Ricardo Martinez II spent more than a decade as a 911 dispatcher, handling thousands of emergencies as US 911 centers face a nationwide staffing and funding crisis. Across the country, emergency call centers are short-staffed, underfunded, and losing dispatchers faster than they can replace them. A 2023 survey found that one in four 911 positions nationwide is vacant, and 36% of centers reported having fewer positions filled in 2022 than in 2019. Martinez explains to Business Insider how