‘I have a harder shell now’, says North Yorkshire 999 call handler

Jon said one of the most frequent types of call they would receive would be concerns for safety.

“A lot of our resources get tied up with mental health patients,” he explained.

“Mental health services aren’t very accessible, so we will be called to deal with it but after patients are sectioned, they are often released for the same incident to happen again.”

The busiest times for the dispatchers are Saturday nights, holidays and paydays, according to Jon, when people have been out drinking.

“We pray for rain here when it gets to a Bank Holiday weekend,” he said.

Aside from the challenges, Jon said he loved his job and it could be very rewarding.

National 999 Day recognises the work of all emergency service colleagues, such as Jon and Rhiannon.

North Yorkshire Police Ch Supt Fiona Willey said: “I personally would like to thank all the officers and staff for everything that they do for the force and the wider communities of North Yorkshire.

“The professionalism and dedication that they deliver daily is nothing short of outstanding.”

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