The work is intense, and emotionally demanding. It involves absorbing trauma without closure, solving problems without pause, and holding steady through every crisis—then immediately doing it again. The toll this takes isn’t just emotional; it affects dispatcher health, performance, and long-term retention.
That’s why National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW) exists—to recognize and appreciate the critical role dispatchers play in public safety, and why recognition shouldn’t be limited to one week in April. As it turns out, consistent gratitude doesn’t just feel good—it does good. So let’s look at the science behind recognition, and how even small acts of appreciation can have a measurable impact on mental health, performance, and long-term resilience.
Rewiring the reflex with recognition
Psychology and neuroscience agree on this: the brain is wired to notice negative input more than positive. It’s called the negativity bias—an evolutionary survival mechanism that helped early humans detect threats and stay alive.
Today, we don’t face the same physical threats our ancestors did, but the bias is still active. It’s why we remember criticism more than compliments. It’s why one tough moment can overshadow a hundred good ones.
Now imagine you’re a dispatcher.
Your days are filled with emergencies, distress, and trauma. The job feeds the negativity bias. And without intentional counterbalances—like gratitude, support, and recognition—it’s easy to spiral into burnout or emotional fatigue.
It’s not just about saying “thank you.” Regular, meaningful recognition begins to retrain the brain, helping dispatchers build resilience. It improves emotional regulation, reduces stress, and fosters a greater sense of connection—all essential for people tasked with staying steady when the world isn’t.
When someone feels appreciated, their brain releases dopamine—a chemical associated with happiness, motivation, and reward. That single interaction can improve mood, build trust, and help regulate stress. It’s not just nice—it’s neurological.
Gratitude has also been shown to build mental resilience, helping people rebound faster from emotionally difficult situations. And for dispatchers, whose jobs require clear thinking under pressure, this kind of reinforcement isn’t fluff—it’s fuel.
Why being appreciated matters
Unlike other first responders, dispatchers may handle a traumatic call and then immediately pivot to the next one—no moment to pause, no hallway check-in, no visual cues to signal that something might be wrong. The cultural expectation to “stay calm” is part of the job. But over time, that silence can take a toll.
There’s often no time between calls to ask how someone is doing—or even to say thank you. That’s why building a culture of recognition can’t be left to one week a year or an occasional shout-out. It has to be built into the everyday, in ways that go beyond surface-level praise.
Recognition alone isn’t the answer. But it is a start. When dispatchers feel genuinely seen and appreciated, they’re more likely to trust their environment—and trust is the foundation for communication. It makes it more likely they’ll speak up when something’s wrong, ask for support when they need it, and talk about mental health without fear of judgment.
In a job that demands emotional strength, that kind of safety isn’t a perk. It’s essential.
Ready, set, recognition!
Even small, regular moments of gratitude help fill the cup back up.
Recognition doesn’t require a formal program or big budget. What it does require is intention. Acknowledging the emotional labor of dispatchers—and the skill, clarity, and commitment it takes to do what they do—can change everything.
Whether it’s a small gesture, a public shoutout, or something as simple as learning their names and asking about their shift, the ROI of gratitude is real.
Because when we see the people who are always there for us, we give them what they need most: a reminder that their work, and their well-being, matters. Every April, National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW) brings attention to the unseen heroes of public safety. At Watson Consoles, we use that moment—and the months around it—as a chance to go deeper.
Our annual Gratitude Initiative is built on the science of recognition. Through small, symbolic acts (like our annual badge giveaway), meaningful visits, and social engagement, we aim to make dispatchers feel seen, heard, and valued—not just for one week, but throughout the year.
Because we know the cost of invisibility. And the power of being seen.
This is the first in a two-part series exploring the power of gratitude in emergency communications.
Next up: how to give recognition that actually resonates—real-world tips for showing appreciation in ways that are thoughtful, impactful, and built to last. Stay tuned.
