The members of the Westfield Public Safety Communications Commission – from left, chairperson Ana Nunez, John Camerota, Richard Emmings, Lenore Bernashe and Mary Regan – interview a candidate, Richard Greenaway of Westfield, for a position as a per diem dispatcher in the newly formed Public Safety Communications Department. The director of the department, John W. Medley, is seated at the far end of the table. (Photo by Carl E. Hartdegen)
WESTFIELD – The Westfield Public Safety Communications Commission met for the second time ever Wednesday and took steps to alleviate a shortage of qualified emergency dispatchers which is running up the new department’s overtime account.
The commission was constituted earlier this fall and, at the inaugural meeting, the commissioners voted to appoint Commissioner Ana Nunez chairperson.
John W. Medley, the director of the new department created to handle all the dispatching for police, fire and medical emergencies in the city, reported to the commission that his department has three unfilled dispatching positions which is adding to the load of the dispatchers available for assignment and said that he has interviewed candidates to work on a per diem basis to help fill the gaps.
The new dispatch center, housed in the city’s technology center at Barnes Airport, was originally staffed by a crew of nine dispatchers but Mayor Daniel M. Knapik recently authorized an additional dispatching position.
Each shift requires two dispatchers since emergency medical dispatchers stay on the line with a caller to render assistance verbally until first responders can arrive.
Not only has the new position not been filled, Medley said that one of the original dispatchers has resigned and a second is out of work on a medical leave which is not expected to be resolved before his impending retirement.
However, required emergency medical dispatching training classes needed for certification are oversubscribed and Medley reports that it is unlikely that any newly hired dispatchers could be qualified to work emergency medical calls until January, at least.
However, Medley said that he has interviewed candidates wiling to work on a per diem basis and has identified two who are fully qualified.
“We knew all along that per diem was an option but it comes with its pros and cons because they have other jobs” Medley said.
Richard Greenaway has been working as a dispatcher at the State Police barracks in Northampton for ten years and told the commission that he has been “in public safety” since he was 16-years-old starting as a junior firefighter.
He said that he is a Millville native and has been living in Westfield for the past three years.
He said he works the 11 p.m. -7 a.m. shift of the state police and works a four days on, two days off schedule.
Lisa Day also works a four on/two off schedule but at the Northampton municipal dispatch center where she has worked for 14 years dispatching police, fire and medical emergency responses.
A Northampton resident, Day said that she works the 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. shift but said “I’ve actually been toying with the idea of second shift.”
She said that while she hopes to be more useful to the Westfield operation, the change of shift may be something she wants to do regardless of her work as a per diem dispatcher in Westfield.
Both candidates were appointed by the unanimous vote of the commissioners and Medley said that they should be able to start soon as they already have all the qualifications and certifications needed.
“Everything that can be done has been done to try to get these guys expedited” Medley said. “Within a week or two we can probably get them up and running and fill the remaining shifts.”
For a longer term solution, Medley said, he has developed a list of applicants to fill the three open full time dispatching positions and he will start interviewing candidates, with assistance from the staff of the city’s Personnel Department, this week.
He said that two of the candidates have dispatching experience and five have emergency services experience but all the applicants would require emergency medical dispatching certification which, he said, due to the shortage of spaces in training classes, would delay their effective use until the new year.
He said that selected candidates will be available for interview by the commissioners at their next meeting which is scheduled for Nov. 14.
