#006: Relieving burnout in 911 call takers
Feat. Drilling for Energy, Defibrillator Drones, and the Importance of Rest
The IdeaList is a newsletter exploring social issues and ideas for making the world a better place.
Subscribe for free to stay up to date and support my work.
In This Edition (5 minute read)
Why we should care about burnout among 911 call takers and some ideas for supporting them
The Idea List, which explores pep talks from kindergartners, drilling for energy, defibrillator drones, surgeries in virtual reality, and sponge-y cities
The importance of rest
When we think of the people behind emergency response, we think of paramedics, EMTs, police officers, and firefighters. These heroes deserve all the support we can give. This post focuses on one group of first responders that, in my view, is too often overlooked and underappreciated. We never see this group, but their role is on the front lines. In fact, they’re typically the first person we talk to in an emergency. Maybe we forget about them because our interaction is over once we hang up the phone.
911 call takers deserve way more attention. Think about how taxing this job is. You field calls from people all day long, often on the worst day of their lives. Most can’t take breaks due to staffing shortages. To really sympathize with the role, you should listen to firsthand accounts on the Within the Trenches podcast. After one episode, you’ll understand why turnover is so high. We need solutions to support this essential group of workers.
Like other first responders, 911 call takers are at elevated risk of PTSD. But enhanced mental health benefits (along with higher pay and more advanced training) are hard to obtain because the Office of Management and Budget classifies 911 call takers as clerical workers, not first responders. States have been trying to change this, but most efforts get stuck (including a federal bill from 2019). Legislation will likely bring the most immediate impact for 911 call taker mental health.
But in the absence of quick government action, is there anything that could make a big difference?
I’ll share one idea with actual evidence first. In this study, behavioral scientists ran a six-week email series in which stories of 911 call takers were shared with their peers. Their peers were encouraged to share their own stories in response, and apparently it was a very engaging exercise. The study claims to have reduced resignations by more than half in the months after the series ended!
I have a couple thoughts of my own, too! They probably won’t work, but I would love to know what a 911 call taker thinks about them.
Listening to firsthand accounts, one thing that struck me is that 911 call takers often don’t know what happens after the caller hangs up the phone. They’re left wondering whether the situation is resolved, whether everyone is okay. Maybe simple closure could resolve some anxiety. What if 911 call takers got a paper report of their call outcomes at the end of a shift? Or what if we established a callback number where people could leave an update (and a positive message) for their 911 call taker?
911 call takers field calls all day long, rarely getting a break to process a bad call. At the same time, there are a lot of 911 calls that should not be 911 calls. What if we could filter those calls somehow so that call takers could have the time back for themselves?
I’d love to hear your own ideas if you have them!
The Idea List
🗣️ Start a hotline that gives pep talks from kindergartners
This is a brilliant display of social good. Let this be a reminder that it doesn’t take much to put a smile on someone else’s face.
🔥 Drill 12 miles into the Earth to find a renewable energy source
Quaise Energy wants to tap into a new power source: geothermal energy in the Earth’s crust. It gets hot as you drill deeper into the Earth, and converting that heat into electricity could potentially power the world. Recent advances, like Quaise’s drilling method and better batteries, might just make this possible.
🚁 Deliver defibrillators by drone
I’m excited about the positive potential of drones. This article discusses a pilot study in Sweden using drones to deliver AEDs. When time is of the essence or travel is difficult, drones can literally save lives.
👩⚕ Practice surgeries in virtual reality
Next month, I’ll be writing about my work exploring virtual reality as a tool for social good. Surgical training is one example of a promising application. As I’ll discuss, virtual reality can democratize experience; but we also need to make sure that training in a virtual world translates to proficiency in the real world.
🧽 Help cities adapt to climate change by turning them into sponges
Water, when too abundant or scarce, can cause problems for cities. And paved surfaces trap water above ground, worsening floods and droughts. These cities are greening their industrialized areas to capture excess water and hold it for when it’s needed most.
One Last Thing: Rest
I love James Clear’s 3-2-1 Newsletter. Every Thursday, he shares 3 of his own ideas, 2 quotes from others, and 1 question for the reader. It’s a short read and has great little nuggets here and there. One week this month, he shared the following quote from the poet May Sarton on the importance of rest:
“I always forget how important the empty days are, how important it may be sometimes not to expect to produce anything, even a few lines in a journal. A day when one has not pushed oneself to the limit seems a damaged, damaging day, a sinful day. Not so! The most valuable thing one can do for the psyche, occasionally, is to let it rest, wander, live in the changing light of a room.”
I’ve been reflecting on what activities make me feel rested. Reading, walking, and cooking come to mind, and I’m hoping to spend more time doing those things in April.
Until next time,
Noah
Previous Editions
You can also check out all previous editions of The IdeaList to read about other big social issues and ideas for making the world a better place.