An Interview with Ben Curry, 9-1-1 Communications Supervisor, (Edmond, Oklahoma)

Working the midnight shift at a 9-1-1 call center can be feast or famine. Some of the most challenging 9-1-1 calls come in during the 10 pm to 6 am shift.

Ben Curry is a Communications Supervisor for the Edmond 9-1-1 Call Center. He regularly works that difficult shift. Ben has been working the midnight shift for ten years. I asked him how it affected his daily life.

“It affects everything,” he said. “I had to learn to sleep during the day. But you miss a lot of family things when you are sleeping.

“You miss a lot of Saturday morning softball games.”

Ben shared how hard it can be to maintain a successful marital relationship when the husband and wife are awake at different hours.

“And it definitely affects most of your friend relationships.”

Nevertheless, Ben believes there are many advantages to working the midnight shift.

“You have a huge impact on helping people,” he explained. “You get to be that voice of reassurance when there is nobody else there.”

Ben said that the midnight shift has more in-progress calls coming into the 9-1-1 center.

“Domestics, disturbances, auto burglaries in progress,” he said. “We have less total call volume than the other shifts, but a much higher in-progress count.”

I asked Ben why he was drawn to this profession, and he explained that he wanted to be a cop.

“But once I got into the dispatch I found this whole world that nobody talks about,” he said. “No TV shows that show the excitement of dispatch. And there are no bullets flying at you.”

“But once I got into the dispatch I found this whole world that nobody talks about,” he said. “No TV shows that show the excitement of dispatch. And there are no bullets flying at you.”

Memorable, Meaningful Calls

Ben told me about a few of the calls that have made an impact on him.

“One I remember the most is a lady…whose nine-month-old daughter had her hand caught in the crib. I immediately thought of my daughter. I heard the child crying in pain and distress and I heard the mother trying to reassure her daughter.

“Then I heard the Fire Department arrive. I could hear the relief in the mother’s voice once her daughter was free. It was not the most important call, but it made a big impact on me.”

Training

One of Ben’s supervisory duties is training.

“I really enjoy teaching other communications professionals,” he shared. “After three days you see their ‘A-HA’ face and realize they are getting the knowledge. You realize you are helping the profession.”

Changes

I asked Ben what had changed since he first started as a dispatcher in 2006.

“The attitude towards police has changed,” he revealed. “People used to look up to the police. We have way fewer employment applicants now.

“And the technology has changed everything – even the way we process the calls. There are many more venues to find information now.

“Call volume has steadily increased. And the number of people required to work the 9-1-1 Communications Center has gone up. We used to be able to work with only two people. There is no way that could work now.”

9-1-1 Profession – Advice

Ben offered this advice to anyone new to the 9-1-1 profession:

“Take as many training classes as you can,” he advised. “Seek out training around the year. Become an APCO or NENA member, even if you have to do it at your own expense.”