ELLSWORTH — When people are facing some of the worst or most stressful moments of their lives, it is often up to a 911 dispatcher to remain calm, get the necessary information and get the support where they need to go.

Through seven screens, lights, noises and lots and lots of call feeds, 911 Dispatcher Wendy Fleury remains focused on the task at hand.

“It’s always their worst time of day, it’s always their worst time of their life when they’re calling us,” Fleury said. “We’re here to help them and that’s what’s most important.”

The job features many moments that would cause most people to become stressed, but the dispatchers cannot let it get to them.

Through their 12-hour shifts their kitchen and bathroom are right there in the dispatch room, as they cannot stray far away from the phone. At times, there are a flurry of calls coming in, and it is on the dispatchers to field them all and send out the necessary emergency services. There are usually two dispatchers holding down the center. When this is happening, Fleury said it is all about relying on your partner and the rest of the emergency workers.

“You have to work together,” Fleury said. “Pierce County is very lucky in that sense, that everybody here works together. They don’t get snarky when you page them out at three in the morning and they’ve just gone to sleep after getting paged out at one in the morning.”

Similar to other emergency services, the night shift poses separate problems than the daytime. Fleury said they are sending emergency workers into the darkness, so they are responsible for getting as much information as possible to guide them.

“They’re walking into this dark cave, this dark tunnel, they have no idea what they’re walking into,” Fleury said. “You have to have each others’ back, just like day shift does, but night shift becomes even more critical.”

Getting the information can be a challenge with callers who are often in a state of panic. This is why remaining calm is such an emphasis for dispatchers.

Two of the day’s critical times are both covered by the night shift. The early evening time that involves many people commuting home and the hours leading up to bar close contain some of the most dangerous or important calls.

Another challenge a dispatcher faces is evolving with the rapid changes to technology. The advancements are helpful in the long run for helping citizens get the help they need, but they can provide challenges to dispatchers trying to adjust.

Recent technology allows dispatchers to see medical information of the caller if they have submitted it. This information allows dispatchers to understand which medical scenarios they could be dealing with in instances where the caller may not be able to speak. Fleury encouraged anyone to submit this information to the county.

Another advancement allows dispatchers to set up a video recording or text thread with the caller in situations where they may not be able to speak.

After spending time in the television news industry, Fleury understood how to interact with law enforcement, and that provided the initial interest to get into dispatch.

“When I moved here it was the perfect opportunity for me,” Fleury said. “TV news with the hours and stuff, it’s just not a good family life… so I decided to give dispatch a try and I really love it.”

It was difficult for Fleury to initially adjust, as many of the machines can be overwhelming when you enter the room for the first time, but Fleury has found a love for the job.

For emergency alerts or information, residents can either sign up for Everbridge, which can be found at the bottom of the Pierce County website, or go to the Pierce County, WI Emergency Management Facebook page.

This article is the third part of a series of night shift features. If you or someone you know works the night shift in Pierce County and would like to share your story, reach out to andrew@piercecountyjournal.news.