u/ADeeW_

Second write up within a year. Just like most centers, we are very shortstaffed and morale is down tremendously. people are hired but even more people quit. Everyone says writeups come frequent in your first year, but I’m just on edge all the time feeling like maybe this isn’t for me or maybe I’m in over my head! I have been stuck on call taking for the year and I’m finally getting move forward to learn dispatch. I started fire training and my first day where I’m already overwhelmed because I’m overloaded with fire training. I was presented with my second write up at end of shift. That write up was from call taking. My manager had a conversation with me about a call where she heard me rushing someone off the phone and I admitted it it wasn’t the best way to close the call, but they just kept talking and standard wrap up wasn’t working. I have been working on my tone which is why I was written up 5 months ago since then the radio silence which they say no news is good news. But then she wrote me up two weeks later using my words I confined in her against me. There’s more to the anger I feel but it’s just so toxic in the center.

I have been with my center about a year, it will be a year in June. In that time I have only worked as a call taker. Our center like so many is short staffed, we get some hired but then lose just as many. With all of that and changes training has been a slower process, what was to be 1 year to be fully trained has been more which I don’t mind it has been a learning experience for sure.

But with all of that this will be my first time now on a RADIO. My center breaks down each position, I will be starting with Fire. Any advice, tips or encouraging words would be greatly appreciated. This is my first time as a dispatcher for any line of work. I had years of different call taking experience so that was I think easier for me no walk in the park by any means but seem to catch on quick. I’m worried this will be a challenging hurdle for sure. Also concerned about listening or hearing what needs to be heard.