Do you feel responsible, guilty or nothing at all?

911 Dispatcher Patch - 911 Dispatcher Patch, this is what I do for a living
United States
May 14, 2007 6:01am CST
Here's the scenario my friends. You are at work, most of you know what I do for a living, but if you don't, I am a 911 Dispatcher. For some of you that may need some explanation of what I do: I answer calls for emergency help. If you are hurt, injured, in trouble, whatever emergency arises, I answer your call and dispatch out the Police, Fire Department or Paramedics. So here we go, you are at work and you recieve a call from someone that wants to kill themselves. They only give you an address in an apartment building, but no apartment number. You are trying to get information from them so you can send them help. They tell you they have a gun and are going to shoot themselves and anyone else that tries to stop them. You are trying to get this person to stay on the phone while at the same time getting the Police Officers to the scene. This person abruptly tells you they don't want your help and hang up. You frantically look for a phone number to the building owner to find out what apartment this person is in. You are doing everything possible to get your officers to him. He calls back and tells you he has left his residence and is now somewhere else, but will still not give you an address where they are. You have no tracking system, so you have to try and rely on this suicidal/homicidal person to tell you. Once again they tell you goodbye and hang up. Luckily enough, they found this person, and took them to the local hospital for treatment. Afterwards I was shaking and feeling very sick to my stomach. I kept thinking, "what if this person had really killed themself or shot one of my officers?" "Did I do enough to try and stop them or get information from them, or should I have done more?" This was my first ever suicidal call like this. All the others, we were always able to get there right away. This time, I had a very bad feeling. I kept thinking if this person did kill themself, I would feel guilty for the rest of my life for not doing something more. I was talking with one of my officers this morning and he said I should not feel this way. He said I should just disconnect myself from it, and realize if someone really wants to harm themselves, there is nothing we can do. I just can't find it within myself to disconnect myself that way. Here's my question to you all: could you disconnect yourself? If you were in this situation and someone hurt themselves, would you feel like you had done all you could? Would you question yourself and your actions? Do you think that compassion and caring make a better emergency service worker or does detachment and the ability to let it go make a better emergency service worker? Please share your thoughts on this matter as I am very curious to see what you, my peers, think about this. Thanks!!
5 people like this
19 responses
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
31 Aug 07
As far as I can see you did a great a Job there I don't know if I could have stayed that calm to be honest I think I would have panicked badly I actually admire how well you handled it all
1 person likes this
• United States
31 Aug 07
why thank you m'am.. lol. It can be difficult, we have had to deal with this guy a few times now. It is really sad that there are people out there that truly need help and don't get it.
@lols189 (4742)
24 Jul 07
well i suppose you done all you could as this person would not give you the address so it was there fault in a way. i would just put it behind me as i cant help them if they wont help me
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Jul 07
I did do all I could, it just gets to you sometimes when you feel helpless when your job is to help.
@pilbara (1436)
• Australia
15 May 07
I don't really know enough about it to say for sure. As it stands at the moment if I had taken those calls I would have found it very difficult to distance myself from the situation, and like you, would be second guessing myself if something bad actually happened. However (and I am happy to be corrected on this) there are jobs like this, police, ambulance, morticians, forensic scientists etc where people are subjected to bad situations frequently, and to an extent I have been told that they do develop the ability to distance themselves because if they don't sooner or later what they see or do will affect them to the point where they can't take it any more.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 May 07
I'd like to think that deep down, we all do care. If we didn't we wouldn't have chosen the professions we have. I know in any given situation, I am, at that moment, fully focused on what I need to do. I guess taht is a form of "disconnection" I have always been the one that deals with major incidents in our home as well. I think some people can just handle stressful situations better. Hoever, I'd like to think that when it's all said and done, we all do reflect on ourselves and the gravity of the situation.
• India
19 May 07
WOW you are so brave and what a job you have you must be a really strong intelligent and brave lady to hold such a responsible and stressful job! You did really great in the given situation and yes its natural to feel shaky afterwards after all no matter how many times you tell yourself its just a job we are humans! but you are an ANGEL atleast for that guy whose life you saved.....you did EVEN if you think you didnot do much :) Please keep up the good job and take care of yuourself and please please dont blame yourself for other people's temprory madness...Take care ANGEL!
• United States
19 May 07
thank you soo much for your kind words. I never consider myself that way, but it's nice to feel appreciated.. thanks again !!!
@Stryker14 (138)
• Qatar
19 May 07
As long as you did your job well you have nothing to worry about. As your job as an Emergency Service Dispatcher you do not have a direct contact with the caller except for a phone conversation unlike us who are working in the field we saw and feel everything. If you will ask me how to be a better emergency service worker, you must have a compassion and care to those who need your help and to be able to let go of that situation and go on with your work and personal life. But if the incident still bothers you, there is no problem to ask for a CISD (Critical Incident Stress Debriefing) meeting and seek professional consultation. Believe me it really works. Stay safe and more power to you.
1 person likes this
• United States
19 May 07
thank you so much for your support. I think that not being able to see it through, like you get to, is one of the problems. We are always stuck in our little room left wondering "what happened" I have gotten over it, it was just that day I had a lot of things going on in my head. I think the gravity & reality of it all got me. Thanks.
• Canada
15 May 07
I think your feelings are exactly as they should be. I don't think it would be appropriate for you to be detached about this. I think if you get to the point where stuff like that has no effect on you, it's almost like being a shell of your former self. I think the key is not to remove your feelings about these happenings, but to enrich the way you view them. It was a good idea for you to post on here and have everyone reinforce the positive aspects of your job and the importance of it. It's hard not to dwell on things that we think we might have done wrong or could have done better. But don't forget to reflect on all the things you did just right. And if it weren't for 911 dispatchers think of all the bad feelings there would be. So thanks for doing what you do!
1 person likes this
• United States
15 May 07
Thanks, I know what you are saying is true. I am very glad to have an outlet like MyLot to be able to reflect on with my peers.
@icequeen (2840)
• Canada
14 May 07
Wow....that is hard. I am an emotional person too...so I don't think I could detach either. I probably could not keep my cool under pressure like that...so kudos to you. I think you did the right things. It is true that we can't control the actions of others...but I understand how you feel. I would feel the same way...just be thankful that this man was okay...If these scenarios bother you this much...and you really can't detach yourself..then maybe this isn't the line of work you should be in. Some of us are just not structured to handle these kind of life emergencies....I know I'm not....
1 person likes this
• United States
15 May 07
I am ok in the middle of it, calm and level headed. I think this was the first time I ever felt this way. It was something about the whole thing that felt "wrong"
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
14 May 07
it is human to feel like u are and I am sure that most people would. However I do not belive that a person who really, really wanna kill themselves calls 911 and say so, that is just a cry for help, and you are that help. I am sure that u have saved alot of lives and i admire people that are able to work with what you do, coz I could probably not handle the stess it would bring.
1 person likes this
• United States
14 May 07
thanks, I think that they want help too, but when they refuse to help you help them, it gets so frustrating.
@shannon76 (1232)
• United States
15 May 07
I know I couldn't disconnect myself, that is why I am not and could not be a 911 operator nor could I be a sucidal hotline worker. I my hat is off to you and all the rest of them out there.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 May 07
thank you very much. I appreciate it.
1 person likes this
@dbeast (1495)
• India
14 May 07
i dont think you should be guitly about it at all. after all you did all you could.there is nothing more you could have done.you shouldnt attach yourself personally.just think that you are doing your job and give it your best and at the end of the day no matter what the outcome you will not feel guilty since you know you gave it your best.when you start to worry about people you ll not be able to give it your everyhting because you ll be too worried and that can blank your mind.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 May 07
I understand what you are saying. In the moment I am in a kind of "work zone" where I know what I need to do, it's after the fact that I start to reflect on what just happened.
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
14 May 07
I have very tender feelings so this would affect me greatly. But your co-worker is right on one point--If someone really wants to hurt themselves, theres nothing anyone can do to really stop them. Even if you stop them that time, they may very well try again. As long as you do the best you can and the officers protect themselves then that is all you can do. It isn't an easy world, and some ppl make it even harder at times. I hope this helps. LIVE IN PEACE
1 person likes this
• United States
15 May 07
thanks very much for your kind words of wisdom :)
@PunkyMcPunk (1477)
• Canada
14 May 07
Firstly I want to thank you for taking such a terrible but important job! I wouldn't be able to do this at all. There is no way that I could dettach myself from this situation or any sort of situation that you would get in 911. I care too much for human life. I think I would suffer from a major nervous breakdown within my first 6 months. But having said that you were doing everything you could to talk to this person and keep them calm. You also tried to get their location and save them. You did what the person allowed you to do. Afterall that person is in the "drivers seat" and people like you are only there trying to get them to pull over so you can drive. Sometimes they will listen and other times they will step on the gas. You would not be at fault either way because you tried.
1 person likes this
• United States
14 May 07
thank you so much for your appreciation. You explained the situation very well. You have a way with words !! :)
@Sherry12 (2472)
• United States
15 May 07
It sounds like you did everything just like you were supposed to do. And, it is natural that you would have feelings, I mean this is a real life situation you are dealing with. I think you will have to realize and trust yourself that you do all you can do and that is all you can do. Your caring about people is going to make you very good at your job.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 May 07
Thank you so much. Sometimes you just need a reassuring nudge :)
• United States
14 May 07
I understand the guilt but you can only do what you can do. Thank God he might be breathing today. Of coarse you're going to be shocken up but after you go through enough you will most likely become numb to it. Hang in there There's no right words.
1 person likes this
• United States
14 May 07
thank you, I really appreciate the support.
14 May 07
You sound as if you did all you could and what you are experiencing is the aftershock. Its only natural that you will have all these questions going round your head, but be reassured that what you did was brave, in control and I say to you, well done. The man must of felt you cared otherwise I don't think he would have called you back again. If he was intent on killing himself I honestly do not feel whatever you could do would make a difference. His was a cry for help and you helped.
1 person likes this
• United States
14 May 07
thank you so much for your kind words. I think I did the best I could, but I always strive to make sure I do and hope it all works out.
1 person likes this
@easy888 (10405)
• Australia
14 May 07
Hello,misheleen,I think no matter what happen,it will not be your fault,it is only part of your job,you have already try your best. If they really have to kill themselves,you cannot stop them anyway,you cannot do anything to help them.When they call you,that mean they do not really want to die,they want someone concern about them. I think you should not be guilty about anything as you will have alot of emergent calls everyday,you should not get stuck in one call and let it affected you for the rest of the day. Take care.
• United States
14 May 07
Thank you very much. I know in my heart I did all I could, but I kept thinking "what if" I think it's only human to question yourself from time to time.
@Lovett (464)
• India
14 May 07
Hey, I also would react the same way as u did. I work in a call center for a bank called Barclays...(Guess u heard bout it). N I once got a call from a customer who was calling on behalf of her bf. It seems he was drunk, n was robbed. Also , was into a fight, so also not in a posotion to talk to the bank n answer security questions that I might ask him. She told me he was bleeding from his nose , n was not in a position to talk. But I calmed her down, n then asked her to get hiom on the line, along with security qstns,n some abuses i got from him, i took himthru security, n then blocked his credit n debit cards. He was yelling on top of ihs voice , n also fighting with ihs fiance. So it was really too much fo commotion going on there.But i at least sorted things out for him regarding his money, n gave him some peace of mind.After the call , I was shaken, like u, Cause I never get such calls . I mean I was really shaken, but u ddi a grea8 job, n couldn't do better. So keep up the good work!!!!
1 person likes this
• United States
14 May 07
thank you very much. It can be stressful when you are trying to calm someone down so you can help. You did great too.
@Rickrocks8 (1751)
• United States
14 May 07
Well first of all police men know they are in the line of fire. If you told them the situationa nd said he will shoot who ever tries to stop him. They can be on guard. He called out for help as hard as he made it on you he really didnt want to kill him self. He wanted someone to care and try to help him and you did just that. You have a very stressful job. You did everything just fine but in a time like that it is normal to 2nd guess what you are doing.
1 person likes this
• United States
14 May 07
I think my inner self consciousness took over and made me question myself. I know I do a good job, I just want to make sure I help these people.
@archer1811 (1098)
• Philippines
14 May 07
hi misheleen! you're so brave to work in that kind of job.. those people you helped must owe a lot from you... Good luck and may the Lord guide you always specially those times you're in trouble of solving others need..
1 person likes this
• United States
14 May 07
thank you so very much for your kind words.