Dispatcher Dabbles In Expression

In moments of downtime, chances are pretty good that you’ll find Bernice Rattray with her head in a book or busily scribbling in one. As an avid reader and lifelong learner, Rattray appreciates the way the world around her is beautifully shaped by combinations of letters and words on a page.

She turns to creating short pieces by linking together her own phrases as her source of comfort while working out the important themes in her life. Whether feeling tired, hopeful, inspired, or discouraged, Rattray delights in her self-named “word doodling” of meditations and prayers to capture and define her thoughts in a soul-searching release.

When she noticed the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch^® (IAED^™) National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week (NPSTW) Showcase invitation earlier this year asking for art submissions, Rattray picked her favorite free-form poem of large questions and inspired definitions and kept it in her email drafts for a long while before hitting “send.”

What is?
What is a thought? A thought may be an idea or a fond recollection
What is a prayer? A prayer may be a form of medication, a plea for peace and guidance
What is a blessing? A blessing can be an idea shared that resulted in overall peace
What is an obstacle? An obstacle attempts to block the idea of prayer for the blessing
Could the obstacle be eliminated that prevents our thoughts of prayers for guidance?
What if?

Most of Rattray’s art form is for her self-expression and reflection. However, her personal phrasing sometimes becomes gifts shared with family and friends for milestones and holidays as something genuine to remember her by. “As my words enter others’ minds and hearts, they become alive,” she said.

Rattray’s primary purpose of filling so many pages is to develop her own voice while listening to so many other voices. Working in emergency services provides her with rich exposure to human emotion.

“I tell my co-workers often that I would like to write a book about what we experience,” she said. “We hear and envision the pain of the caller through devastating events. We need an outlet, a way to share it, release it, and heal from it.”

Rattray recalls how she ended up in her compassionate role at the console. Though 911 wasn’t initially a part of her path, she was left spinning in 2001 after her insurance job ended among widespread layoffs. While in need of a new position, she discovered her love for working at the Broward Sherriff’s Office (Florida, USA), initially as a part-time calltaker. She was captivated, but she knew it was only the beginning of a journey.

Rattray went full time after six months and certified through several levels of Communications Operator positions while learning radio and teletype over subsequent years. She became a Training Officer in 2005, a Frontline Supervisor in 2009, an Assistant Site Manager in 2018, and a Site Manager in 2020.

“I’ve done it all here,” Rattray said. “I’m excited about my end goal before I retire. They haven’t seen the end of me yet.” That’s a relief to her supervisors who rely upon her to mark up their communications using her superior editing with bits of humor weaved in (as she refuses to use a red pen full of stigma).

What the future holds remains a mystery for Rattray, but she knows it will involve writing. Beyond her interest in recording more about her personal journey and professional encounters, she is interested in writing a science-fiction crime novel like a mash-up of her favorite shows: Star Trek and Law and Order. Much like her own life, she loves a good plot twist.

“To look at the blank page and fill it with thoughts is already a brave endeavor,” Rattray said. “To share it is another thing altogether.”