ECOs serve as the initial contact in a variety of emergencies and must adapt quickly to dynamic situations. They are trained to independently and concisely make decisions under extremely trying conditions. Therefore, it is interesting that the two most endorsed barriers they identified to seeking treatment reflected their desire to handle stress on their own and their tendency to not ask for help. However, many of the professional stressors were associated with their work environment, including low morale and co-workers not pulling their own weight. Additionally, ECOs felt that government officials outside their organization or agency administrators do not understand the unique challenges they encounter on the job. This is consistent with research showing how negative management may exacerbate a hierarchical division among personnel and result in additional stress due to feeling undervalued by the organization (Adams et al., 2015). Personal stressors were consequences of shift work, including inadequate sleep and lack of time for personal tasks and friends. Further, more than half of ECOs endorsed financial worries as a personal stressor. 

ECOs are the first line of contact between an individual in distress and an emergency response. Despite the emotional trauma endured on the job, attempts to protect them fall short compared to the on-the-scene responders. For ECOs, demanding call volume often denies them the opportunity to effectively process one call prior to answering the next. In effect, they experience the worst parts of a crisis but rarely benefit from the “closure” that comes from seeing the case through to its resolution. They may never know if the caller survived, if the child in question was found, or if their actions made a difference. 

Agencies should recognize the psychological toll the job has on their dispatchers and allocate the same resources they offer other high-risk first responders. Validation of ECOs contribution has been previously identified as a significant moderator of their stress and well-being  (Adams et al., 2015). For example, the invitation to attend critical incident debriefings was seen as a way for managers to validate and recognize the importance of ECOs role in a crisis (Adams et al., 2015). Team cohesion of all involved personnel may offer an avenue to process the trauma associated with the crisis. And, senior management should participate in call center “sit alongs” to gain an appreciation of the environment and the skills needed to perform this job effectively. 

Findings from Blalock, et al. (2023) indicate ECOs were as likely to seek support from a mental health professional as they were from a peer. Supportive interaction with vocational peers may be particularly helpful for ECOs because of the potential increase in rapport due to shared historical experiences, capability to normalize, reduce stigma, and implicit understanding of the unique occupational situations (Forster & Haiz 2015). This supports research asserting that social support aids in the reduction of stress-related outcomes among numerous occupations Gustafsson et al., 2013; Mache et al., 2014; Patterson, 2003; Reivich & Seligman, 2011). However, gaps still exist in the current empirical literature regarding treatment comparisons and outcome measurements for peer support programs. Ideally, peer support should be a supplementary resource for use in conjunction with adequate mental health programs to enhance efficacy of services (Van Hasselt et al., 2019.

Blalock and colleagues (2023) concluded that strategies for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of ECOs should to be implemented early in their career to establish a precedent for, and reduce stigma about, seeking continual support. Training, preferably during the onboarding process, may inform new ECOs about the stressors they are likely to face, as well as provide education to build resilience and introduce effective coping strategies for addressing occupational hazards. Normalizing conversations about the effects of acute and repeated trauma exposure can be integral for increasing help-seeking behaviors, both during a first responder’s career and in retirement (Smith et al., 2019). Further, since ECOs often minimize their own difficulties and feel less inclined to ask for help, policy and training protocols should consider the benefit of implementing emotional regulation techniques and peer-based interventions. Specifically, providing ECOs with effective coping strategies may assist with stress reduction. Identified occupational stressors should be targeted and policies should be changed so ECOs are treated as a high-risk occupation. These policies should prioritize the physical and mental wellbeing of the men and women who are the first to answer the call to help their community in times of crisis.