Do you understand the words coming out of my mouth?

Understanding callers is not always easy.

In fact, it's downright impossible sometimes.

People screaming, whispering, running, not talking into the phone, talking too close to the phone, on speakerphone, air conditioning blasting into the phone, and a million other things.

So misunderstanding is a very real hazard of the job.

Co-worker: "An officer is shot?!? Where?!?"
Caller: "A sir is shot!"
CW: "Wait, a sir - a man? Not an officer? No police officer shot?"
C: "A sir! A sir is shot!"
CW: "Who says that?!"

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Co-worker: "You are reporting sick sale prices? That's what you are calling 911 for?"
Caller: "No! A sickle-cell crisis! Like bad blood. Like my blood is trying to kill me."
CW: "Ooooh, sorry. Let me get you to the paramedics... hold the line please."

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While taking a call for a fender-bender...
DispatcherDame: "Wait, you wold me that you weren't injured... Why are you saying now that you've been shot? Have you been shot?"
Caller: [Yells what sounds like "SHOT!"]
DD: "Okay, you were shot- by whom?"
C: "No, not bang-bang, like boo!"
DD: "Oh, SHOCKED! You are shocked. Okay then."