Martin O’Hehir has been a radio communication operator at the 911 dispatch center in Roseville for 18 years. Once he puts that headset on, he springs into action and uses his words to help people in emergencies.
"I can’t panic for you because it’s not going to do any good. You didn’t call me to panic, you called me to help," said O’Hehir.
Oftentimes, O’Hehir and other dispatchers have to adjust from tragic calls that stick to less severe 911 calls that can also be hard to forget. No matter the situation, O’Hehir says every call is an emergency and is treated as such.
Every year, dispatchers at the Roseville center answer about half a million calls. Even during a challenging time for the industry, they’re expected to keep up with the number of callers who need urgent help.