Nominee: Chris Del Vecchio
Where he works: Rensselaer County Bureau of Public Safety
Nominate by: Karen Del Vecchio
Why he was nominated:
I’m nominating my husband, Christopher Del Vecchio for many reasons.
He’s been a 911 dispatcher for over 17 years, currently dispatching for 7 police departments, 43 fire agencies, and 14 ambulance agencies within Rensselaer County.
I've learned that the career of a dispatcher is so much more than answering phones. They are the first person that you talk to when your child or spouse has a medical problem, when your house is on fire, when you come across a motor vehicle accident, and countless more reasons someone may call 911. More than can be named in a short essay.
The training for a dispatcher is extensive. They deliver life saving help over the phone until help arrives in person. This could include but not limited to delivering a baby to a mom who’s gone quickly into labor quickly, cpr, or mental health related calls. Chris has considerable experience in these areas and manages to stay calm and professional. Sometimes when a caller is in crisis, he’ll need to ask certain questions to gain valuable information like their location or details about the scene that the caller wouldn’t readily give in their state of panic. Chris has helped thousands of callers and doesn’t have a plan to stop anytime soon. Even though dispatchers are true “first” responders, the job is often a thankless one.
Many dispatchers like him work an undesirable shift, with constant unplanned ordered shifts. There are missed holidays and interrupted family plans. Chris takes these with as positive of an attitude as one could. He’s thankful for this opportunity to help others and provide for our family. We’re thankful our dad/husband that works so hard for others.
These reasons are a small glimpse into why I’m nominating my husband, Chris Del Vecchio for First Responder of the Month. I hope you’ll consider this worthy