Within the Trenches

Good morning! I hope you are ready for a few stories from America’s hat. This week on Within the Trenches, Bobbi of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) joined us for episode 9 over Skype. Her stories and training were not only interesting but if I had started out my dispatching career in her center I might have gone insane. I mean, think about it,

“911 where is your emergency?”

“I have a bear in my yard!”

Or

“An avalanche just slammed down in the area!”

Yeah…that would have been pretty crazy but I’m sure it would have been fun and an experience to take a call like that. The episode was fully balanced with humor, seriousness, and all around AWESOME! As always you can email us at thejcast@thejabberlog.com and we are currently seeking sponsors for the show. We are also seeking more people to participate and we do have an open call event on Facebook so make sure to check that out.

We are looking for people that bleed dispatch and want to share their experience and story with not only us but also all of our listeners. Sell it to us and let us know why you would be a good choice for the show. Whitney and I firmly believe that everyone has a great story to tell and everyone is important but we are looking for those who really want to be on the show. So this is what you need to do if you want to apply to be on the show.

  1. Join/attend our open call
  2. Become a fan of Jabber Log on Facebook and send us a message through there with your experience, any memorable stories and why you should be on the show.
  3. Oh! And please leave a good email address/contact info in case we are unable to reach you through Facebook.

In the end, it’s all about you, the unsung hero’s of emergency services. It’s your story and we want to help tell it. Make sure to listen, share and if you would like to learn more about the RCMP and a new Facebook page that highlights the 9-1-1 dispatchers of Canada, please follow the links below. Without further ado, I present to you the ninth episode of Within the Trenches.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police | Web

Radio Angels Canada | Facebook

Direct download: WithintheTrenchesEP9.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:32pm EDT

Hello everyone! Whitney and I are back with episode 8 for our back to back episodes week of Within the Trenches. In this episode we chat with Dan, Director of Chilton County E9-1-1 in Alabama. Our topic of discussion takes us back to April 27 2011 when a swarm of tornadoes destroyed the surrounding area. Dan has a very extensive background in emergency services so it was very interesting to get his feedback and explanation on certain topics. We even touched on how an area in Montana and the upper peninsula of Michigan suffered a problem when their respective EAS systems were hacked to express and warn of the dangers of a zombie uprising. Can you imagine going through that? This episode was definitely informative and in good fun. For more information on Chilton County E9-1-1 follow the links below and stay tuned for next weeks episode when we chat with Bobbi, a dispatcher with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Chilton County E9-1-1 | Web | Facebook | Twitter

Direct download: WithintheTrenchesEP8.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:23pm EDT

Good evening folks! Whitney and I are back again with 1 of 2 new episodes of Within the Trenches. This week we Skype’d with Joshua of West Bloomfield Township PD in Michigan. The topic of this episode is one of great importance. No dispatcher or anyone out in the field ever wants to hear, “Shots fired. Officer down,” but it’s something that some of us have heard throughout our years of duty. If you’ve ever dealt with this then you know that a debriefing or speaking to your peers will help move on for the most part. Joshua shares a story with us that will pull at the strings of your emotions. Thank you very much for sharing this with us and helping others get through tough times.

Also within this episode a great organization is mentioned. The organization is MI-C.O.P.S., which stands for Michigan Concerns of Police Survivors. According to their official website,

“Reaching out to survivors and co-workers, Michigan Concerns of Police Survivors (MI-C.O.P.S.), an all volunteer organization, is a chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose sole purpose is to provide support to surviving law enforcement families and co-workers in rebuilding their lives after the traumatic and life-changing experience of losing an officer in the line of duty.”

For more information on this organization please follow the link below. This episode will show you that so much more happens after the call. We build a bond with our brothers and sisters out in the field and we thank you for all you do. For our brothers and sisters answering the call, a salute to you and everyone who has ever dealt with a fallen officer while on duty. On behalf of Whitney and I, we thank Joshua once again for this episode. Godspeed Officer Patrick O’Rourke, your brothers and sisters will take it from here.

MI-C.O.P.S. | Web

Direct download: WithintheTrenchesEP7.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:43pm EDT

Good evening folks! Whitney and I are back with episode 6 of Within the Trenches. This week was a little different for us in the sense that we were pretty slap happy up until the beginning of the show. Crystal and Jen, of Ottawa County Central Dispatch Authority, joined us to tell their story and experience in 9-1-1. All four of us work the night shift and for Whitney and I, we worked from 4:30 p.m. – 4:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m. As for Crystal and Jen, they both worked from 7:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. so we had a few hours to kill after our shift. As you can tell we are all crazy for staying up but for anyone who works night shift you have to be just a little crazy to do what we do and work the hours we work.

As Whitney and I waited for them to arrive we worked on our mic checks and I wish I would have kept the recording for bloopers because we were so out of it from lack of sleep that we began to sing and display our beatbox abilities. The entire episode was a great experience and getting the chance to meet those from a neighboring dispatch center really helped us understand why they do certain things. One of the funny things we had to find out was why they never use their first name when answering the phone. It made for an ongoing joke and continued the relaxed yet informative feel of the show. Thank you once again to Crystal and Jen for joining us and I hope everyone enjoys this episode. As always you can reach us at thejcast@thejabberlog.com or simply click the contact button on the left of the screen. If you want to learn more about Ottawa County Central Dispatch Authority, follow the link below for their official website. Also, a big shout out goes to Daniel of Nighttime Dispatch Radio. He plays the tunes that keep you awake all night in order to get you through your shift. You can find him at the links below and make sure to ‘Like’ his Facebook page and tell him that Jabber Log sent you.

Ottawa County Central Dispatch Authority | Web

Nighttime Dispatch Radio | Web | Facebook

Direct download: WithintheTrenchesEP6.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:40pm EDT

Good evening folks! It’s about 00:39hrs and I am finally getting the chance to post episode 5. This episode was not only fun but it was extra special. Announcements were made, thank you’s were given and there was a special guest. First off this is an open invitation for any emergency services dispatcher in any state or country that would like to take part in this show. On behalf of my new co-host Whitney and I, we would love for you to be a guest. This show is all about you and your story. It doubles as a form of public education but really, this is a way for you to express what 9-1-1 means to you and so that you can share your experience on this unique job.

This week on Within the Trenches, a special guest dropped in. That guest was WZZM 13′s own Angela Cunningham. She dropped in to do a story on Within the Trenches and even sat in on episode 5. We touched on how the show is evolving, funny and odd moments during 9-1-1 calls and how some people need to drive a little slower when driving in snow. We also touched on the fact that we were bridging the gap between dispatch and the media. On top of that there was also the announcement that after the giveaway the official t-shirts for Within the Trenches would be up for sale. This episode turned out great so check it out! If you haven’t already make sure to get qualified for the Jabber Log & Threadsy t-shirt giveaway! As always you can email any suggestions, requests or if you want to be on the show to thejcast@thejabberlog.com.

Direct download: WithintheTrenchesEP5.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:34pm EDT

Good evening folks! Within the Trenches is back with episode 4 and boy have we picked up some steam since the beginning. This week I had the chance to sit down with Barry County, an Emergency Medical Dispatcher (PSAP) & AeroMedical Service Controller from Dublin, Ireland. Yes, you read that right. Barry had some excellent stories that I’m sure you will enjoy and we talked about how I was confused in the beginning with his name. I originally received a message from him on his interest in the show and being a guest. I thought he was…well I’ll save it for you to hear because it’s quite funny and I don’t want to ruin it. We touched on how social media has put major incidents in the hands of the media in seconds due to everyone having a smartphone and how the agency he works at is working on something to stop people from listening to their radio channels.

This episode is a must listen and if you didn’t already know, we have partnered up with Threadsy for a t-shirt giveaway. Check out our site for details or head over to our Facebook page. A big thanks goes out to Mark Fletcher of Avaya/E911 Talk Podcast and Spyder Harrison of SiriusXM Hits 1 for doing the intro and outro of the show. I appreciate it more than you know and as always you can email me your suggestions or if you want to be on the show at thejcast@thejabberlog.com.

Direct download: WithintheTrenchesEP4.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30pm EDT

Good afternoon folks! I hope everyone is having a great day. This week on Within the Trenches I sat down with Trista of Allegan County Central Dispatch to tell her story. We talked about how she got into the profession of emergency services as well as how callers can screw up her name. We touched on the many questions we ask and how the night shift of 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. can bring horror over the radio. “SHOTS FIRED” is something we never want to hear yelled over the radio but it comes with the job. We describe two incidents that occurred and how we felt during those calls. This is a must listen and make sure to comment. For up to date information on new episodes and more from Within the Trenches, please ‘Like’ Jabber Log on Facebook. You can also subscribe to the show on iTunes or stream it 24/7 on Stitcher. As always if you have any questions or if you would like to be on the show, you can email me at thejcast@thejabberlog.com. Cheers!

http://www.thejabberlog.com/2013/01/16/within-the-trenches-episode-3/

Direct download: WithintheTrenchesEP3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:25pm EDT

Good afternoon everyone! The past couple days have been a whirlwind. I mean this in the greatest way possible too! Within the Trenches was the basis of my Kickstarter project and yesterday, with 38 hours to spare on the campaign, the project was fully funded. That’s right folks, the project was funded and has surpassed its goal. It happened almost overnight and I can’t tell you how happy I am. Support came out of the woodwork and once it was said and done I jumped for joy, literally. I threw my arms up and yelled, “Woo hoo!” My 16 month old daughter Lola threw her arms up and squealed in excitement.

The outpour of support showed me that this is going to be an important show. It’s something that people want to hear and I am going to do everything in my power to make that possible. Your support for this project gives me a giant leap toward the overall goal. For those who are unaware, the project of Within the Trenches is based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. This will be done in the format of a podcast and it will highlight those that do the job and tell their story. It’s time to recognize the first “first responders” and that’s what I intend to do. Thank you so much to everyone who pledged and believed in this project. For those who pledged for rewards, those will be taken care of in the weeks to come. Please look out for an email from me soon. So, without further ado, I present to you the second episode of Within the Trenches. May you learn a lot from us; the Unsung Hero’s of emergency services.

Direct download: WithintheTrenchesEP2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:49am EDT

Good evening folks! I am very happy to announce that the first episode of Within the Trenches went live today. My good friend Whitney joined me and I have to say that it went great. For those who don’t know what Within the Trenches is, this is a podcast version of a segment with the same name on Jabber Log that revolves around 9-1-1 dispatch. I started writing about my experience about a year ago and it was meant to be interesting and educational for the readers, as well as therapeutic for myself. The posts have done great on my blog and I wanted to take it a step further by creating a podcast based on the stories of 9-1-1 dispatchers.

I recently launched a Kickstarter project for this podcast idea in order to raise $1,500 to buy the equipment needed to make this a four person show. As of right now I have 8 days left in the campaign and $330. This first episode is a taste of what this show is all about and it is my hope that I can still make my goal. I will provide the link below to the Kickstarter page where you can pledge and depending on how much you pledge, you can get a reward as well. Right now the majority of the pledges are going for $25 and that can get you an official Within the Trenches t-shirt, a thank you on the sponsor page and a mention in one of the upcoming episodes of the show. I hope you will enjoy this first episode and there is a lot more to come. Thanks again to Whitney and everyone who has pledged to help bring the project closer to it’s goal.

Direct download: WithintheTrenchesEP1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:27am EDT

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