Dispatcher Retirement Bill on the Floor

[Oswegowind 17]

Attention all Public Safety Communicators!

Bill A 8596 is currently before the NYS Assembly during their regular session.

Please check this out by following the link below, and make some noise! I am hoping we are all for this and maybe we can push it through this time...A number of my co-workers are waiting for this so they can get off the boat a little early!!!!! All of your support is needed in this matter!!!!

Link to Legislature Bill Info

When the page loads, choose BILL NO. and in the search column enter "A8596"....then choose what you want to learn about it via the check boxes.

Current Status is: Referred to governmental employees

Introduced by: M of A. Abbate

Edited June 12, 2007 by Oswegowind

[emt301 4]

Attention all Public Safety Communicators!

Bill A  8596 is currently before the NYS Assembly during their regular session.

Please check this out by following the link below, and make some noise!  I am hoping we are all for this and maybe we can push it through this time...

Dispatcher 25 year Retirement Bill!

←

I guess we'll see...after all, dispatching often seems to be considered the "bastard child" of the emergency services...dispatchers usually don't get the same pay or benefits as their fire/pd brothers & sisters in the field, despite the high stress level often encountered on the job. Apparently former Governor Pataki (who always liked a good photo opportunity with emergency responders in the field) wouldn't sign the dispatcher retirement bill last time...hopefully the new governor isn't as much of a hypocrite & does the right thing if the legislature passes the bill.

Edited June 12, 2007 by emt301

[Oswegowind 17]

Pay wise....some other places may have a tough time, but we do okay...but we are the bastard stepchild of the bastard stepchild if you truly think about it...Our equipment is generally out of date, our work conditions are most times poor, and a good many of us don't even have windows to see the outside world! 2 of the 3 services we dispatch have a 20 year retirement program, there is one definitely worse off than us...EMS. However, being a dispatcher is a stressful career in itself. You may not get shot at ever or trapped in a flash over, but there are nights when you are overwhelmed by a "I'll wait til it's an emergency" public, that is most times rude, uncooperative and has the tendency to be nasty cause we ask too many questions. 25 years is a step in the right direction, but why not even the playing field? 20 years would be ideal for this job, after that most of us are burnt to the point of no return! Oh and don't forget, while the police officer is handling 1 job at a time or the fire engine is on 1run at a time, the dispatchers have to handle all of it at the same time! It is not an easy job just cause we are indoors and sitting down!

[CAM502 6]

Pay wise....some other places may have a tough time, but we do okay...but we are the bastard stepchild of the bastard stepchild if you truly think about it...Our equipment is generally out of date, our work conditions are most times poor, and a good many of us don't even have windows to see the outside world!  2 of the 3 services we dispatch have a 20 year retirement program, there is one definitely worse off than us...EMS.  However, being a dispatcher is a stressful career in itself.  You may not get shot at ever or trapped in a flash over, but there are nights when you are overwhelmed by a "I'll wait til it's an emergency" public, that is most times rude, uncooperative and has the tendency to be nasty cause we ask too many questions.  25 years is a step in the right direction, but why not even the playing field?  20 years would be ideal for this job, after that most of us are burnt to the point of no return!  Oh and don't forget, while the police officer is handling 1 job at a time or the fire engine is on 1run at a time, the dispatchers have to handle all of it at the same time!  It is not an easy job just cause we are indoors and sitting down!

←

Very well said!! I encourage all on this board to write an e-mail to your local elected representatives to tell them to vote this through. Also a note to the Governor can't hurt either. Thanks!!!!!!

[x129K 1,393]

We do very well too...

EMS is the bastard child for real.

[Oswegowind 17]

Here is the next idea...As for the Governor, we need to make it worth his while, this bill has gone through the Senate and Assembly in the past successfully, although there was a large turnover during the last election I think it should get to Spitzer's desk without a real problem. I am encouraging each and every Calltaker on this website to start a petition at their own agency, give a copy to each of your co-workers and have them bring it home and have every voting person they know of sign it! Leave it at the local stationhouse, deli, bakery, mobil-on the run! Get the numbers and I will personally deliver it to the Governor! And I will drive as many dispatchers as I can up to Albany to push it through! I will make up a petition sometime tomorrow and will email the header page to all dispatchers and anyone else interested in supporting us in this matter! Let's get it on!

[CAM502 6]

Make sure you send me one.

CAM

[Oswegowind 17]

Be sure to click on the "Sponsors Memo" and read the Justification letter written by Assemblymen Abbate. I would like to shake this man's hand for outstanding recognition of dispatchers!

Also just below it is the history of the previous bills about this subject!

[ex-commish 490]

I guess we'll see...after all, dispatching often seems to be considered the "bastard child" of the emergency services...dispatchers usually don't get the same pay or benefits as their fire/pd brothers & sisters in the field, despite the high stress level often encountered on the job.  Apparently former Governor Pataki (who always liked a good photo opportunity with emergency responders in the field) wouldn't sign the dispatcher retirement bill last time...hopefully the new governor isn't as much of a hypocrite & does the right thing if the legislature passes the bill.

←

Pataki would not sign our 20 year bill last time. I hope you have better luck with the new governor.

[Guest DFFD227]

NO WINDOWS? Thats unheard of! lol.

[x635 4,066]

Read Billy G's commentary below, and then I hope some higher-ups and EVERYONE will push and encourage their local city council, town board, whatsoever to push and lobby or make a resolution supporting dispatcher retirment.

As Firefighters, Police Officers, EMT's, and Paramedics, we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with dispatchers. They are as much a part of the response,operation, and community as us....even though we may never see or meet them.

Dispatchers deserve this. 20 years in the chair is just the same as 20 years patroling or putting out fires.

Dispatchers

November 07, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey...

One of the most forgotten but critical "links" in a decent fire or emergency operation is communications. Duh. But one area that is even more critical are the dispatchers involved in the operation. Dispatchers are, in many cases, forgotten about and generally, taken for granted. Who hasn't been in a firehouse discussion where "those damn dispatchers" are always responsible for everything that went wrong on a fire scene or related response?

Years ago, I was a boss in a pretty large fire & EMS emergency communications center and there were a few EMS supervisors in the field that thought that their poop didn't stink. It did. But-our dispatchers could do nothing right...until those supervisors had to spend some time actually IN the emergency communications center. And then, what happened after that? They were still clueless morons. Yeah-ya thought I was gonna say "they saw the light" or "they really understood the challenges of dispatching and became our biggest supporters" or something like that? No-not a chance...not those clowns-but it did point out how close minded they were to truly understanding what fire and EMS dispatchers actually have to do-in order to get the call processed-and managed while the call is in progress.

Sure-some dispatchers have no clue-just like some of us in the field. The difference is-everything a dispatcher has to do is tracked, monitored, heard, taped, recorded, reviewed and under the scrutiny of anyone with a radio. It would be like if someone followed us around all day in the field-listening to and watching every single one of our actions in the field....THAT would be a real treat, huh? Can you imagine everything a firefighter or an officer says and does being listened to and watched the entire time we are on duty? Of course, there are some FD's where cameras and tape recorders HAVE been placed w/o anyone knowing-but that's another fun story for another day.

It seems that everyone with a radio, monitor or scanner knows how "those damn dispatchers" oughta be doing the job. Of course we do.

Not taking anything away from what we do in the field, the fact is that functioning as a dispatcher is a high stress responsibility as well....a different kind of stress, but still stressful. Dealing with the parent of a drowning child, speaking to a child whose parent just beat the crap out of the other or "us" yelling and screaming over the radio because the power company hasn't arrived quick enough for "arcing wires in a tree" or......listening to a caller cry and scream as they observe people trapped in a nightclub fire----requires cool, calm and professional action. Kinda like firefighting. Sometimes it happens-sometimes it doesn't.

When it all comes out in the end-our dispatchers are really the "first responders" in dealing with those who need us. They are our first point of contact in the "link of events" that are needed to make something bad become something not so bad. If your FD is the best trained and best staffed-none of that matters if the same attention isn't paid to the communications center personnel. Some communities get it-most don't. Unfortunately-many dispatch centers and their personnel are ignored when it comes to training, staffing and pay-but when things go wrong, are the first to take it in the ass-terisk.

In West Warwick, Rhode Island-the dispatchers had their hands full as the first people to have to deal with "The Station" Nightclub Fire....it was clear within seconds that a tragedy was unfolding-as the firefighters then found out minutes later. Go to:

http://www.turnto10.com/news/2616632/detail.html

Some of the radio traffic from the Station Nightclub Fire is available there....absolutely incredible. Take a listen....and also think about your dispatch center, how they would handle it and what their training, staffing and related levels are-or are gonna be, when they get a call like this-or for a more standard call, such as a working dwelling fire, a non-breather or a multi victim crash.

Kinda like firefighter and FD preparedness-dispatcher and communication center preparedness, staffing, training and compensation (to insure competent and qualified folks work there) is probably better off when taken care of before the incident-as opposed to after an incident, when everyone and their brother is scrutinizing the operation. Just like we cry, whine and bitch cause "the public doesn't understand what we do"...OUR dispatchers probably feel the same about us.

Take Care,

BillyG

The Secret List 11-7-03 1030 Hours

FirefighterCloseCalls.com

[trauma74 111]

YEAH! WHAT BILLY SAID!!!!

[Oswegowind 17]

The petition is ready and has gone out to some...please either pm me with your email or post it here and you will get a copy to make copies of and get em signed! Here is what it looks like...you may be able to cut and paste it yourself as well and print em!

dispatcherpetition.doc

PETITIONPAGES.doc

[Oswegowind 17]

*****UPDATED STATUS*****

STATUS:

A8596-A Abbate

Retirement and Social Security Law

TITLE....Permits certain public safety dispatchers, public safety telecommunicators and communication officers to retire upon completion of 25 years of creditable service

05/22/07 referred to governmental employees

06/14/07 amend and recommit to governmental employees

06/14/07 print number 8596a

06/20/07 reported referred to ways and means

Also looks like people are getting it out...cause we got it faxed back to us in Yonkers asking for signatures.

Anyone else interested, I have 500 copies left...can fax em, mail em, email em, drive em...anything else...

[PC_420 28]

can you fax it to the Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services tomorrow between 1600 hrs and 2400 hrs; 8458084013

Thanks alot

[Oswegowind 17]

can you fax it to the Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services tomorrow between 1600 hrs and 2400 hrs; 8458084013

Thanks alot

←

10-4...or whatever you guys use over there!

[PC_420 28]

Thanks man, yea I will get us all to sign it

[Oswegowind 17]

Update: Current Status-- Still in Ways and Means since 6/20...I think they broke right cause that is why Spitzer/Bruno are disputing...guess we will have to wait for the fall session.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

Anymore news on this?

[EJS1810 7]

Hopefully there will be some movement in the fall session

[Oswegowind 17]

Still stuck...will keep updating!

NYS Legislature Bill Info - A8596

[Oswegowind 17]

Once again, this has not moved anywhere in the legislature...

Status as of 10-25-2007:

STATUS:

A8596-A Abbate

Retirement and Social Security Law

TITLE....Permits certain public safety dispatchers, public safety telecommunicators and communication officers to retire upon completion of 25 years of creditable service

05/22/07 referred to governmental employees

06/14/07 amend and recommit to governmental employees

06/14/07 print number 8596a

06/20/07 reported referred to ways and means

Guess there are bigger fish to fry, like each other!

[20Truck 7]

Chris,

They will get to it, when you and I reach 30 years.

[JBE 328]

I hope you guys get it. My union is presently trying to get our 25 and out down to 20 and out. If that goes through, 9 years, 5 months and 7 days to go!!!