Welcome back to Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. In this episode I finally got the chance to speak to Ryan, who serves with the 911 Wellness Foundation as well as a consultant for the 911 Training Institute and runs the blog and social media outlets for Operation 10-8. This has been about 2 years in the making but it was worth the wait. Also on the podcast is Lloyd, a previous guest on the show and a police dispatcher in Western Canada. This was a lot of fun to record.

As always, if you have any questions or you would like to be a guest on the show email wttpodcast@gmail.com. Below you will find links for both Ryan and Lloyd's blogs and more.

Ryan -

Operation 10-8 - Facebook | Web

911 Wellness Foundation - Facebook | Web

Lloyd -

Dispatch Monkey - Facebook | Twitter | Web

Episode topics -

• Ryan's background in public safety
• Operation 10-8
• Dispatch Monkey Blog
• Snails call
• Goats call
• Marijuana call
• #IAM911 movement

Welcome back to another episode of Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. Today is September 15th, 2016 and there are only 5 days left until the ability to submit a public comment closes. The #IAM911 movement has raised all kinds of awareness on the issue of reclassification for Public Safety Telecommunicators (PSTs) from "clerical" to "protective", but most of all the awareness of what PSTs go through on a day to day basis. The support from the Thin Gold Line, the public, those on the road, industry partners and those in Office has been amazing! 

With that said, episode 117 has a special guest. In this episode I spoke with a former Public Safety Telecommunicator and currently the U.S. Representative for California’s 35th District, Congresswoman Norma Torres. This was a lot of fun to record. She shared stories from her time in dispatch up to her current position in Congress. She recently sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in reference to their decision to reject the reclassification proposal started by APCO International. It was an honor to have her on the podcast and below you will find a link to the letter she sent to the OMB, her social media and links to where you can provide information to APCO International and NENA for public comment.

We only have 5 days left so let's push it! Continue to share your stories and go to the websites below and submit your public comment. 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. 

Congresswoman Norma Torres - Facebook | Twitter | Web | Letter to OMB

APCO International - Facebook | Twitter | Web | Public Comment

NENA - Facebook | Twitter | Web | Public Comment

Episode topics -

• #IAM911 Change.org petition - Not affiliated with the #IAM911 Movement
• Congresswoman Torres on how she got her start in dispatch
• Letter to OMB
• What if scenario if OMB rejects for a second time
• And more...

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