Heather Horan

For 18 years Heather Horan, 41, managed a dental practice. For 12 of those years she also served as a volunteer firefighter for the Montgomery County (Md.) Fire and Rescue Service. When she was laid off from her job at the dental practice, she had to seek a new job opportunity. “I loved being in the fire service; it was my way of giving back to the community. But I felt I was too old to get hired,” Horan says.

In pursuit of her passion for the public safety field following her layoff, Horan subsequently obtained a job at the Emergency Communications Center in Arlington County, Va., where she has been employed for almost four years. “I believe strongly in having a passion for the job—a passion to want to help people,” she says.

Horan currently serves as an emergency communications technician III, the highest level attainable on the floor before the rank of assistant supervisor. She is able to work any department on the floor, from 9-1-1, teletype, police, fire, and dispatch. Horan knew she would be comfortable working the fire side, but “I didn’t know what I was getting myself into on the police side,” she says.

Horan quickly discovered there’s a lot of information, call types and protocols; there were things she could and could not say. She also had to learn the networks of the Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). She had to undergo a significant amount of training and obtain certifications to work in this job. “I had amazing instructors and people (trainers) I learned from,” Horan says. Lynne Putnam, a current coworker, was one of her trainers. “She really kept me focused. She was really tough, but I was so glad in the end I had her. Whenever I felt overwhelmed, she would bring me back. To this day, I will forever be grateful and indebted to her. She is a wonderful person,” Horan says.

Horan recognizes a number of skills that are vital in her role. She has to multitask in many different facets of the job all at once, she has to listen to the radio while paying attention to what others around her are saying, and she has to speak clearly, be quick in her actions, and think outside the box. “You always want to be one step ahead,” Horan says. She understands the critical nature of her job and points out that it is important to remain level-headed and self-assured that you can do it. “You have their (first responders’) lives in your hands,” she says.

Horan acknowledges that the job can be stressful, and those who enter this field need to understand that. She believes it’s important to find a hobby, engage in physical fitness, and stay away from alcohol and overeating when dealing with the impact of the work. Horan explains that she surrounds herself with amazing people and works with others, as a team, to get through it. She says telecommunicators have to be able to rely on teammates. “We are close outside work. We do everything together outside work. You build those relationships. You have to have that camaraderie and build that trust and make things work. Things happen so fast; those in the pod know what you need and can be there to help,” Horan says.

Though she has close ties with those she works with, Horan also has a lot of friends outside the field. She maintains contact with friends from high school and also spends quality time with her family. “My family is very big on travelling. We go away all the time” she says. This month, Horan will be travelling to Aruba. In addition to travelling and spending time with family and friends, Horan also enjoys reading, cooking and playing Mahjong.

Though Horan is well trained to handle a diversity of calls and situations, there are some that are more difficult than others. “Any call involving children is extremely hard,” she says. The same applies for animals, as “I’m a huge animal lover,” Horan says. Domestic violence calls, suicides and calls-in-progress are calls she takes in stride as part of her job. “You have to be able to take control of the situation and get the information. You have to maintain the professional demeanor and keep control of the call,” Horan says.

In addition to her regular duties, Horan is an instructor for CPR and Emergency Medical Dispatching. She also assists with the dispatcher school and orientation.

Does she take things home with her from the job? “I think everybody does to a point in their career. You take certain things home with you. We’re often left wondering what happened. We’re human. We have feelings,” Horan says.

Horan’s obvious love of her work is exemplified by the awards she has received, including the Lifesaving Award in April 2011 from the Arlington, Va., Chamber of Commerce. This award was presented for her efforts on a call she handled in which a baby boy had a seizure due to a high fever and had stopped breathing. “I talked the parents through CPR and we got him back,” Horan says. She also received a departmental award from her employer in 2011 for “Rookie of the Year.”

It’s evident that Horan loves her job. Would she do it all over again? “Absolutely, I wish I had done it years ago. It is working with the public and being able to help them—even if it is small. I don’t need the pat on the back. I need to know I made someone’s day a little better or someone’s emergency a little easier,” Horan says.

About the Author
Karen L. Bune serves as an adjunct professor at George Mason University and Marymount University in Virginia, and is a consultant for the Training and Technical Assistance Center for the Office for Victims of Crime and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice. She is a nationally recognized speaker and trainer on public safety issues. Bune is board certified in traumatic stress and domestic violence, and she is a fellow of The Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and the National Center for Crisis Management. She serves on the Institutional Review Board of The Police Foundation, Washington, D.C.