Within the Trenches

Ep 162 of Within the Trenches features Megan, alternate lead dispatcher with Cascade County, Great Falls Police Dispatch in Montana. In this episode Megan shares how she got into dispatching, calls that have stuck with her and a call that resulted in something rare in the world of dispatching. She got the opportunity to meet a caller and the callers father, a man she helped save through CPR instru...

Ep 161 is the last of a series of episodes recorded live at the Illinois Public Safety Telecommunications Association conference. This was a hell of a show and I look forward to returning. Thank you to everyone for hosting the show and to those who stopped by to say hello, take pictures and especially to those who were guests on the podcast. This episode features Vanessa, supervisor with West Subu...

This episode is sponsored by Dispatch In Depth. A new podcast by the IAED. You can catch new episodes on iTunes, Stitcher Radio and Soundcloud. Ep 160 of Within the Trenches features Becky, ACS, or acting communications supervisor, and Mark a telecommunicator with Southeast Emergency Communications in IL.  In this episode both Becky and Mark share their 9-1-1 story, how they got started, calls tha...

This episode is sponsored by Dispatch In Depth. A new podcast by the IAED. You can catch new episodes on iTunes, Stitcher Radio and Soundcloud. Ep 159 of Within the Trenches features Rachel, Public Safety IT PM with Wake County out of NC and guest regular, director of Vigo County and President of NENA Rob 'Bigmac' McMullen. In this episode Rachel shares her 9-1-1 story. She talks about how she sta...

Episode 158 features Kim Turner, Communications Manager for San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department in California. She's also the President of Kim Turner LLC. In this episode Kim tells her 9-1-1 story from dispatch to a police officer and back to run a dispatch center. She shares her experience with a car accident that caused a traumatic brain injury and how dispatch saved her life. She also sh...

Ep 157 features Tracy Eldridge, 9-1-1 Operations Lead for RapidSOS. This episode was recorded live at the 2017 IPSTA conference at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, Illinois. In this episode Tracy shares her 9-1-1 dispatch story, her realization of having PTSD, dealing with it and her transition from the dispatch center to becoming an Industry Partner with RapidSOS. This is a must listen so please...

This episode is brought to you by Dispatch In Depth--a new podcast for emergency dispatchers. If you like Within The Trenches, you're gonna want to check it out. Dispatch In Depth takes you deep into the why and how of emergency dispatching. It's produced by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch and hosted by Isabel Gardett, the Director of Academics at IAED. Each episode features an i...

Ep 155 features Dee, a dispatcher out of the city of Rockport, Texas. In this episode Dee shares her 9-1-1 story as well as what it was like to work in dispatch during Hurricane Harvey. Rockport was ground zero for this hurricane and her story is an amazing one. From the city running out of resources to no cell service for weeks, Dee, along with her crew and those on the road worked hard. But what...

Ep 154 is an extension of the podcast called Imagine Listening. It features the stories from the #IAM911 movement but this episodes' stories come from the 9-1-1 professionals of the Kentucky Emergency Services Conference. Following their stories is a presentation I gave at the conference. For years I have helped tell the stories of 9-1-1 dispatchers from all over the world but this time it's my tu...

Ep 153 of Within the Trenches features Todd Sparrow, Director at Lawrenceburg 9-1-1 in Kentucky. In this episode Todd reflects on 35 years of public safety service, calls that have stuck with him, the Kentucky Emergency Services Conference and more. For more information on the conference please see the links below.  As always if you have any comments, questions or you would like to be a guest on t...

Ep 152 is an extension of the podcast called Imagine Listening. This episode features the stories of the #IAM911 movement. It also features a former police officer who tells his story of a burglary call he went out to that resulted in an officer involved shooting. This is an episode you do not want to miss. Make sure to check out the links below and as always if you have any comments, questions, o...

Today, August 24 2017 marks the one year anniversary of when I started the #IAM911 movement. In this episode we will take a look back at why I started it, the explosion, media coverage and the future of the movement. It has been one hell of a year and I thank all of you for the support. I may have started this but it is because of the entire Thin Gold Line that made it a global success.  If you ha...

Ep 151 features Brianna, Benton County Emergency Communications out of Arkansas & Rob McMullen, director of Vigo County out of Indiana & NENA President. This episode begins with my first day in San Antonio, Texas for the NENA national conference and a 9-1-1 call I had to make on a couple who was arguing and at one point the male half was hanging from a parking garage. Brianna and Rob tell stories...

Episode 150 features Don, a dispatcher of  Sonoma County SO and Lee Ann, Dispatch Manager with Marin County SO out of California. In this episode we follow the 9-1-1 stories of Don and Lee Ann from the beginning to present day. We talk about the calls that stick with a person and those that can make or break ones career. This episode was recorded live at the National NENA conference in San Antonio...

Ep 149 features Jen, a telecommunicator out of an agency in Illinois. In this episode Jen tells her 9-1-1 story, shares some calls and stressors of the job, along with some educational points for those calling 9-1-1 on a cell phone and how cell phones can still be used to dial 9-1-1 even when there is no service. This is a must listen so please check it out and share. As always if you have any que...

Episode 148 features Adam Timm of The Healthy Dispatcher. This episode was recorded at the 2017 Michigan NENA conference in Lansing. In this episode Adam reflects on his dispatch career that spanned over 10 1/2 years in Los Angeles, California. He focuses on how stress from the job turned him into what his co-workers called him, "Angry Adam" and how going to classes to help deal with his stress he...

Ep 147 was recorded in front of a live audience at the 2017 Indiana NENA/APCO conference. Dispatchers share their outrageous and funny calls.   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 - Open mic - "That feels so good..." Open mic - "I'm willing to try..." 911 call - The billboard And much more

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 answe...

Ep 145 features Sarah, Assistant Director at Kosciusko County out of Indiana and Curt, Sales Engineer with INdigital. In this episode we go back in time a few years to when Curt, who lived down the street from the Kosciusko County 9-1-1 dispatch center fell out of a tree and his wife had to call 9-1-1. Sarah, was the call taker that day and in this one story, they both found out what the other was...

Episode 144 features show favorite Rob "Big Mac" McMullen and is the first Facebook Live episode. In this episode we play some funny 9-1-1 tapes, interact with our Facebook Live audience and share hilarious stories.  You don't want to miss this one! 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 topi...

Ep 143 features Bill, Quality Assurance Specialist with Horry County E911, South Carolina. In this episode I got the chance to speak with Bill about his 9-1-1 dispatch career after retiring from the military and how crucial it is to follow protocols in the center. Bill shares a story where confirming the location was not followed and how critical it is to do so in an emergency. If you ever wanted...

Ep 142 features Erin, Communications Specialist at Loveland Emergency Communications out of Colorado and the 2017 IAED Dispatcher of the Year. In this episode we take a trip down memory lane with Erin as she talks about her early 9-1-1 career to present day. She shares stories including one from when she was training and took her first 9-1-1 call with her trainer and when she answered she added a...

Ep 141 features Ryan Dedmon, Outreach Director with the 911 Training Institute and creator of the popular blog Operation 10-8. In this episode I finally got the chance to not only have Ryan on an episode where we are face-to-face but we finally met after almost a year of talking online. Ryan explains the reasons why the 9-1-1 Wellness Foundation closed its doors and what's new in the world of the...

Ep 140 features Ty, Director of Education with NENA and Lisa, Education Instructor for NENA. In this episode we follow Lisa through every rank in dispatch she held up and to the point that she left to become an instructor. Both Lisa and Ty share 9-1-1 stories from their career and let us in on what's new at NENA and their upcoming annual conference in San Antonio, Texas. This is a must listen so p...

Ep 139 features the CEO and Public Relations Director of Uivo, Emily and David. Uivo is the only fast and secure emergency contact system for personal property that works directly with public safety dispatch centers. In this episode we learn about how both Emily and David got into public safety. Emily has a background in 9-1-1 dispatch and David is a current firefighter and paramedic. Emily's expe...