The first of first responders, Anthony McKenzie has spent 18 years as an Ulster County 911 dispatcher. It's a job that gives him purpose. But it’s getting harder in New York state to find dedicated dispatchers like him due to burnout from the high-stress job becoming rampant.

Where McKenzie works has outdated working conditions, and consistent job openings have pushed emergency personnel to reinvent hiring, including more marketing through social media.

“We’re trying to get into schools," said Ulster County Director of Emergency Services Everett Erichsen. "We're trying to get out there what the job is about a little bit more. And that's been helpful. You know, the last couple of times we went to hire, we had a little bit more success based off of what we're doing.” 

They’re also trying to tackle the mental health struggles that dispatchers face, including providing workers with a quiet room for decompression in the new Emergency Communications Center Ulster County building.

They've also added a friendly, furry face to their roster: therapy dog Oliver. 

“You just see the people that may not normally talk about their problems engaging with (Oliver) and engaging with each other in here," McKenzie said. 

All these things help but McKenzie thinks the field will need to keep innovating with how it addresses dispatchers’ mental health needs. Starting with an emphasis on exercise and conversation. 

“Hopefully, we'll have more of a wellness program down the road," he said. "Where we can attract people into maybe moving more, or doing stuff where they're outside of here to help themselves. Maybe even stuff when you're in here that you can do to sort of help with (stress).”