Thomas Heckler is a dispatcher for Polk County. He is one of the roughly 30 unsung heroes who work as dispatchers at the Bob E. Rice Communications Center off of NE 14th in Des Moines.
“I am a public safety communications dispatcher. I answer 911 calls in Polk County, besides the city of Des Moines, besides the cities of Clive, Urbandale, Waukee, Norwalk. I answer 911 calls and I answer administration calls from the citizens of Polk County,” said Heckler.
On top of answering calls and telling law enforcement where to go, Heckler, and all the other dispatchers at Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), have to fill out warrants, check the system for stolen items, and help direct police officers, fire fighters, and EMS to their destination. They collaborate with around 15 police, fire, and EMS agencies.
“The work we do relies heavily on dispatchers, as they provide the crucial information needed to respond to calls,” said Jamie Lee, Chief of Pleasant Hill Fire Department. “[A dispatcher’s] role is vital; they ensure that we receive the information necessary for our response and function as the point of contact for those in need of help. Additionally, being informed of potential hazards before our arrival allows us to prepare and respond more effectively.”
A job this important comes with difficulties, however. One of Heckler’s issues that he’s been struggling with for his whole career with PCSO is what shift to be on, and what days to have off. On day shift, working 7 AM to 2:30 PM, he wouldn’t be able to get weekends off. If he worked evenings, he wouldn’t ever see his family. So, he’s been stuck on night shift, working 10:30 PM to 7:00 AM, in order to have weekends off and evenings with his family.
There are also the struggles of hearing issues over the phone that he could firsthand relate to.
When Heckler was younger and hadn’t yet had the time to develop thicker skin, it was at times hard to stay “cool, calm, and collected” to get the right help to people.
“My son had breathing issues back when he was little, so then people would call and they have the same problems with their kids. Then you could hear the kid in the background, which reminded you of your kid that you heard the exact same day, and then you’d have to somehow walk them through what to do, even though it was super emotional for you because your kid went through the exact same thing,” said Heckler.
Chief Lee, who was a dispatcher for 19 years before becoming fire chief of Pleasant Hill, had this to say about Heckler’s performance, as well as dispatching in general.
“Heckler excels at his job; after all, I was one of his trainers,” said Lee, “The stress of being a 911 dispatcher can be overwhelming, but with good training, a calm demeanor, and support, most dispatchers can effectively manage the pressure,” said Chief Lee.
Which is exactly what Hecker does, and has been doing for 15 years.
“[He’s] one of the best,” said Deputy Kent Ward.
Now while there are struggles that Heckler has in his job, his job is still to help others with their struggles. Throughout his job, he has done many things to help others. He has helped deliver babies over the phone, helped people perform CPR over the phone, and saved countless lives. One time, to keep a guy occupied, he even had to believe in aliens.
“One time, this guy was on drugs, called in saying that there were aliens in his apartment. They were running around, and he had aliens coming out of his butt, and these aliens were hanging out with him, but they were also being mean and rude to him,” said Heckler. “While waiting for the cops, I had to relate to this guy. You have a lot of 1096 people calling in, which means mental. They may be mental to you, but in their minds, it’s what they see and believe. So, you have to basically go on their level and react the same way that they are.”
He had to keep the caller occupied on the phone for his safety, and had to keep him occupied until a police officer could arrive. So, he pretended to believe in the aliens, resulting in the police officer being able to arrive in time.
“Look, Polk County Dispatch is a good job,” said Heckler. “There’s like 27 of us, maybe 28. You really can’t comprehend it from the outside, so what I explain may make sense, it may not make sense. It’s kind of like a brother/sisterhood of people on the inside. We’re never recognized, nobody ever sees us. We’re not fire, an ambulance, or a cop. Nobody really cares that you talk to the dispatcher, even though the dispatcher could have just saved your life.”
Dispatchers deserve recognition. They do the hard work, and if it weren’t for them, the police officers, fire fighters, and EMS would never be able to make it to the emergency. Dispatchers are the most crucial part of the chain.
