Dispatch officials say MVRDA is understaffed due to low wages

A head of a Southern New Mexico 911 dispatch center said the people who answer your calls for help, sometimes in life threatening situations, are not paid enough.

The deputy director of the Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority in Doa Ana County also said the center is understaffed because of comparatively low wages.

MVRDA officials said its budget allows them to pay 911 operators $11 an hour and $14 an hour after extensive training. That’s significantly lower than Bernalillo County, which pays dispatchers $18 an hour and $23 an hour after certification. El Paso County pays $16.12 an hour.

MVRDA said because of low wages, they’re understaffed. They say the vacancies force operators to double up on their work.

“When we have a large event and everyone calls 911 and the radios start getting busy it is definitely something to worry about,” said Albert Flores, deputy director of the MCRDA. “this is when having more staff on hand would definitely help out out.”

While they don’t believe it’s a danger to the public, they said there is a concern during big events like the Fourth of July or New Year’s Eve, when a mass amount of 911 calls come in.

MVRDA gets money every year from the city, county and other agencies to which it dispatches.