ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – Emergency calls are still coming in, but Roanoke County is seeing a shortage of emergency dispatchers.
There are two openings currently, but with six people still training, the team is feeling the pressure.
Training tends to last six to eight months before new employees are allowed to answer phone calls by themselves.
The last time the dispatch center was fully staffed was about six years ago.
Recently, out of 40 applications submitted only eight people showed up for the test. In the end, only three people passed the exam.
“A lot of our applications, it’s sad to say, are people who are trying to continue their unemployment benefits and have to apply,” Roanoke County Emergency Communications Manager Rebekkah Craft said. “They really are not interested. Or they are out of state and are just making a token effort to put in an application.”
Craft said their job tends to be overlooked and the hiring process is difficult when wages and benefits are low. She also said by not being classified as public safety workers they are not offered workers compensation for PTSD — a change she hopes to see in the future.