Updated February 19th, 2020
This month’s spotlight is on Tracy Eldridge, a member of our public safety community engagement team. Tracy has worked in Public Safety for the past 20 years as a dispatcher, firefighter, and paramedic. She’s a wife and mom of 2, and lives by the motto “Life is too short to not know how to save one.”
Recently, Tracy was awarded with the “Industry Professional” honor at the 17th Annual NG911 Institute “911 Honor Awards” for her outstanding work and continued commitment to the field of public safety.
Read on to find out more about her role at RapidSOS and her amazing career!
Q: Why did you want to work at RapidSOS?
A: When the opportunity was given to me I wasn’t sure if it was something I could do because I wasn’t sure I could ever leave the 9-1-1 center. When I realized the mission that this team was on, I knew I had no choice but to be a part of it. After 20 years on the Operations side of 9-1-1, it was now time to step across the threshold to the technology side. I knew that this technology was going to save thousands of lives.
Q: Why did you decide to work in Public Safety?
A: I wanted to help people and I am an adrenaline junkie. Fast paced and chaotic environments are where I thrive and do my best work. My dad was a Boston Police officer and he encouraged my path. While I did not become a police officer, I did become a 9-1-1 dispatcher, a firefighter and a paramedic.
Q: What is the best part of your job?
A: Getting to meet 9-1-1 professionals from all over the country. It is nice to be able to chat about all things public safety, learn from them about their world (which is often very different from mine), share with them what we are doing and then watch as they are stopped in amazement when they realize the magnitude of lives that could be saved.
Q: If you could switch jobs with anyone else at RapidSOS, whose job would you want?
A: I am not really sure yet, but if I had to choose, I would have to say Michelle or Lori. They always have smiles on their faces and get to do a lot of the fun stuff, and what I mean by that is multi-tasking, being creative, interacting with everyone and generally making people happy. They are the fixers of the office and I love that about them.
Q: What is the coolest job you have ever had?
A: I would say the Chief Dispatcher position because it helped me grow in ways I never thought possible. While it was extremely stressful most of the time, it was also the most rewarding. I got to put mechanisms in place that saved hundreds of lives. I taught children all about 9-1-1 and worked with some amazing public safety professionals.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: I don’t have much free time, but when I do I enjoy camping with my family. We also enjoy warm vacations together. If I had more free time I would take more walks and spend more time outside, especially in the warm weather. Another time filler for me when I have some down time is writing poetry.
Interested in joining our growing team? Check out our job postings!