McSweeney's is best known for subtly self-aware singer-songwriter-style low-key comedy, but here is a perfectly straightforward yet strangely impressive interview with a 911 dispatcher. Now that's a cultural good that has reshaped our world in beneficial ways. One of its few problematic consequences: thanks to American media, 911 is so widely known around the world that people in other countries often dial that number even when their country's emergency number is completely different.

re: communication, crime, government, public safety, technology

Andy:

Q: You sound like you’re able to handle the ups and downs of this job pretty well.

A: I think the key to doing this job, in addition to multitasking and speed of movement, is to be able to handle the emotional components. I’m good at it; I’m empathetic and I don’t take it home at the end of the day. I can talk about things like domestic violence; it’s just a reality.

Q: How long have you been doing this job?

A: I’ve been doing it for nine years. My job now is training supervisor, so I manage ongoing training. New trainees go through a nine-month process; we have an academy. They learn call-taking, radio dispatching, the medical aspect, interpersonal skills.

And you have to know geography. Geography is so important, because people can call and have no clue where they are.