Character Inspiration: Emergency Call Taker
Bry lives in England and has been working for the ambulance service for the past six months.
WBS: I'm so curious what your work environment is like! Do you work in an office? Are you surrounded by others doing the same job? Do you have your own space or do you share it with others?
Bry: Yeah so I work in a control room, so there’s other emergency call takers, dispatchers, clinicians, specialist paramedics, our HEMS (helicopter) team, maternity and then our 111 colleagues as well. Then the 999 call handlers are sat together so you’re around people doing the same job!
WBS: On a scale of 1 - 10 (1 = least, 10 = most), how stressful do you find the job? Can you elaborate on your choice?
Bry: I think with this one it really depends. I love my job and some calls can be a 10. Other times it can be something straightforward and it’s a 2/3. You’re dealing with life and death and real people so there’s always that stress and wanting to make sure you get it right for the patient and their family.
WBS: How often are you answering the phone? Is it constant or are there lulls?
Bry: There can sometimes be lulls, depends on the time of the year and time of day! Sometimes it’s constant but other times there’s a bit of a break in between.
WBS: What was the training like for this job? Was it a long process?
Bry: There was initial classroom based training, then you work shifts 1-2-1 with a coach, then you become more independent and work 1-2-6 taking calls yourself without someone always listening. Then once you’re signed off you’re on probation for 6 months. The training period is around 3-4 months.
WBS: What is the first thing you say when you answer the phone?
Bry: “Ambulance emergency, is the patient breathing?”
WBS: After someone explains the situation, what do you do? How do you contact the necessary emergency services?
Bry: You would take some basic demographic details and start running through a triage with the patient. Making sure everything is documented and then based on that the appropriate help is arranged for the patient. You reassure them and explain what’s going to happen next and tell them to call back if there’s anything that gets worse. If other emergency services are needed then you’d call them and inform them after the call with the patient.
WBS: Are there situations where you would stay on the phone with the caller?
Bry: Yeah there’s certainly a few. One in particular is if it’s a child caller and there’s no adult around then stay on the phone until either the crew arrive or an adult arrives on scene.
WBS: Have you had any strange or bizarre phone calls that stand out?
Bry: Oh there’s so many. I can’t really go into detail about them but there’s been a few! People really are such complex beings and come with some really quirky traits, that definitely add to some of the stories!
WBS: What is the most common type of emergency call you get?
Bry: Hmm I would probably say people that have fallen over and injured themselves, or mental health calls.
WBS: What is your favourite part of the job? What is your least favourite?
Bry: My favourite part is being there for the patients. They’re calling 999 because of an emergency, so being there for them during a difficult time and being able to reassure them is really important.
My least favourite part, hmm I’d probably say early morning shifts haha I’m not really a morning person, ask anyone that knows me!
WBS: Is it a supportive work environment? Do you get to know your co-workers very well?
Bry: It’s so supportive. If you’ve got a question, you just know you can ask and someone around will help. The people are what makes the job so great. Learning from the people around you and just getting to know the people around you really makes the shifts that have been a little more difficult okay. I’m really grateful to have them around.
WBS: What would you tell someone if they were interested in becoming an emergency call taker?
Bry: Do it! It can be stressful at times, but it’s worth it. You never know what call you’re going to get next, but you know that it’s going to be someone that needs your help, so if that’s your thing, do it apply!