Shortage of dispatchers in Clay County, 'We're working with basically half our staff'

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — There's a shortage of dispatchers in some of our local counties – they are the first people you turn to when you need help.

It's a tough job under any circumstances. But right now, being a dispatcher in Clay County, is even tougher.

"They're tired of working overtime. You've got some people working seven to eight days straight without a day off," said Ashley Barber, lieutenant of communications. Barber said they are down 14 dispatchers. They should have about 40.

"We're working with basically half our staff," said Barber.

Barber said last year, there were 110,000 calls for service.

"We're working a hundred miles per hour nonstop, there's no down time, everyone is doing double the work," she said.

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"That's scary for me, especially because I have health and heart problems," said Isaak Wells, who lives in Clay County.

Wells has called 911 before. He wants dispatchers to be on top of things if he has to call them again.

"A lot of my problems have been very time sensitive. If I didn't get to the hospital in a certain amount of time, then it would've ended up a lot worse," he said.

Barber said the main reason they can't get more dispatchers, is because of the pay – it starts at $30,200.

"Last year, we lost probably eight to nine people to another dispatching agency," said Barber.

Even though it's extra work and extra stress, Barber said their dispatchers are getting the work done.

"If we can't answer the phones, then we are going to fail the citizens of Clay County. So everyone is pulling together, with my 21 people working dispatch, working together to run our center," she said.

In Nassau County, they're down seven. The sheriff recently increased the pay from $32,000 to $35,000.

In Duval, JFRD is separate from JSO. JFRD needs about seven to eight more.

In St. Johns, there's no shortage.

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Cox Media Group