On the Record with: Crystal Lake-based emergency communications director Jason Kern

Jason Kern started his career as a dispatcher and telecommunicator at Triton College, when he was studying criminal justice.

He eventually went on to work for Highland Park for 18 years and eventually rose to an administrative position.

Kern most recently worked as a shift supervisor for Glenview, which absorbed Highland Park’s emergency communications operations.

Kern moved in on Jan. 5 as the new executive director of Crystal Lake-based Southeast Emergency Communications, replacing Linda Luehring, who retired.

He now runs the day-to-day operations of SEECOM, which employs about 30 and dispatches for 14 agencies.

Kern recently spoke with reporter Joseph Bustos about his new job and the telecommunications industry.

Bustos: When a person is growing up, how does one say “I want to be a telecommunicator?”

Kern: I started off interested in public safety in the fire and EMS side. … Then I decided, maybe I want to become a police officer and took a job in 1993 with Triton College as a dispatcher. Going to school there at Triton College for criminal justice and getting in the police department, [I thought] that would be a good stepping stone. Twenty-some years ago, you saw a lot of dispatchers were aspiring police officers or firefighters and that was the next step. This has slowly turned into full-fledged profession, not just stepping stone to be the police.

Bustos: What do you like about the communications part of this?

Kern: Every day, every phone call is different. There’s nothing monotonous about this job. There’s some stress involved, but there’s a lot of successes involved. … When people are calling [us] it’s probably one of the worst days in their lives. People don’t call 911, 20 or 30 times in their lives. Usually it’s a couple of times. To be part of that and to hopefully have a positive impact I think is extremely important.

Bustos: Telecommunicators always get the beginning of the call, but not always the end result. How difficult is that?

Kern: After you’ve dispatched for a while, you’ve come to accept that. I think on the significant ones, whether it be a big fire or major car accident, maybe a call involving a child, maybe something of that nature, I think it pulls at your emotions. ... A lot of the dispatchers will reach out to an officer or the paramedic, or one of the chiefs and say, “What happened on that call?” … Sometimes [officers] will call up and say, “Hey, this is what happened, things are all right with it.” That kind of helps with the closure on it.

Bustos: What do you prefer? Busy or not so busy?

Kern: When I worked the radio, I preferred to be busy. It helped the day go by faster. I would much rather be busy and put my skills to work than sitting and waiting for the next call.

Bustos: What do you think is next for the telecommunications industry?

Kern: We’ve heard for several years about the next generation 911. That’s encompassing … the ability to eventually text 911, and send pictures and video to 911, to our side of the connectivity goes away from the old copper lines through AT&T, [which] only allows us to transfer within a small region, to more of an IP base. It would [allow] more regional, or statewide transfers. … This generation doesn’t like to talk on the phone. They text. Sometimes texting is easier. Sure there’s that occasion, it may be rare, somebody may be in your house and you’re hiding in a closet, and you’re afraid to talk. … If there’s only one of those in 10 years, and we’re able to successfully [respond] and do it with texting, then it’s worth the money. I think more significant is the hearing-impaired community. For them to be able to text 911 from their cellphones is tremendous.

Bustos: Is there anything you want to accomplish?

Kern: I want to make sure we’re in tune with technology and where that’s going and to make sure we transition. My biggest thing is, there’s 14 agencies here. In one aspect, they’re all customers. In another aspect, that’s 14 agencies. That’s hundreds and hundreds of first responders that’ we’re dealing with. I want to make sure if they have any questions or concerns, that I’m out there as a face for the organization.

OUTBOX

The Jason Kern lowdown

Who is he? Executive director of SEECOM

Age: 42

Town: Waukegan

Family: He and his wife, Miki, have a 10-year-old son, Joseph.

Favorite movie: “Animal House”

Favorite meal: Steak, cooked medium.