WPBFD History

APPENDIX B Gloria Steinbauer was one of the original dispatchers hired in 1977. She worked in that capacity until 1992. She wrote the following poem that first appeared in the April 1986 issue of the Firefighter News:

DEAD DISPATCHER?

No, the dispatcher isn't dead, Though the transmission wasn't read. You didn't get a repeat, But it doesn't mean she went to eat. With the phone up to her ear Your transmission wasn't clear.

The tapes have started beeping And you think that she is sleeping. She waited and she waited, 'till she couldn't wait no more, Ran across the hall, propping the door 'Cause she didn't want to wake you as you snore. With twenty-seven phones a-ringing She just had to do something. You called in on the air And you'd swear she wasn't there Because you didn't get an answer and the beeper didn't sound, But don't forget she gets calls for all around. So she asked you to repeat 'cause she really couldn't hear With one phone that was ringing and another in her ear. So please remember something that I said, "She really won't ignore you and she really isn't dead."

Gloria Steinbauer

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