DENVER — Denver Public Schools is training the next generation of emergency dispatchers through its newest program.
South High School senior Harper Freeman, 17, is among the first students enrolled in the school district's emergency dispatch training program.
The four-month program, run out of the district's Career Education Center, includes classroom instruction from a former cop, dispatcher shadowing and a training system that simulates real 911 calls. The system is nearly identical to the one used to train dispatchers in Aurora, Jefferson County and Denver.
Through the system, students receive simulated emergency calls from the other students. The sounds of a baby crying, a dog barking and emergency sirens can be added to more accurately simulate the chaos of such a call.
The student-dispatcher must calmly assess the situation, get the right information and decide if they need to send police, fire or ambulance.
"Dispatchers can be considered the very first responders. And I think that just being there for someone in a moment of crisis is just very impactful," said Freeman.
When asked if she's worried about the responsibility of handling such calls, Freeman replied, "I think it's extremely stressful, but it just feels so empowering, I guess, and important... It just feels good to be that person for someone."
Freeman and her 10 classmates will graduate high school in May and become the very first graduates of this new dispatcher training class. They can take the certification they'll earn in high school and combine it with a one-semester course at Community College of Denver to become certified emergency dispatchers.
The college is working with the three big Denver metro dispatch agencies to make sure the graduates have the training they'll need.
Ann McCalley with the Community College of Denver said there is an incredible need for additional dispatchers.
"Jeffco 911 in October was telling us they had 120 openings alone," McCalley said.
Instructor Stacey Hervey reinforces the employment opportunities for those who take her class.
"The nice thing about that career pathway is they can go into it when they're 18 and it's a liveable wage. They're starting at $55,000 to $64,000 depending on what agency they go to," Hervey aid,
This time next year, Freeman and her classmates may very well be the ones who answer our emergency calls and help us through our most crucial moments.
