The Reason

James Diesburg , 911 Dispatch and Jailer, Chickasaw County Iowa Sheriff’s Office

I grew up in a small town (Ionia) near here. I watched Emergency on TV when I was young, but never thought I would be sitting here answering the phones at a Sheriff’s Office. This was not my first choice. I worked in factories, went into the Army for 4 years. Came out and worked in nursing homes as a CNA. Became a Critical Care ParamedicĀ and worked in EMS for 20 years or so. I started to fill in as a dispatcher/jailerĀ and found out it was to my benefit to get a job in a chair instead of a moving ambulance since I was getting older.

Altogether the best thing is the people I have worked with. It’s the reason this job can be so great. I have worked with very proud and dedicated people. The people we serve are mostly honest hard working people. A few are the reason we have our jobs. The pay is not the reason we get up everyday. It’s the times we can make that little difference in someone’s life. So thanks to all the other brothers and sisters that do what we do.