Dispatcher Knows Address Right Off

Fire dispatcher Cornelia McDonough said she instantly knew the address of a burning home when a man called to report a white house on fire at 16th and Utica streets.

“I never dreamed I would have to send the fire trucks to my own house,” she said.

The fire last week heavily damaged most of the family’s property and killed the family dog.

“It was hurtful,” McDonough said. “Tzar had been with us for 12 years. He was part of the family. We all loved him.”

McDonough remained on duty and took several more calls from her neighbors about the fire before she was replaced.

Experience allowed her to remain composed while dispatching trucks to her own home, she said.

“If I hadn’t had the job of dispatcher so long, I might have become hysterical,” she said. “But when you are around this sort of thing all the time--dealing with people in emergency situations--you learn to put your own feelings on hold and just do your job.”