CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — With emergency calls rising sharply, MetroCom faces mounting pressure. A new wave of young dispatchers is stepping in, trained to manage chaos with calm precision.
“Accidents, a lot of elderly falling down… suicides, things like that,” said Isabella Gomez, a 23-year-old emergency dispatcher who started just three months ago. Gomez is one of seven new dispatchers under the age of 30 helping to meet demand at one of the busiest times of the year.
In February, MetroCom handled 4,677 calls. By May, that number had surged by more than 1,000 to 5,764. Officials say rising summer temperatures and increased tourism are putting even more pressure on call centers.
“It takes a lot of here and now,” Gomez said. “This is what I’m doing right now—and something different is next. But I need to give this person my attention right now so the next person can receive all my attention and go from there.” said Gomez. Despite her short time on the job, she's already earned the trust of her trainers.
“We wouldn’t put them behind the keyboard unless we were confident they could handle the job,” said MetroCom Supervisor Kevin Cook. "They'll always be learning something new, but we know they. have what it takes to be out there on the floor."
Last fall, MetroCom announced it needed 30 full-time dispatchers, citing a nationwide shortage that hit Corpus Christi especially hard. Today, new recruits like Gomez are stepping up to answer the call.
“I’m caring, I’m dedicated. I just want to help you out, get you the help you need—and I’m patient,” Gomez said. Something that will take here far, during this busy time of the year.
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