Des Moines is hiring public safety dispatchers after breaking a decade-old record of 911 calls in 2023.
Dispatchers picked up the phone more than 492,800 times last year, the highest amount in a decade and a 5% increase in calls over 2022, according to a news release from the city. Dispatchers receive calls for police, fire, and emergency medical services through 911 and communicate to law enforcement and medical professionals during an emergency.
“These dispatch positions are critical to our entire public safety system,” Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert said in the release. “When residents or visitors are having one of the worst days of their lives, they can count on a friendly voice to listen, to guide them on what to do, and to prepare and send first responders to help quickly.”
The city wants to hire seven to nine public safety dispatchers. The job listing says pay ranges from $30.86 to $36.93 an hour. Applications will be accepted through Feb. 15.
“This job is demanding, but if you’re right for this job, it’s extremely rewarding,” dispatcher Katie McGhee said in the news release.