Because of the nature of what they do, dispatchers are forced to stay on their toes constantly, and there’s a running joke that their four major food groups are caffeine, chocolate, pizza and nicotine.

Marshall County 911 Communications Commission Director Rhonda Braudis and her squad all came to their jobs for different reasons. Max Chapman, an Eldora native, said he wanted to be a cop and figured dispatch would help him get his foot in the door.

“After taking a lot of different 911 calls and being able to help people in our own way that we do it, (having) that relationship with the public, with the officers, with the firemen and the first responders, I realized that I just wanted to stick around that,” he said. “I really enjoy doing this, and it just feels like we get to do our part.”

Another dispatcher, Alyssia Klosterman, said she toured a 911 center when she was in high school, and although she initially entered the nursing field, when it was time to make a change, she remembered her prior interest, showed up to take the test and started an entirely new career. She said being able to help is the greatest joy she gets from the job, adding that there’s a lot more to it than people think.

Marshall County 911 Dispatcher Zac Mann mans his post on the phones during a recent shift.

But even though they love the work, they’re quick to admit it isn’t an easy job. Klosterman still has vivid recollections of a call when she was still in training, and a mother informed her mentor that her baby was unresponsive.

“That hit me right in the feels. I started crying. I wasn’t even doing anything yet, and I haven’t taken a hard call like that since, but that one hit me right in my feels,” she said.

Most dispatchers have their own similar stories. Zac Mann has taken suicidal calls. Kayla Ball has taken them from her own family members. Shane Andrews got a call last year about a small child who had been run over, and Tiffany Eibs had to take the call when her father was having a heart attack.

“A lot of people think, you know, it’s just answering phone calls, it’s not hard, because that’s what it sounds like it is. But you’ll have people come and sit in here — officers, jailers — and they’re kind of in awe about what actually happens, how calls actually work and the actual things that we do,” Chapman said.

In addition to answering the calls and dispatching the correct agencies to the scene, they also provide pre-arrival instructions until first responders get there. If they’re ever short with a caller on the phone, Eibs added, it’s not because they’re disregarding anything, it’s just because they’re so busy.

Despite the heaviness of the subject matter they often encounter, the team finds ways to make it fun and keep the mood light. As Chapman explained, it’s exciting, and it forces him to think on his feet and make split second decisions.

“I don’t think anything else would give me the satisfaction of this job,” he said.

“It’s never the same day twice,” Eibs added. “Every day you learn something new… It’s nonstop, and it’s very rewarding.”

Iowa is the fourth state where Braudis has led an agency — previously, she served in Oregon, Arkansas and Missouri — and she said she did extensive research before coming to Marshall County in 2019. The ultimate reason she chose to work here, she said, is that the 911 Communications Commission, which is comprised of the mayors of each of Marshall County’s incorporated cities along with representatives from the Sheriff’s Office and the Board of Supervisors and the Emergency Management Coordinator, understands what needs to happen to position 911 for the future.

“In the 3 ½ years I’ve been here, I’ve been able to do a lot for this agency that sometimes I haven’t been able to do for my previous agencies because they listen, they understand and they care,” she said. “Just even in this past year, the things that we’ve been able to do here, the fact that we are now competitive with other agencies. They invest into 911. They invest into the community, and it’s about the community.”

And although Braudis joked that she and her dispatchers are “the brothers and sisters” nobody really asked for, they are most certainly part of the larger first responder family between police, fire and EMS. Within the county, they work with the Marshalltown Police Department, the Sheriff’s Office, the State Center PD, Marshalltown Fire, UnityPoint EMS and all of the volunteer fire and ambulance services in each community.

Their efforts have not gone unnoticed. When reached for comment, Marshalltown Police Chief Mike Tupper, Sheriff Joel Phillips, Marshalltown Fire Chief David Rierson and UnityPoint Regional Director of Safety, Security and Transportation Nick Heintz all heaped praises on the local team.

“We have an outstanding public safety communications center in Marshall County, and the operators working in our center do a great job protecting our community and our first responders each day,” Tupper said. “These public safety professionals are the true first responder during every emergency event. It is the toughest job in public safety and we thank them for everything that they do.”

Phillips, who currently serves as the chair of the Marshall County Communications Commission, expressed a similar sentiment.

“The men and women who answer 911 calls need to be prepared for anything as they are the ‘true’ first responders to emergencies. If they do not react quickly or ask the appropriate questions, the emergency could have an entirely different outcome and, in some cases, it is life or death. This is a tremendous weight on their shoulders,” he said. “When a 911 call is received, communications staff must not only calm the caller but to receive and document accurate information then simultaneously begin to decide what resources are needed to respond to an emergency. This could be a combination of law enforcement, fire fighters, EMS/ambulance personnel, emergency towing/recovery equipment, emergency rooms, medical examiners, funeral homes, to public works and roads personnel. The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office is extremely proud of the entire Marshall County Communications Center staff for their sacrifices, dedication, and compassion for our communities.”

In a line of work where seconds are pivotal, Heintz is happy to work with a team he trusts completely.

“The dispatchers are an absolutely crucial part of emergency response,” he said. “In our world, time matters, and dispatchers are instrumental in ensuring we can provide an appropriate response to a critical incident. Their care and coordination allows us to provide the best patient care possible.”

Dispatchers have faced many challenges in the past, and they will most surely endure more in the future. But they are committed to the work they do, and they remain proud to serve their communities.

“They are the first point of contact. These are the men and women that are there to calm them in their time of need. They don’t get calls from people having a good day. They get calls from people potentially having the worst day of their lives,” Braudis said. “They get the right people to the right place in the right amount of time.”

——

Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.