Real World Dispatch

Long overdue

Telecommunicators in Massachusetts are currently not recognized as first responders and are classified in Group 1 retirement as clerical workers. The minimum age for retirement is 65 years old. Telecommunicators work holidays, weekends, double shifts, and forced overtime.

They miss birthdays and family events. Telecommunicators are the first first responders, they hear some of the worst moments of people's lives.

They give CPR instructions to a panicked wife while her husband lays unconscious. They express empathy and care when an elderly man finds that his wife passed away during the night. They gather information from the child hiding in their closet while their parents fight. They are the lifeline for responders.

It is up to telecommunicators to sort through chaotic calls and present them in an organized manner to responders. The job can be thankless at times and the weight of traumatic calls can be heavy.

Telecommunicators in Massachusetts deserve to be reclassified and taken out of clerical. In the fight for moving to group 2 the first step is surveying the anticipated cost to the state. We need to get an accurate picture of how many telecommunicators are in the state.

Please complete this survey and forward it to your neighboring agencies.

https://forms.gle/hkMJerm7dTbv6fXr7

Christmas isn’t a day off from work for everyone. We appreciate your dedication and hard work 💛
🖤💙be-dub