Last call
Havasu’s first 911 dispatcher retires after 31 years of service

A police department potluck Thursday served to bid farewell to Lake Havasu City’s first 911-emergency call dispatcher.

Larry Lane, 62, will retire after 31 years of service.

Old newspaper clippings and photographs posted on the wall, balloons and gift bags surrounded Lane’s seat, and about 60 people laughed and shared old stories about Lane. The party included police department personnel, family members, a local judge, firefighters, fire department officials, and a 23-year veteran of Mohave County Sheriff’s Office support operations.

Lane laughed amid numerous handshakes and hugs and offered missed details while old stories were told. He said he was “overwhelmed” by the turnout.

The city’s emergency-dispatch system began midnight July 1, 1979, following the city’s incorporation in October 1978. Lane landed the dispatch gig after applying for the position. He said it was his radio-background that sealed the deal.

On that first night, city government officials, Director of Public Safety Ernie Smith, Police Chief Shirley Bassford and two dispatchers gathered in the small dispatch center. The group waited with bated breath for the first call for service.

A spontaneous cheer erupted to the arrival of the first call for service. The call was the report of a lost wallet. The moment was considered a triumph because it set in motion the dispatch center that is still used today.

“It was a nothing kind of call,” Lane said. “But we all shook hands, and it was a pat on the back that we were a city.”

After 2 a.m. that night, Lane was left on his own to answer emergency calls — after only one week of training.

“I was scared to death,” he said.

Over the years, Lane has had his fair share of answering incoming calls. His most memorable call was a construction site cave-in. The incident occurred in the early 1980s in Havasu when the population was about 15,000. Familiar faces and names were just part of the game back then, Lane explained.

“It was many, many years ago,” he said. “There was a construction site cave-in and two boys were buried alive. It sounded like (emergency responders) were not having a lot of success.”

In the end, one of the two boys died from the incident. The boy who was killed was the son of one of Lane’s family friends.

“The hardest thing I ever had to do was going back to work the next day because all that I was responsible for had become personal,” Lane said. The experience provided Lane with motivation to do extra regardless of the call.

The most unusual call Lane received during his career was from a woman who insisted an airplane was stuck in the sky above her house. Lane said he didn’t know what to make of it. In the end, the most obvious answer came to him.

“I told her, ‘I am sorry, ma’am, but our fire truck’s ladder just doesn’t reach that high. We will have to wait until they come down a little ways,’ and she seemed satisfied with that and I never heard back from her,” Lane said.

The technology presented the greatest change during Lane’s time with the department. Communication equipment went from a note pad and pencils, manual console radios and telephones to instant electronic communication with officers about records, warrant information and relayed incident details, he explained.

“In the beginning, we weren’t expected to make a lot of decisions or have a tremendous knowledge of law or fire scene tactics,” he said. “Now we are certified advanced emergency medical dispatchers. We can deliver a baby over the phone.”

The end is bittersweet for Lane.

“What I am going to miss most is the people,” he said. “I have made some wonderful friends. We are almost like a family. We have our good days, and we have our bad days.”

Those he worked with also will have to adapt to his absence.

“You don’t see that dedication in an employee very often,” said Lake Havasu City Police Captain Joe Fiumara. “It is really rare. They are big shoes to fill. Larry was an institution.”

Lane’s immediate supervisor, Lt. Joe Archie, said he could always count on Lane to explain what was happening technologically with the equipment if a problem would arise.

“I don’t know what we are going to do without him,” Archie said. “We are going to have a difficult time replacing him.”

During the ceremony, Lake Havasu City Police Chief Dan Doyle gave Lane an award that recognized Lane’s 31 years of service to the community and to the department. The award was followed by a standing ovation for Lane.

“The most important thing I can say about Larry is he is a good man with a good heart,” Doyle said during the send-off ceremony. “He has taken care of his family and he has lived the right life.”

While restraining emotion, Lane said a few words.

“After 31 years, I can say that every one of the officers went home to their families and every one of the firefighters went home to their families after their shift. And that is a great accomplishment to me. I hope that tradition is continued,” Lane said.

You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasunews.com.