Years ago, when I worked in a 911 center, I don’t ever remember hearing the terms “vicarious trauma,” or “compassion fatigue.” Occasionally “burnout” was mentioned to describe how we felt after long stretches of intense work; although it mostly expressed years of exhaustion and time spent in the emergency dispatch center. Not much attention was given to the day-to-day stress and mental trauma that was happening along the way.

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Emergency dispatch personnel play a crucial role in emergency response systems by serving as the initial point of contact during crises. The high-stress environment they operate in, coupled with the demanding nature of their responsibilities, raises concerns about their psychological well-being.

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