It’s National Telecommunicators Week and it’s a time to highlight those who take emergency calls and coordinate first responders to different situations.

Amanda Clouse has been a dispatcher with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office for over two years. She has worked mainly overnight shifts, but has recently been moved to daytime. Clouse tells Raccoon Valley Radio that with being a dispatcher there comes a level of stress having to take emergency calls to dispatch certain first responders to locations across the county, she really does enjoy those parts of the job.

“Honestly I enjoy the stress. I like to keep things fast-paced (and) just helping people (and) knowing that I am making a difference. A lot of people don’t know us by name, or what we look like, where we’re from, but just knowing that I am helping and making a difference is the biggest thing.” 

Clouse points out her interest in wanting to be a dispatcher started with her dad, Jefferson Police Chief Mark Clouse, and she felt she could help her community to a greater degree. Some of Amanda’s responsibilities include answering 911 calls, dispatching units to different situations, monitoring the weather and activating the severe weather sirens if needed, along with monitoring the jail and entering protection orders and arrest warrants.