I have a confession to make. I’ve carried around this juicy little public safety secret for many years. They will all disavow me for speaking of it, but all telecommunicators have a super-power. They do not want you or anyone else to know that they possess this ability. However, they use it every day.
They can become invisible right in the middle of a ‘bad’ situation, a calamity, a catastrophic event and even a tragedy. They orchestrate the delivery of vital services by multiple first responder agencies and provide prearrival instructions to aid in the optimal outcome of any situation, and are never seen. Not once.
Other times, they have a sixth sense that tells them when a first responder needs emergency backup, or when something about a caller just doesn’t seem right – all the while remaining invisible.
How glorious it must be to have a super-power, where you can both be invisible and know what’s coming, right? There’s only one problem… Shhhhh…Nobody knows! They don’t do it for the glory. They do it because it’s their job and without them, there would be no first responders.
It is paramount to showcase how effortlessly these telecommunicators continue to do everything they do while remaining invisible. Nobody should have to think about recognizing someone for the job they are doing while someone’s life teeters on the precipice of chaos – the work it takes to return to some sense of normalcy should just be seamless.
And so, we take a week each year when they strip away the invisibility and we show our gratitude through food, games, awards and more food. Hoping that, in some small way, our appreciation is relayed before their super-powers are re-engaged. But don’t quote me - #rulesofinvisibility.
