While they are the first to know of an emergency before passing it along to law enforcement, fire and rescue departments or other first responders, the duties of the important position are fairly unknown.

Because of this, Saunders County Dispatch began offering “sit-alongs” to encourage those interested in the job and inform those unaware of what a dispatcher does on a daily basis.

“(We) want to offer it so that people can see what it’s really all about,” Frank said. “That way if they are interested in the job they can get a front row seat.”

With the sit-along, guests get to meet the office staff, listen in to different calls and learn about the different equipment and programs dispatch utilizes.

Sit-along attendees get to see first-hand what a dispatcher does each shift. A dispatcher acts as the center of the sheriff’s department and all fire and rescue and police departments in the area.

But it is different every day. Some days things are slow and dispatchers are answering non-emergency calls or fielding questions and transferring people. Other days they are making ambulance calls or dealing with a major accident and the dispatcher is practically tied to their chair until they go home.

So far, the sit-alongs have been successful because applicants are more eager to apply, Frank said. The department has hired two new dispatchers since they began this program this summer, she added.

Stacy Kraus, who grew up in Wahoo, participated in a sit-along and said the activity helped her see what the office was like and how dispatchers worked with each other. After getting a tour of the facility and sitting in on a few calls, Kraus decided to apply and was hired.

She said her interest in the position came from previously working at the Nebraska State Penitentiary.

“I just want to help people,” Kraus said. “Instead of having control over them.”

Kraus, who currently lives in Lincoln, started the job on Monday. She said she looks forward to learning the position and helping the community she grew up in.

Frank said the program has been beneficial for dispatch because it lets people decide if the job is for them or not instead of going through the whole hiring and training processes first and then figuring out they don’t like the job.

“It’s been good because they’re like this is maybe what they expected or maybe not even what they expected, but it gave them more of an idea and so they’re more excited and eager to apply,” Frank said.

Elsie Stormberg is a reporter for the Wahoo Newspaper. Reach her via email at elsie.stormberg@wahoonews