The Good Life – July-August 2015

For those special circumstances,
operators receive awards for their
exemplary service. For example,
operators receive a stork pin for assisting
with the delivery of a baby. Those types
of rewards keep operators focused on
the positive nature of their job.
Appreciation helps too. Callers don’t
always thank operators, but when they
do, operators take note. “We’re not here
for someone to say thanks,” Sandhofner
said. “We’re here to help people.”
Being able to help people comes from
the uniqueness of the dispatch center,
which is the first consolidated dispatch
center in the nation to cross state lines,
according to the website. The center
opened in 2002 and serves a population
34
of more than 200,000 people in an area
of nearly 3,000 square miles.
Maintaining neutrality is essential
when serving multiple agencies in
two different states. While many
dispatch centers are in the basements
of police or fire departments, the Red
River Regional Dispatch Center is a
consortium of police, fire and EMS
agencies that operates independently
from the agencies with which it works.
Governed by a Board of Authority
under a Joint Powers Agreement, the
center operates on funding contributed
by the agencies based on the level of
service, Glasoe said. Area police and fire
chiefs, sheriffs and ambulance service
representatives comprise the board.
In addition to being a separate
entity, the center is located in a
historically significant building
in a thriving downtown scene. High
ceilings and loft-style offices provide
plenty of natural sunlight, and the
warmth of exposed brick and soft earth
tones lends a sense of tranquility to
what can be a stressful environment.
In the dispatch room itself, consoles
are height adjustable so operators can
stand when they need to. Bikes and
treadmills can replace office chairs, and
each console offers a built-in heater
or fan to keep operators comfortable.
Because operators cannot leave the
building during their 10-hour shifts, a
break room offers a television, blankets
and, most importantly, couches and