Welcome back to another episode of Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. A lot has happened in the past couple of weeks and instead of boring you with text on this post I would like for you to listen to this episode with guest Jamison, Director of Weakly County 9-1-1 & is the Emergency Management Director as well as an ENP and 2nd VP of NENA and share it on social media. In this episode we take a deep dive look at the reclassification issue. 

As always if you have any comments, questions or you would like to be a guest on the show send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com. To see what you can do to help NENA's push for reclassification follow the link below. Also if you have not done so make sure to check out the t-shirts for the #IAM911 movement. 

NENA - Web | Facebook | Twitter

NENA Reclassification - Web

#IAM911 t-shirt - Web

Episode topics -

• Jamisons's 9-1-1 story
• The fight for reclassification
• #IAM911 movement

Welcome back to another episode of Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. A lot has happened in the past week. On August 24th 2016 I started the #IAM911 movement, which is an effort to assist in the reclassification of Public Safety Telecommunicators (PSTs) from "clerical" to "protective." Both APCO International and NENA are pushing to get this passed. Public comments are open until September 20th 2016 (In the episode I mention the 16th and at the end the 20th. The 20th is the right day.) 

The part of the public comments that interested me was the request for stories to show how we differ from commercial dispatchers and clerical workers. I felt that it was necessary to share stories as proof that PSTs are completely different. I shared a few stories and asked for others to share and the movement exploded. It has gone global and dispatchers everywhere are joining the movement to assist the reclassification push as well as bring to light what PSTs go through on a daily basis. 

This episode has much more so please check it out and share! As always if you have any questions or you would like to be a guest on the show, send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com. Also remember to check out APCO International and NENA below to see where you can submit your public comments. If you want to join the #IAM911 movement you may do so by sharing a story by meme, text or video, remember to use #IAM911 at the end and submit it to Within the Trenches on Facebook or Twitter. 

APCO International - Web

NENA - Web

Within the Trenches - Facebook | Twitter

Episode topics -

• Episode 12 tooth story
• Recent tooth story
• A moment of clarity - I love you bro...
• The #IAM911 Movement

Good morning and welcome to episode 114 of Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. A lot has happened since the last episode and instead of boring you with text I will let you get to this episode. Check out the topics below and make sure to listen and share! As always if you have any questions or you would like to be a guest on the show you can email us at wttpodcast@gmail.com.

Episode topics -

• #IAM911 Movement
• How to participate in the movement
• Suicide Call
• Grandmother Death Call
• Four wheeler Flip Call

With all of the B.S. going on in the world right now I thought I would do a funny episode with the always epic Rob "Big Mac" McMullen. In this episode we share some personal stories along with a few funny 9-1-1 tapes. A big thanks goes out to the person who hooked me up with the tapes. They are awesome and shows what we deal with in dispatch. It's definitely light hearted and if you are looking for a laugh then make sure to check this out and share!

As always if you have any questions or you want to be a guest on the show, send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com.

Episode topics -

• Rob's trip from hell
• A Ricardo recap
• I've locked myself in my car - 9-1-1 call
• I want my soup - 9-1-1 call
• Report of stolen false teeth - 9-1-1 call
• There is no one to make lunch - 9-1-1 call
• Put it in the wrong place - 9-1-1 call

Welcome to Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. Episode 112 features Jordon, a dispatcher and CTO out of Colorado and this episode is kind of a behind the scenes look at the voiceover work for the podcast. It’s a funny one and towards the end we talk about marijuana, Colorado’s legalization, edibles and how they pertain to 9-1-1.

It was a funny episode to record and I hope you enjoy it. As always if you have any questions or you would like to be a guest on the show send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com.

Decals - Dispatch Love | Daughters of Dispatch | Sons of Dispatch

T-shirts - Sons of Dispatch (Split by size) | Daughters of Dispatch (Split by size) | Dispatch Love (Split by size) | Official Podcast Tee (Split by size)

Episode topics –

• NENA conference recap
• Podcast merchandise
• The birth of my daughter Olivia
• Podcast Voiceover
• Marijuana edibles

Welcome to an all new episode of Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. In this episode I spoke with the first recipient of the Within the Trenches Continuing Education Scholarship. Her name is Leslie, a Telecommunicator, CTO and 2016 recipient of the Mary Antley Telecommunicator of the Year Award. She dispatches out of New Hanover County in North Carolina and it was an honor to have her on the show. We recorded live from the Indiana Convention Center for the 2016 National NENA Conference & Expo. This episode is sponsored by NENA and INdigital - A leader in Next-Gen Core Services.

I was given an opportunity three years ago to bring my newly created podcast to the National NENA conference in Charlotte North Carolina. It changed my life in so many ways. I told my wife that one day I would pay it forward and I did that by creating a scholarship that would send a dispatcher to the national conference. There is so much to say about Leslie but I would rather you hear her story in her own words. Once again it was an honor to have her on the show and I see big things coming in her future. Keep doing what you do!

As always if you have any questions or would like to be a guest on the show send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com.

Episode topics –

• How Leslie started out in dispatch
• Early phone calls
• A call that changed her life
• Mary Antley Award
• And more

Welcome to an all new episode of Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. In this episode I spoke with dispatchers from Indiana with the code names of Maverick and Phoenix. We recorded live from the Indiana Convention Center for the 2016 National NENA Conference & Expo. This episode is sponsored by NENA and INdigital - A leader in Next-Gen Core Services. 

This episode is hilarious and I can't even start to explain the stories we told but it was a good time and if you are looking for a good laugh make sure to listen and share. As always if you have any questions or would like to be a guest on the show please send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com.

Episode topics -

• Top Gun
• Early morning accident
• The loss of a member
• Tyson voice

Within the Trenches is back with episode 109 and you don't want to miss this one. I got the chance to speak with three great individuals including Greg with Van Buren County 9-1-1 along with Jim and Dee Ann of the 9-1-1 Wellness Foundation. We had a great time recording this episode of the show but we also learned a lot. In this episode we shared several stories and Jim talked about his class at the 2016 Michigan NENA conference as well as what the foundation is currently working on for the national conference and future endeavors. 

This was an extra special episode for me since it marked 3 years since I made my podcast debut as well as conference speaking debut at Michigan NENA 2013. I recorded episodes with great people that year including Jim and Dee Ann and afterward I was advised that I would be doing the podcast at the national show in North Carolina. I remember standing there in shock at everything that was happening and Jim pulled me aside, put his arm around me and said,

"This is how it starts, it's where your change begins." 

I will never forget that day. Thank you to everyone who helped me in the beginning and to those who continue to help and believe in what I am doing. I love doing what I do! If you have any questions or would like to be a guest on the show please send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com.

9-1-1 Wellness Foundation - Web | Facebook | Twitter

9-1-1 Wellness Foundation GoFundMe - Web

Episode topics -

• Jim's Michigan NENA Course
• Dealing with mean callers
• How to communicate at home
• And more

Good evening and welcome back to another episode of Within the Trenches. This past week I was in Lansing, Michigan for the 2016 Michigan NENA conference. It could not have gone any better. I got the chance to catch up with old friends and met a lot of new ones. It was great to see all of you and it was especially nice to see the crew from Van Buren County 9-1-1, Greg, Mike and Jennifer. It had been a while since I last saw them but we fell right back into it when we recorded this together.

In episode 108 we visit our first calls, suicide by gun, domestic violence and spam. This is a must listen so make sure to check it out and share! As always, if you have any questions or would like to be a guest on the show send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com.

Episode topics -

• First calls
• How the crew of Van Buren County 9-1-1 started dispatching
• Death by train
• DV & Spam
• Car vs animal
• And more!

Within the Trenches is back! Episode 107 is sponsored by INdigital - A leader in Next-Gen Core Services. In this episode I sat down with my brother Fernando to tell some personal stories that include a possible UFO sighting and a 9-1-1 tape of those sightings. A shoutout goes to OpenMinds - UFO News and Investigations for the short story and the audio. Also the Sons and Daughters of Dispatch decals are available for purchase so get yours while you can! Another shoutout goes to Heather of Absolute Photography in Holland, MI for assisting with the first few orders of vinyl decals. You do amazing work and if anyone is looking for vinyl Heather is your top choice!

This episode is a must listen so make sure to check it out and share! As always if you have any questions or you would like to be a guest on the show send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com.

Heather - Absolute Photography - Web | Facebook

Episode topics -

• Santa came early
• House break-in
• UFO sighting