Every Rescue Starts Here

Nancy Phillipe sat poised, the short and steady clicking of the keyboard kept beat to the frantic voice on the other line. Her partner, referencing the notes, began putting out a call to rescuers. “All available SARsiters needed for a technical rope rescue on Half Dome. More details to follow.” 

This is how a rescue begins… not in the SAR cache, full of equipment; not in an ambulance; or a helicopter. Rescues begin in a little room in El Portal, full of computer monitors, phone lines, and radios. Rescues begin with dispatch.

Nancy Phillipe at Yosemite Dispatch

Yosemite Dispatchers manage approximately 27 different phone lines and 30 different radio frequencies, and can now even take 911 text messages! In addition to Yosemite, they also cover Lassen Volcanic National Park, Devil’s Postpile in summertime, and Santa Monica. Even when the radios seem quiet here, dispatch may be dealing with a lot happening somewhere else. Phillipe says dispatch “is like managing chaos. It’s a tricky thing because it’s never the exact same thing ever.” 

The complex computer system helps with managing and sorting calls. There are a total of six 911 lines, and when a call comes in from one of those lines it jumps to the top of the queue. Typically calls on the 911 line come in here and there, but Phillipe says that when all six lines light up you know there has been a horrible accident, and a lot of people have witnessed it. She says, “If you call and get a busy signal we probably know whatever it is you're going to tell us.” When this happens dispatch has to change their approach to get through all of the calls as quickly as possible. Instead of asking “what’s your emergency,” their greeting changes to, “are you reporting the ____?”
“Yes.”
“Are you related to the person or part of the party?”

“No.”

“Okay, thank you.” Hang up and take the next call.

It’s an intense flurry of activity, and dispatch has to work fast to get through all the incoming calls.

Dispatch Computer system: (From far left clockwise) Direct connection with the DOJ/ CAD mapping/ 911 texts, telephone screen, mapping that goes with the telephone system, radio with paging capabilities, CAD- how all resources and incidents are tracked.

Most 911 calls don’t come in this way. Often the call is from a single person or a small group. They may be lost, injured, or sometimes even just tired. Dispatchers have to determine if sending help is necessary in each situation… and you probably already guessed this, but it is not. A surprising number of people come to Yosemite and think that 911 can be their backup plan– that if they get tired, went further than they should, or get stuck out after dark they can just get rescued. But that’s not how YOSAR works. Sending SAR members to help someone who is tired is not a good use of valuable resources. When these calls come in, dispatchers support the person by offering encouragement and advice, and help them realize that they have to work through their problem and “self rescue.” Phillipe says it is not uncommon for callers to call back a few minutes later thinking they will get a different response from a different dispatcher, but our dispatch office is small, and most of the time it is the same person answering each time. It is always important for visitors to realize that despite the magical feel of Yosemite it is not Disneyland®. The gorgeous land features are not human-made and there aren’t food carts and golf carts on the trail. You need to make a plan, and know when it’s time to turn around.

While it is frustrating for dispatch to receive non-emergent calls on the 911 line, Phillipe says that “everyone’s emergency is going to be different. Everyone has a different level of what they are prepared for and... Ultimately the job of answering 911 is… to help people, and if that’s their emergency you’re still going to answer the call, you’re still going to guide them, you’re still going to instruct them. So, I think anytime someone is feeling overwhelmed, and just at a loss of what to do, that's okay then to call… 911 is always going to be the resource they can fall back on.” 

Yosemite Dispatch in El Portal

With Yosemite containing expansive wilderness areas,  it can take a while for rescuers to arrive. Even when you're only a few miles out or when utilizing a helicopter there is wait time involved. For patients waiting for help to arrive, dispatchers are their lifeline. Dispatch will stay on the line with the patient letting them know that they are not alone. Phillipe says that you shift your mindset to seeing this person as your friend, not a victim or patient. This helps reduce awkwardness and allows dispatchers to help the person remain calm and know they aren’t alone.  “You just try to start out with baby steps of conversation.... And you let them know, ‘this is going to be a while, but I’m right here with you, and I’m not going to hang up until I know that you’re okay.’”

Dispatchers truly are unsung heroes. Dispatchers work in a high stress environment, juggling many responsibilities and tasks. If you get the honor to meet one of our fabulous dispatchers make sure to thank them for their work!  Without them, our emergency services could not function, and people would not be able to access the help they need.

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Nancy Phillipe grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota. She started working for NPS as a Fee collector and Interp. Ranger right out of high school. Phillipe has worked as a Law Enforcement Ranger, in Wildland Fire, and as a Television Programming Assistant for PBS. For the last 19 years she served in Yosemite Dispatch, with 14 of those years as the Center Manager. Phillipe recently joined the Yosemite Fire and Aviation Management team as the Communication and Education Specialist.

*Make sure to follow us on instagram @foyosar where we will share more valuable information and insight that came from our interview with Nancy Phillipe.