Oklahoma 911 dispatchers push for First Responder classification amid staffing shortage

Oklahoma’s 911 telecommunicators answered more than 2.6 million calls in 2024, despite being more than 15% understaffed. Now, state officials are urging Congress to pass the 911 Saves Act, which would classify dispatchers as first responders.

“We have a shortage of 911 dispatchers in the state of Oklahoma—we have for years,” said Lance Terry, the state’s 911 Coordinator.

Terry and his colleagues recently met with lawmakers, advocating for the bill that would reclassify telecommunicators. Under the current classification, dispatchers are considered clerical workers, despite providing life-saving instructions before emergency crews arrive on the scene.

Shawnee Police Department Communications Manager Christina Brown, who oversees dispatchers handling about 25,000 calls annually, said the change is long overdue.

“I have dispatchers who have helped deliver babies, I’ve got dispatchers who have helped maintain heart rhythms,” Brown said. “It’s a team effort, and I think we need to be looked upon as one of the teammates.”

If passed, the 911 Saves Act would provide benefits similar to those of police officers, firefighters, and paramedics, allowing for more flexible scheduling that could improve work-life balance and attract more employees.

The group is also pushing for the reauthorization of the federal 911 office, which recently saw its workforce cut in half.