Inspiration From a Virtual Conference

Written by Kris Nichols, ENP, published November 22, 2022

In the Spring of 2021, during the height of the COVID pandemic, I attended a virtual conference. It was the first time I had ever attended a conference, let alone a virtual one. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was free admission, and I always kept an eye out for training opportunities and thought it would be beneficial.

I was working on the dispatch floor on the day of the conference, so I watched it during my downtime. I don’t remember every single detail from that conference, but I do remember the feeling of awe and excitement. I had never considered that dispatchers could speak at conferences, that they could acquire certifications and letters behind their names, or even that there were virtual conferences with the opportunity to present in our profession.

Even though I had been a dispatcher for six years at this point, I had never truly realized all the opportunities you could have in a Public Safety career.

Part of being a dispatcher, for me, was the feeling of being unseen, unheard, and isolated.

The general public often has absolutely no idea what we do for a living. Being a dispatcher was my first “big kid” job right out of college and the only job I have had in my adult life. Whenever asked what I do for a living, it was always met with “You’re a dispatcher? What’s the craziest call you’ve ever taken?” or “Oh. That’s…cool. Like the Hallie Berry movie?” I imagine most dispatchers have been asked similar cringe-worthy questions. It was always my experience that the general population usually doesn’t know what to say to you when you tell them this is your career. It always made me feel on the outside, or at least not normal.

While I was starting out in dispatch, my friends were getting their Master's Degree, becoming teachers, obtaining their real estate licenses, and so much more. To me, their careers were always met with understanding because of how mainstream they were. Hardly anyone asks for clarification when you tell them you’re an accountant or work at a business, but if you tell them you’re a dispatcher, it’s suddenly 20 questions.

My family understood it because my dad has been in Law Enforcement since the 80’s, and my sister dispatched for a couple of years, as well. However, that wasn’t the norm for everyone else in my life.

This aspect was a downside of being in the career I chose for myself. I was tired of always explaining what I do to people who just did not understand. None of these feelings made me regret my career, it just made it harder to connect with people and have things in common. Hardly anyone I knew worked the night shift or had 12-hour days, or even worked holidays if their rotation fell on it. I was proud of my job and work, but it’s hard to tell someone who isn’t in public safety about your day-to-day job.

There seems to be so much mystery and confusion surrounding 911 Dispatching that sometimes our own officers don’t fully understand. Despite these challenges, I was not deterred from continuing my path in this career, but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a bit lonely.

Everyone wants to feel validated, understood and appreciated, but it can be difficult when you’re in a career that’s so unique as dispatch. In some states, we’re not even recognized as first responders. I eventually accepted that this career could be quietly rewarding and that I just needed to focus on my inner circle of people who understood me and understood what I did.

A few years back, I was saddened when I discovered that the women I had started dispatching with six years ago at my first agency had all moved on to different careers. Despite being in different agencies, I still felt connected to these women through our shared experience in dispatch. When the last one moved on to her next venture, I felt I was being left behind – the only people who could now relate to what I was going through were my co-workers.

Still, even then, I did not want to leave this career, nor did I regret it. Today, I take this as a sign that I was called to do this job. I was proud of myself (and still am) for all the time I have spent saving lives and helping people.

I have always been goal-oriented, constantly looking for the next thing to accomplish. After becoming a CTO in 2019, I was looking for my next big project. I struggled a little with that because I just did not know what was next for me in the context of Public Safety.

After attending that first virtual conference, I reached out to one of the speakers, Halcyon Frank, to tell her how much I enjoyed her session and to inquire how she got her ENP certification. Halcyon was incredibly helpful in her response--she sent me resources to study and words of encouragement to pursue the certification. Once I learned more about the ENP certification, I decided it was the perfect venture. It was an excellent way to show commitment to my career, become a better trainer, and do something more in the realm of other careers, i.e., getting a certification.

I buckled down and started prepping and studying.

A few months later, in the Summer of 2021, I was lucky enough to be sent by my agency APCO’s National Conference in San Antonio, Texas. To me, it was a life-changing experience. I met the 911der Women in person, attended some amazing sessions, and talked to women from NENA who encouraged me to take my ENP exam. It was the first time in my career I truly felt connected to other people in the professional world that were not my co-workers.

I got to dress up in business casual all week which was a pleasant experience. It may sound silly to some people but when your professional attire usually is tactical pants, polos, or jeans, wearing a dress or a pants suit can make you feel like a whole new person.

I used to associate conferences with people in business or doctors. Never did I think I would be attending one specifically for my field. Everywhere I turned, there was another amazing and insightful session on things I cared about, relating to 911 and Public Safety. I felt validated listening to sessions on training, realizing that other people trained like me and had similar ideas.

I felt inspired attending the leadership sessions and listening to men and women who have pursued their careers to the top in Public Safety. They had become Directors, Operations Managers, Training Coordinators, 911 Consultants, and so much more. Almost every person I saw had some type of letters behind their names, all distinguished in their own ways.

“I want that” I thought to myself. “I can do that.”

For the first time in my professional career, I was standing around people (other than my co-workers) who knew exactly what I did for a living. They understood it all - the hours, the uniforms, the nuances, the stress, and the excitement. They understood the working nights and holidays, surviving off vending machine food and coffee. They understood missing out on family events because you were scheduled to work and couldn’t find coverage. They understood the hectic 911 calls, the radio traffic that never leaves you, or the scary moments where you don’t know if your first responder on the field is okay. There was nothing to explain or elaborate on—just everyone swapping war stories and dispatch humor. I was networking and meeting new people in my field, a wild concept because I never thought I would have this opportunity.

After I came home from that conference, I got an overwhelming feeling of motivation and I hit the ground running. Between being a full-time Dispatcher/CTO, wife, and mommy, I devoted as much time as possible studying for the ENP examination. In the Spring of 2022, I received my passing score and was elated. All my hard work had paid off and it’s one of my favorite accomplishments to date.

Not long after I passed the test, I was invited to be on a podcast with Mark Fletcher (Fletch) to discuss new ENPs. The setting was stress-free, and it was fun to be interviewed on something in my life that I was proud of. I was lucky--not everyone gets to jump in and be interviewed about their accomplishments. I genuinely felt like one of the “cool kids” and not only did I get over the jitters of putting myself out there, I gained a new friend in public safety. I routinely reach out to Fletch when I have questions about E911 technology.

Obtaining my ENP was such a huge boost of confidence for me, and it helped me get over any reservations or anxiety that I had about my place in public safety. It changed how I viewed myself and gave me the confidence to continue putting myself out there.

Since getting my certification, I have been a guest on podcasts, presented a virtual webinar, and in person at my state’s APCO conference. I have also dedicated my time to creating training content and technical training documents for my center and distributing them online through social media.

Through my new connections and experiences, I have become motivated to be a better dispatcher and CTO. This has also inspired me to start my own mental health awareness/stress management journey. My public safety world has gotten much smaller in the last year, and I am incredibly grateful for that. I’ve connected with others who have helped change my perspectives on training, dispatching, and even how I view stress in my professional and personal life. I’ve made real-life friends who have encouraged me to follow my passions and let my voice be heard. Connecting with others around the United States in the same career as me has completely changed my perspective. The feeling of isolation has been replaced with camaraderie and the thoughts that “no one understands what I do” have been replaced with “these are my people.”

Being a part of the “virtual dispatch world” has benefitted me professionally and personally, and it all started with some inspiration from a virtual conference.

If this blog has any takeaways for you, I hope it has made you feel more seen, heard, and not as alone. It can be nerve-wracking to take that first leap - To attend trainings you don’t usually attend, or e-mail someone out of the blue to introduce yourself. However, once you put yourself out there you will hopefully find your circle and it can be incredibly worth it. There are so many people out there like you that understand all the ups and downs, the back and forth, and all the calm and chaotic parts of being a 911 Dispatcher in public safety. You just have to look for them.

Thank you, Kris, for sharing your experience with us. If you are interested in writing a blog, please email amanda@911derwomen.com. Sign up for our newsletter on our homepage to stay up to date with 911der Women programming, exclusive content and blog updates. Click here and scroll to the bottom.

Thank you to Prepared for supporting Her Voice: The 911der Women Blog Spot.