TAMPA, Fla. — The Seminole County and Osceola County Sheriff’s Office are looking to fill 42 positions for 911 dispatcher.

What You Need To Know

  • The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office is 25 positions short for 911 dispatchers

  • The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is 17 shortf or 911 dispatchers

  • The Kissimme Police Department is fully-staffed, but it always looking to hire. A 911 dispatcher shares her story to encourage others to join the force

Osceola County officials said hiring 911 dispatchers has been an issue for several years due to the stress of the job, the salary and the schedule.

A 911 dispatcher at the Kissimmee Police Department is encouraging people to join the force.

“You have to be ready to handle any kind of call that comes in,” said Nydia Hernandez who has been a dispatcher for 23 years, and is now the lead telecommunicator for the Kissimmee Police Department.

Her office is fully staffed, but the rest of Osceola County needs some help, the sheriff’s office is 20% short of where it needs to be. 

Throughout her career, Hernandez said there’s still one call she thinks about. It involves a 12-year old who collapsed while getting out of the pool.

“The 17-year old sister was on the phone with me and she cried and she begged me to please lie to her and tell her that the paramedics were outside, I kept telling her there on the way their almost there,” said Hernandez. “And once that call is done you have let go because there’s another one, another call coming, you have to answer one after the other.”

Days later, she found out the 12-year old passed away.

She said answering 911 calls is not for everyone because most of the time there is no way of knowing how the emergency call ends, but although its stressful, it’s a rewarding career.

“The feel of accomplishment that you’re helping people, that you’re helping your community, you might even be helping your neighbor with their loved ones, so please join,” said Hernandez. “It did it for me, I was at a dead-end job and here I am 23 years on the job and I love it, I still love it.”

KPD responds to 40,000 calls every year. Hernandez answers hundreds of those calls. 

The starting pay for a 911 dispatcher at the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office is $17.74 an hour. Officials said they’re working on getting that increased. There is currently a $3000 sign-on bonus.

For the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the starting pay for a public safety telecommunicator is $18.15 & communication specialist is $16.50 for the minimum hourly rate.