GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Brown County 911 dispatchers are speaking out about feeling overworked and under appreciated, asking the county board for immediate help during a Wednesday night meeting.
Hear what they had to say in the video below:
Heather Patek, a Brown County Public Safety 911 lead dispatcher with nearly 30 years of experience, addressed the county board on behalf of her colleagues.
"We should have about 56 employees and we are down to 37 that are trained with at least call take," she told NBC 26 before the meeting began. "We just don't have enough people, so we're working a lot of hours."
Patek and some of her colleagues who spoke to the board say the staffing crisis has forced dispatchers to work grueling schedules, with some pulling 14 to 16-hour shifts and going days without time off. With seven people still in training, the remaining staff say they are stretched thin.
"I love helping people, being able to help people. Help our responders. My coworkers are like my family, my second family," Patek said.
County Supervisor Patrick Evans acknowledged the severity of the situation.
"We're at a dangerous intersection right now and we have to prevent an accident," Evans said.
Community member Randy Schulz also voiced support for the dispatchers' concerns.
"This is something that needs attention and quickly and focused attention," Schulz said.
The staffing shortage has forced management to ask longtime employees to make major changes to their shifts, including working overnight hours. Dispatcher Kirk Parker emphasized the need for better communication and collaboration.
"We're just asking the board and management and everybody if we could somehow work closer together communicate better to come to better solutions," Parker said.
Despite the challenges, Patek said the remaining staff remains committed to their mission.
"A lot of people have left, but we're still here with our heart and soul keeping this place together," Patek said.
Because the dispathers voiced their concerns during public comment at the end of the meeting, the county board has yet to announce specific measures to address the staffing crisis at the 911 call center.
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