Dispatchers prepare for the challenges of life

It will be business as usual on Sept. 11 at America's public safety communication centers. There may be a moment of silence, some words spoken on the radio, or a flag on the wall to remind everyone of the people who died and of the bravery that we witnessed one September day.

But for public safety dispatchers, it's that next call that matters.

In the time it will take most Americans to wake up, turn on their TV and watch the East Coast memorials, dispatchers all across the country will have handled thousands of 911 calls, answered thousands of nonemergency questions and maybe even saved a few lives. There won't be any time off to reminisce about the terrorist attacks or ponder their significance. Life -- or life and death -- goes on at a public safety communications center.

At the risk of being overly dramatic, the essence of our country rests with how we prepare and react to everyday events, because that's what most days are like. Our ability to handle the barking dogs, the redlight runners, the dumpster fires and broken arms is what helps to define our way of life. Things happen, we handle them and go on.

Even when the incidents turn bigger, we prepare, we handle them, and we move on.

There may well be more terrorist attacks. And we may not be able to prevent them. But we can be prepared to handle them, to reduce the injuries and deaths -- and to put America back on track. History shows that we have weathered other catastrophes, and we can weather this challenge as well.

We're ready!

I would just like to say thanks to not only the Lampasas Police Department dispatchers but to all the public safety dispatchers in our area for the wonderful job you do and the confidence in knowing that we have some of the best dispatchers in the country working right here in Lampasas, Texas. Thanks!

Sammy Bailey Assistant Chief Lampasas Police Department