Welcome to another episode of Within the Trenches, true stories from the 9-1-1 dispatchers who live them. Episode 181 features Aaron, dispatcher with Carroll County and Cody, head of the popular Facebook Page Nocturnal Dispatchers as well as a dispatcher with Boone County out of Iowa. This episode was recorded at the Iowa APCO conference.
Episode topics –
- Aaron’s 9-1-1 story
- Cody’s 9-1-1 story
- A story of PTSD
- Calls that stick with you
- The lighter side of 9-1-1
- And more
As always if you have any comments, questions, topic suggestions or you would like to be a guest, send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com
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Within the Trenches Ep 146
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Today’s episode is a hard one. If you have followed the #IAM911 movement then you know that many of the stories told by the dispatchers who lived them are hard ones. There are some good ones but they are rare. Many 9-1-1 professionals have poured their hearts out for the movement and continue to do so. In doing this they have opened the eyes of millions to what they do every single time they answer a call. These professionals have also found a way to tell their stories, heal and find some sort of closure.As my team and I continued to help share these important stories I had a thought, “Why not reach an even bigger audience by sharing them on the podcast?” This is now known as “Imagine Listening”, an extension of the podcast featuring the stories of the #IAM911 movement. When recording these episodes, I read each story so that more people can get a feel for the types of calls, emotions and stress the dispatcher deals with.
They have become quite popular and in this episode, I recorded it with a live audience. There were about 120 people in attendance and some dispatchers read their owns stories. Others wrote them down and my co-presenter Rob and I read them out loud. The room was packed and the emotions were high. We shared our stories and we healed. This is an important episode indeed.
Please listen and share with everyone you know including local leaders. Let them know why you should be recognized as a 9-1-1 professional. 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
***WARNING – IF YOU SUFFER FROM PTSD OR HAVE SUICIDAL TENDENCIES THIS MAY BE A TRIGGER. YOU ARE LISTENING AT YOUR OWN RISK.***
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Within the Trenches Ep 179
Welcome to another episode of Within the Trenches, true stories from the 9-1-1 dispatchers who live them. Episode 179 features Sheila with Buena Vista County Communications (911), is the Iowa APCO Telecommunicator of the Year, and this episode was recorded at the Iowa APCO conference.American Heart Association – (As mentioned in the episode)
Episode topics –
- Sheila’s 9-1-1 story
- Calls that stick with you
- Iowa APCO Telecommunicator of the Year Award
- And more
As always if you have any comments, questions, topic suggestions or you would like to be a guest, send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com
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Within the Trenches – The Media Spotlight
The past couple weeks have been pretty crazy. A project that began as a short digital story has come to light through a Kickstarter campaign and those supporting it. The goal of Within the Trenches is to tell the stories of those who answer the call of duty through 9-1-1. The goal also covers public education in order for them to understand what goes on during a call. It will not only shed light on what we do but it will help our calls go a little smoother. As the project continued to grow and more episodes were recorded, I was able to setup some time to speak with the Holland Sentinel and WZZM 13.When I made contact with Peg McNichol of the Holland Sentinel I had just awaken from a 12 hour shift in dispatch. I was half awake but I didn’t want to miss this opportunity. So I sat up in bed and did my interview. I laughed right before the interview because it definitely wasn’t the way I expected it to go but the whole interview went great! Oh, and if I didn’t mention it already, the interview was over the phone, not in bed. So, a few days later the article hit and that morning I went to the local Family Fare to get a few things for breakfast. Once again I was half awake and as I walked to the closest check-out lane I passed the front desk. I stopped and wondered if the story had been printed that morning. I walked back and there it was. My smile grew and my eyes popped open. I think I squealed like a little girl as I snagged three newspapers. The cashier gave me an odd look and I said, “I’ll take these…I’m on the front page.” The cashier looked at me like I was crazy and then looked down at the newspaper. She gave it a double take and gave me that, “I don’t believe that’s you” look. I laughed, which probably made me look like a creeper, and paid and left.
From there the media spotlight continued and a few days after that, my newly appointed co-host Whitney and I were greeted by Angela Cunningham of WZZM 13. Whitney and I sported our official Within the Trenches t-shirts and although everything went great, I was freaking out! I paced back and forth as I waited for them to get to dispatch and both Whitney and our assistant director kept telling me that everything would be just fine. They were right and you probably can’t tell from the video but I was sweating and nervous. Since then the show has blown up. The media spotlight has been great and it’s only the beginning. Recently I created an event on Facebook for Within the Trenches as an open invitation to all 9-1-1 dispatchers to appear on an episode. We started out with just a few and now we have people from all over the United States and different countries that want to take part in the show. I will provide the link to our fan page, event, and the media coverage. It’s time that the unsung hero’s of emergency services get the spotlight they deserve. Thank you for all you do and I recommend that everyone listen to the show. You will learn a lot and you might even be better prepared if you ever have to call 9-1-1.
Facebook Fan Page | Article in The Holland Sentinel | Within the Trenches Event/Open call to 9-1-1 Dispatchers
