BUTTE — Being a 911 dispatcher is serious work and Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement needs people who can do this job that literally saves lives.
“911 … Okay, is she breathing and conscious? Okay, sounds good, we’ve got medical going for you,” said Butte Dispatcher Jennette Miller.
Sheriff Ed Lester said, “The dispatcher is the first first responder. Without them, if it doesn’t go smooth from there, the call can’t go right.”
Miller has been a dispatcher for five years and knows just how up close and personal the job can get.
“Took a phone call one night that they were actually calling an ambulance for my mom. Yeah, so it’s that job where you’re going to know somebody else at some point and time,” said Miller.
Butte needs at least three dispatchers. In this job, a cool head prevails.
“You just have to try your best to keep them calm and let them know that we have help on the way, even if we knew the outcome was not going to be great,” she said.
The best quality is caring.
“You just have to be able to want this job and love this job and be able to help your community in order to do it,” said Miller.
Sheriff Ed Lester credits an alert dispatcher who helped him out of a jam when he was an officer. Things turned physical with a suspect and the dispatcher happened to call out two officers to assist Lester just in time.
“The fact that he knew something, he just didn’t have a good feeling about the call and saved me from a butt kicking that night for sure,” Sheriff Lester said.
