 911
Dispatchers in just one year.
At
Headsets911 we have been surveying for staffing issues through our
NENA and APCO conference appearances, as well as by other means
and found about the same figures as did the APCO study with some
minute differences.
The
problems cited by respondents that contribute to the shortage are
manifold. But as I
have asserted for some time there are basically several key areas
to look at:
1.
A need for National Standard for Training and Skills.
I
know, good luck. But I
believe it can be done - it has to be.
What really contributes to the problem that by and large
911 Dispatching isn't looked at as a career by those outside of
the job itself. Of
course without national standards, career progression and elevated
training is nearly nonexistent, except in large organizations or
regionally.
Appropriate and elevated training not only prepares
personnel for the challenges they face on a day by day basis, but
it also gives added prestige to the profession - which indeed it
is.
2.
A need for a National Organization to address labor
concerns - such as Police Officers and Firefighters have.
Although
there are civilian organizations that in some places try to fill
in as "collective bargaining units", most times they aren't "Dispatcher Specific".
What is needed is a powerful bargaining unit to address
only the
concerns native to the 911 Dispatcher profession. The pure
fact that that effective collective bargaining works! It
gives voice and power to back that voice to address concerns 911
personnel have. It isn't a fix all and yes, sometimes it's
more trouble than it is worth - especially to management, but without this "voice"
sometimes nothing gets done for the dispatcher.
3.
Inadequate compensation.
Believe
it or not, in some organizations they actually start 911
Dispatcher/Calltakers at a level just above the minimum wage, and
many others aren't much better.
Simple fact is while most people love their job, they work
for the best wage they can obtain.
Which is a fact the APCO study discovered. Simply put, if
you aren't making enough at your present job, you are going to
look elsewhere. Additionally
if there is an effort/reward deficit, i.e., you don't feel
adequately compensated for the work you do, then you are more
likely to leave as well. One
of our most basic fundamental needs is security; most people are
going to go to where they can best fulfill this need.
Considerations
for compensation assignment cannot be arbitrary, or "set" according
to any other standard besides that which fully appreciates the
manifold duties and responsibilities of a 911 Dispatcher.
You can't pay Dispatchers "administrative clerk"
pay and throw in a stipend for working a night shift.
We all know that there is much more to our job than many
people realize. My own
opinion is that in the hierarchy of the Police/Fire Department,
Dispatcher pay should rank between that of other civilian
administration members and line officers/firefighters.
This seems most fair, but this is only my opinion.
4.
Inadequate equipment, training, and/or workflow design
to compensate for the increasing demand.
The
greatest contributor to Dispatcher Stress is demand/workflow
design deficit.
We
all know that crime is getting more complex than it was just a
short while ago. Calls
for service are more complex and you need the training and
equipment to meet the increased complexity
and demand. Also
national statistics show that where people moved from the rural to
the cities in the past, that trend is reversing as people tire of
the "rat race" and head back to the "country".
Of course many times they bring their problems with them.
So a center in a small town or rural area that handled the "Battling Nelsons" or a
loose cow as a "typical night", is now handling much more
complex calls. To meet the demand, personnel, skills, and
equipment need to be upgraded and maintained.
Of
course the biggest contributor most times to inadequate staffing,
lack of equipment and/or training is simply budgetary related. To
be fair, many agencies are now facing or have recently faced a budget
crunch due to the events of September 11th.
As USA Today cited, though Homeland Security Funding
increased for Law Enforcement and Emergency Services it wasn't earmarked for
hiring and paying additional personnel.
It is also hard to get quality people if you don't have quality
funding to give them adequate pay, benefits as well as the
necessary and up to date equipment and training they need to do
their job.
Yet the study
also notes a
score of 16 (out of a possible 30) on the Employee Satisfaction
Indicator (ESI), which is a little better than 50% satisfaction.
Curiously the study calls this group "generally
satisfied". Doing the math, while 50% are generally satisfied.
that still leaves the other half less than satisfied. There
is a problem.
While
great strides have been made in 911 Dispatcher professionalism,
mainly through the efforts of both NENA and APCO, it is apparent
that much more needs to be done.
Overall
though this appears to be a very well done study, however I
will be looking forward to their detailed findings when released
before making any final recommendations or comments. We are
also working on the data we collected on a survey conducted from
Oct 2004 - Feb 2005 to see if some of the same indicators
appear. I'll keep you posted.
Have a
Great Day!
T.P. McAtamney
Founder,
Headsets911
Read
the
USA Today article here:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-11-28-police-shortages-cover_x.htm
Helping Dispatchers Cope
with Stress!
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