JESSUP, Pa. — Lackawanna County is trying to make up for a shortage of emergency dispatchers at the 911 center.
Dispatchers answer calls inside the Lackawanna County Public Safety Center in Jessup, but there are still some empty seats. County officials say there is a shortage of dispatchers.
"We usually are at 35 full-time dispatchers, and we're probably in the range of 20 to 22," said Lackawanna County Chief of Staff Brian Jeffers.
Jeffers says the county commissioners approved a raise in starting pay for incoming dispatchers to $37,400. After one year, the pay increases by $4,000.
Jeffers hopes that entices more people to apply and successfully make it through the six-week training period.
"These jobs are high-stress jobs. We do offer great benefit packages, but we're still trying to lure more people into the realm of being 911 dispatchers."
County officials say there are other departments having problems filling the ranks.
"We're down with caseworkers in CYS. We're down with prison guards and sheriffs and so on and so forth."
Jeffers also praised the current dispatchers who are working more hours to fill the gaps and hopes that more people apply because emergencies don't take a day off.
"It is a rewarding job because you do get to help people out. Is it a stressful job? Absolutely, but you're also trying to get people to safety and help with the everyday problems that they're going through."
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