As a California Highway Patrol dispatcher for eight years,  Samantha Dee knows the important role a calm voice and a clear head can play when something is unraveling.   At the Golden Gate Communications Center, Dee answers 911 calls placed  from cell phones, dispatches calls for service, answers calls from allied agencies and handles radio traffic from CHP officers, all within a nine county region in the San Francisco Bay Area.  One would think, hours and hours of tending to others’ needs and emergencies,  Dee would be tapped out helping others, but as a CHP-Public Safety Dispatchers Association (CHP-PSDA) site representative, Dee is also ready and willing to help when a fellow dispatcher starts to feel things are falling apart.

“Dispatchers have a very stressful job, they are first responders to emergency calls for help and their actions can mean the difference between life and death,” said Tina Brazil, president of CHP-PSDA and senior vice president of CSLEA.  “So it is important that there are no work related issues that might get in the way.  That’s where our site representatives, CHP-PSDA and CSLEA come into play.”

“I decided to get involved with CSLEA initially to assist my peers in navigating through the contract and policy related issues,” said Dee.  “I also wanted to challenge myself to learn about my rights and the rights of my coworkers. I’ve only just started getting my feet wet as a site rep but I have enjoyed helping out those who have needed it, and also sharing information on the perks and benefits of being a CSLEA member.”

“Our site representatives volunteer to learn about our association and the avenues taken to resolve issues that come up at work, be it job duties, schedules, situations with colleagues or supervisors,” said CSLEA President Alan Barcelona.   “These individuals help us to  help our members and deserve a great deal of thanks for their commitment.  I thank Samantha Dee and all of our CSLEA site representatives, they are a truly valued as part of  our CSLEA team.”