Within the Trenches

This is a special episode that you don't want to miss. In this episode my wife Rebecca joins me to chat about what it was like for her during my time working as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. Not many people know this but as a dispatcher you miss out on all kinds of family time. You will more than likely work days, nights, weekends, holiday's and some people work forced overtime. This episode is an #IAM911 story, but from the spouses side. 

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.

 

 

Episode topics -

  • Podcast updates
  • National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
  • IAM911 from the spouses side
Direct download: WTTEP136.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:38pm EDT

This is an episode you do not want to miss! No intro on this one. It's a surprise guest. Please listen, enjoy and share!

Direct download: WTTEP135.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:07pm EDT

Episode 134 of Within the Trenches features Caroline Burau, 12 year 9-1-1 dispatch veteran and author of Answering 911: Life in the hot seat and Tell me exactly what happened. In this episode Caroline talks about how she got into dispatching, 9-1-1 calls that stuck with her, her inspiration for writing and much more! I also make an announcement that I have been holding back for some time and it's an amazing one. This episode is one you don't want to miss so please listen and share. Below you will find some links to Caroline's social media and website.

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.

Caroline Burau - Facebook | Twitter | Web

Episode topics -

  • Caroline's 9-1-1 story
  • Early calls
  • Writing, publishing, healing
Direct download: WTTEP134.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:33pm EDT

Episode 133 of the podcast features Kaylyn, a 9-1-1 dispatcher & content creator out of Northern California. She is the creator of the popular YouTube channel Youmarriedme. In this episode Kaylyn shares her 9-1-1 story along with her inspiration for Youmarriedme. One of her stories left me speechless. It's a powerful one that you don't want to miss! Below you will find links to her social media outlets.

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.

Youmarriedme - Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

 

Episode topics -

  • Kaylyn's 911 story
  • Kaylyn's first high priority call
  • Kaylyn's closure, 5 years after a suicide call
  • Inspiration for "Youmarriedme"

 


 

Direct download: WTTEP133.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:09am EDT

Within the Trenches is back with episode 132! After this website being down for almost a week it is back up and iTunes subscriptions are up and running again too. In this episode I spoke with Mary the Deputy Director of Macecom out of Washington State and also the author of a very popular article "Dispatch on the Brain" for The Journal through the IAED. We visit her personal 9-1-1 journey, calls she has taken and much more. 

This is a must listen! As always if you have any questions, comments or you want to be a guest on the show send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com. Also make sure to check the links below. Macecom is currently hiring and please go to Macecom's Facebook page and like them. Mary's article is also listed along with the link to 911ceu.com. 

 

Macecom - Facebook | Web 

Macecom - Now hiring!

Dispatch on the Brain by Mary | The Journal

911CEU - Web

Episode topics -

  • Website issues recap
  • Mary's 9-1-1 story
  • Mary's 9-1-1 calls
  • Dispatch on the Brain article discussion
Direct download: WTTEP132.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:21am EDT

Imagine you’re watching television, enjoying your day and a breaking news flash comes on. You see law enforcement in a shootout with two heavily armed men during a bank heist. You are shock at the sight of it. Now imagine you’re 911, experiencing this first-hand with your brothers and sisters who are there, giving their lives. You listen as they yell for assistance, and...“Shots fired!”

Episode 131 - Imagine Listening features the stories of the #IAM911 movement. This episode also features radio traffic recordings courtesy of the 911dispatch.com tape library on the North Hollywood bank heist shootout that occurred February 28, 1997. This year marks the 20th anniversary of that incident. Two men, heavily armed and wearing body armor were in a shootout with law enforcement for nearly 44 minutes. In the end, the only fatalities were the suspects. 

This is a must listen! 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. If you have an #IAM911 story to share, use the same email or send a message to the Facebook podcast page or Twitter account. 

Episode topics -

  • Stories from the #IAM911 movement
  • 911 tape - North Hollywood bank heist shootout
Direct download: WTTEP131.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:28pm EDT

wttNewLogoEp 130 features April, Industry Affairs Specialist with INdigital and former 911 Director with Eaton County 911 out of Michigan along with Larry, Director of Sales and Marketing with INdigital and former Reserve Officer with Hudsonville PD out of Michigan. In this episode we share dispatch stories and listen to 9-1-1 calls. 

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

Episode topics -

  • April's 9-1-1 story
  • Suicide call April took
  • Larry's public safety start

 

911 Tapes -

  • Tape 1 - CPR - In July 2009 a Charleston County (SC) woman suffered a cardiac arrest at home, and her husband dialed 911 for help. Dispatcher Melissa gave him CPR instructions, and he performed for six minutes until EMS units arrived. His wife Christine survived.
  • Tape 2 - In July 2009 a Boca Raton couple were attacked by a “crazy” fox, and they used a PVC pipe to club the animal to death. Michael and Dani dialed 911 for help. Oddly, 10 minutes later a raccoon attacked a person several blocks away.
  • Tape 3 - In Nov. 2009 a 4 year-old girl in Charles County (Md.) dialed 911 for help when her mother became ill. Child gave dispatcher information that allowed EMS units to quickly arrive and treat her mother’s diabetic emergency.
  • Tape 4 - In July 2007 two elephants from a visiting circus wandered past their electric-fence enclosure and into the neighborhoods of Newmarket (Ont., Canada) to graze on grass and trees. A group of people walking home spotted the elephants and dialed 911 to report their sighting to a surprised dispatcher. The elephants were rounded up without incidents.
  • Tape 5 - In May 2010 a Northport (Fla.) woman dialed 911 to complain about her pizza order. Caller acknowledged the call wasn’t an emergency, but still complained.
  • Tape 6 - In Nov. 2010 a Puyallup (Wash.) woman dialed 911 from a closet after hearing someone break into her home mid-morning. Puyallup PD dispatcher Dorene answered the call and expertly asked questions and reassured the caller.
 
*** Tape credit goes to my good friend Gary of 911dispatch.com for allowing me to use his library for the podcast. RIP sir and I will be forever grateful to you. ***
Direct download: WTTEP130.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:18pm EDT

wttNewLogoEp 129 of the podcast features Jerry, Chair of the Board of Accreditation for the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch, the organization charged with setting standards, establishing curriculum, and conducting research for public safety dispatch worldwide and Mike, who is the Digital and Social Media Content Editor of the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. In this episode we share medical dispatch stories, learn about the IAED and their upcoming 2017 NAVIGATOR conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. They will be featuring the podcast at the conference and I will be giving a class called, "Keep Broadcasting Your Message." 

The Within the Trenches Continuing Education Scholarship is up and the IAED and I are going to be pushing it hard. The deadline is February 15, 2017 and it's an opportunity that you do not want to miss out on. Below you will find out what you can get from the scholarship and a link on where to apply. 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.

Within the Trenches Continuing Education Scholarship - Web

IAED - Facebook | Twitter | Web

Scholarship includes -

  • Complimentary registration to the NAVIGATOR 2017 Conference
  • Complimentary registration for a one-day pre-conference course of choice at NAVIGATOR 2017
  • A $500 travel stipend
  • Official Within the Trenches T-shirt

Episode topics -

  • How Jerry got into public safety?
  • How Mike got into public safety?
  • Medical dispatch stories
  • What is the IAED?
  • What is the NAVIGATOR Conference
Direct download: WTTEP129.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:52am EDT

wttNewLogoImagine waking up on Saturday. The sky is blue and the sun is shining bright. You lean over to wake your husband. He doesn’t move. You turn him over and notice his lips are blue…you check him…no pulse. Your heart breaks…he’s gone. Now imagine you are 9-1-1, listening to the screams and wails of a wife who has lost her best friend and husband. She requests CPR instructions but you know it’s too late. This is what it’s like, Within the Trenches. 
 
In this episode we will visit the #IAM911 movement, a movement I started to fight the reclassification of dispatchers from clerical to protective and bring awareness to the types of calls that 9-1-1 dispatchers answer on a daily basis.  
 
Now…you heard the warning at the beginning but I must warn you again and add that if you suffer from PTSD or have suicidal tendencies you are listening at your own risk. The stories you are about to hear are all true and come from the dispatchers who lived them.  
 
While some stories have a good outcome, the majority are horrifying. This is our reality. Your worst day is our every day. 
 
So let’s start with a bang.
 
I want you to imagine each story. Become the dispatcher who has taken each call and imagine listening…
Direct download: WTTEP128.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:58am EDT

wttPodcastCoverEpisode 127 features show regular Rob "Big Mac" McMullen, Director of Vigo County 9-1-1 in Indiana and 1st VP of NENA. In this episode we talk about those unwanted stomach issues in dispatch. The ones that attack when a high priority call comes in and you are unable to get up to use the bathroom. It happens to some more often then you would think. We also play a few 9-1-1 tapes that you don't want to miss. They come from the archive of 911dispatch.com. Thank you and R.I.P. Gary. I will forever be grateful to you for your help and kindness. 

Episode 128 and 129 are also coming up where 128 will be the second installment of Imagine Listening, an extension of the podcast featuring the stories of the #IAM911 movement. 129 will feature the IAED and the 2017 Navigator conference. There is a lot more to come so don't miss out!

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 -

  • Medical issues in dispatch
  • Pootastic dispatch stories
  • Tape 1 - Naughty kids
  • Tape 2 - Lady wants officer to come back to her home
  • Tape 3 - Dog calls 911
  • Tape 4 - Manny to the rescue
Direct download: WTTP127.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:41pm EDT