Is there a 911 dispatcher shortage in Toledo?
A deputy fire chief writes, "This is just one of several options that is in play, in order to maintain staffing with as little impact as possible." TOLEDO, Ohio  EDITOR'S NOTE: The attached video originally aired on May 13, 2021. Some Toledo 911 dispatchers are being offered the option to forego vacation and take pay instead. In a letter dated June 17, 2021, Toledo Fire and Rescue Department Deputy Chief Damon Williams wrote:  "Due to resignations, we cannot allow the vacation trades to occur because it would put additional stress on you to cover the overtime created from those moves." The letter went on to state:  "The administration is looking into several options to assist with staffing 911, with as little impact on you as possible. To that end, one option immediately available is vacation payout/severance. Anyone who wishes to forego their scheduled vacation days from this day, through the COG (Regional Council of Governments https://lc911.org/) migration, may do so. Any unused days will be paid out as severance." The letter from Williams concluded with the following:  "This is just one of several options that is in play, in order to maintain staffing with as little impact as possible. I'm sure everyone understands, the Communications Bureau is vital to the safety of the citizens of Toledo. We will explore all options to maintain the functionality of this critical system. The employees are the heart of the system. Please consider this option if you are able to do so." Sterling Rahe, public information officer for the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department explained that there is no staffing shortage. He said this is an option that is currently being used and has been used previously. "We're kind of at a crossroads with our dispatch center where it's going to be eventually turned over to the regional government and it encompasses all of Lucas County. They'll all be under the same umbrella and out from under Toledo Fire," Rahe said. "While that transition is going on, there are some challenges that come along with that; dispatchers leaving or transferring to other positions which have left vacancies. Just like we've struggled throughout the country with staffing issues, we are no different than that when it comes to our dispatchers. The difference is, with the 911 dispatcher, it's a 24/7 operation. There is no shutting down." This fall, 911 dispatchers from Sylvania, Sylvania Township, Maumee, Oregon and the Lucas County Sheriff's Office will move to the emergency services building in downtown Toledo. "As this transitions, our dispatchers become our friends. We hear those voices, we depend on them," Rahe said. "They are our lifeline in a lot of ways while we're out there. These are people's worst days, some of the most horrendous things that can happen. They are the front line. They hear that." Rahe said if all goes according to plan, people who need to call for emergency help won't know anything has changed. "As we continue this transformation into the new service, our goal throughout the county is to make this as seamless as possible," he said.