Helplessness

I am the Lord your God. I am holding your hand, so don’t be afraid. I am here to help you. Isaiah 41:13 (CEV)

Dispatchers for 911 calls deal with a lot of challenges. The stress is so intense many don’t last more than two years before leaving. Working nights compounds the issue as the weirdos come out at night.

I recently read about Jannette (name changed) who knows full well the stress her job entails. During her shifts, she learned some tricks to help her deal with the calls.

“Relief for me was mostly snacks and coloring books. Coloring helped me relax. But before I knew it, another call was coming in. The fifty- to sixty-five-year-old suburban empty-nesters are worse than the inner-city people who call with real criminal issues. At least when the folks living in the bad part of town call, a valid incident is happening. Suburbanites call just because they see a guy fishing without a license. Then get angry when the officer doesn’t arrive immediately with sirens blaring.”

Other times, dispatchers like Jannette deal with more serious events. Often once the police or ambulance arrives on the scene, she doesn’t have the advantage of hearing if someone lived or died.

“It was some time after midnight when we got several calls. One from the owner of a house that had just been hit by a semi-truck, one from the neighbor, and one from the driver who was trapped in the cab.

“I was on the call. The man was trapped in the cab and was more worried about the people in the house than himself. He kept saying, ‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.’ Then he starts screaming, ‘Oh God. I can smell the diesel. I’m going to die. I’m gonna die in here.’

“I was trying to calm him down, but it ignited before the fire department got there. I can still hear the explosion, him screaming, then nothing. I hung up and walked away. I didn’t come back until my next shift.”

For 911 operators, there’s often nothing they can do. Yet they are the ones from whom the caller expects miracles. Many Bible passages remind us that one crucial way to demonstrate compassion is to take action here to lend a helping hand. Dispatching help into your community is a powerful act. It may not always be easy, but God calls upon all of us to serve others. And he will reward our efforts.

Whatever your job, as a first responder, you’re helping people daily to face life’s big problems and emergencies. That’s a respectable and heroic calling, even if you may feel helpless to change a situation. Place all those frustrations in God’s lap, for he can do miracles, and ultimately, it’s his job.

Dispatch:

• Proverbs 3:27
• Matthew 25:44-45
• James 2:14-17

Investigate:

What boundaries might you need to ensure that you avoid burnout in your job? Explore ways you can de-stress after hectic incidents.

Debrief:

Father, when the stress of my work wears me down, give me stamina to keep going. When people demand help who don’t really have an emergency, help me be patient and kind. And when urgent help is needed, and I feel helpless to speed things up or slow them down, teach me to trust your timing and your perfect will. Amen.