LANCASTER, Pa. — When dialing 911, most expect an answer. However, finding someone to answer calls is increasingly becoming more difficult.
Lancaster County-Wide Communications (LCWC) is facing a shortage in radio dispatchers, following a similar trend seen nationwide.
"We've definitely seen a downturn in the number of applicants that we received," said Operations Manager at LCWC, Ann Weller.
Similar to other industries in the public and private sectors, finding staff has been competitive, but 911 dispatchers face another hurdle in the hiring process.
"Our turnover is impacted by how long it takes to train people," said Weller. "So, while we don't have many openings on the book per se, we don't have enough people trained on the radio."
New recruits must complete four weeks of full-time, paid training. After that, they must be trained on the job. In short, training is long and not easy.
"People don't call 911 when they're having a good day, so you have to be prepared to deal with," said Weller.
Radio Dispatchers start at $17 an hour, which can increase to $19 an hour after a year on the job.
There are additional benefits as well. "No two days are the same," Weller said. "Every day is different. You're not putting together widgets, you're not working on a factory floor, you are getting to do something a little more meaningful and provide a service to the public."
LCWC hosted a job fair Monday, July 11 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Lancaster County Public Safety Training Center.
The company hoped to recruit six or seven new radio dispatchers to add to the team. At the event, candidates learned about wages, benefits, the application and onboarding process and more.