Within The Trenches

Health in the dispatch center is a huge issue. Along with the massive amount of stress that the job offers there are also bad eating habits and minimal exercise opportunities while working. But what if there was something you could do about the exercise aspect of it? What if you had a treadmill or exercise bike attached to your console? Xybix, a dispatch furniture company has taken on the task of assisting in dispatchers’ health with the attachment of a treadmill or bike. This past week I had the chance to meet with Kathleen, Director of Marketing with Xybix to talk about their product as well as try it out for myself on the showroom floor during the 2014 NENA National conference. In this episode we learn about the company as well as some facts and frequently asked questions about the treadmill and bike. The company also publishes blogs with health topics and techniques for the dispatch center. This is a must listen and share! For more information on Xybix please follow the links below and as always, if you h

This is episode 66 of Within the Trenches and this is a special episode. Since the beginning of my show I have had people helping me out and giving me advice. One of those people is Mark Fletcher with Avaya. I’ve been on his podcast a few times and this time it was my turn to have him as a guest. Mark is the Chief Architect for Worldwide Public Safety Solutions at Avaya as well as the program director of the longest running Public Safety podcast on the Avaya Podcast Network. We sat down and talked all things 9-1-1 including NENA, ENP certification, Kari’s Law and more. This is a must listen so check it out and share. As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com and if you would like to learn more about Mark and Kari’s Law follow the links below. Kari’s Law – Web (sign the petition at Change.org) | Facebook Mark Fletcher/APN – Web | APN -E911 Podcast | Facebook | Twitter Episode topics -     Mark's start in the 9-1-1 community Mark's motivation to work hard to improve 9-1-1 Kari's Law ENP certific

Welcome back to another episode of Within the Trenches. This is episode 65 and I have to say right off the bat that there was an issue with this one. As you heard in episode 64 we had to redo the entire thing due to a subject who showed up and was drowning out the microphones. Some knobs were turned down and one of them was never turned back up so some audio is missing. I do apologize but it’s still an awesome one so check it out and share. In this episode I spoke with Rob, Director of Vigo County 911 in Indiana and National NENA North Central Region Director and Lori, Training Coordinator with INdigital telecom. I have been trying to get Lori on an episode for a long time now and it killed me that her audio is missing but only until 11 or so minutes in. After that you can hear her and the stories are good. As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com. Episode topics – Rob’s wrestling  persona Lori’s dispatch story (audio low) Pregnancy calls Text to 9-1-1

Good afternoon! This episode is sponsored by NENA and INdigital. I am currently in Nashville, TN for the 2014 National NENA Conference and this is just one of a series of episodes I’m recording here. In this episode I spoke with Dana, a dispatcher with Sumpter County Sheriff’s Office out of Florida and a Friends of 911 Scholarship winner. This is a must listen for anyone looking for information on not only the conference but how to apply for next years Friends of 9-1-1 scholarship. We also spoke briefly on the Mini-C that Dana attended back in April and the hard work that Tom of the Cool Kids of 9-1-1 puts into the conference. As always, if you have any questions or would like to be a guest on the show, send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com. The Cool Kids of 9-1-1 - Web | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Dana (Dispatch Dana) - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram   Episode topics - Dana recap of the Mini-C Friends of 9-1-1 Scholarship Process CMCP certification Where Dana sees herself in 9-1-1 Drunk dial 9-1-1 tape (

Good morning! This episode is sponsored by NENA and INdigital. I am currently in Nashville, TN for the 2014 National NENA Conference and this is the first of a series of episodes I’m recording here. In this episode I spoke with Brandy, a dispatcher with Licking County 911 Center out of Ohio and a Friends of 911 Scholarship winner. This is a must listen for anyone looking for information on not only the conference but how to apply for next years Friends of 9-1-1 scholarship. 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 - Brandy’s dispatch story Friends of 9-1-1 Scholarship process Giving your name when speaking to someone you know on 9-1-1 Networking with other dispatchers

Good afternoon and happy Friday! This episode will be the final episode from the Indiana NENA conference. It was an excellent time and I can’t wait for next year! In this episode I spoke with Jeanene and Kelsie, dispatchers with Vigo County Central Dispatch. This episode is as real as it gets. It’s a look at true stories as well as the humor that goes with the job. It’s not just about being great at what dispatchers do; it’s about the humor needed to make it through this very stressful job. I commend you both for the job you do and all the dispatchers I met in Indiana. Make sure to listen, share and as always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com Episode topics – How Jeanene got her start How Kelsie got her start Dispatch calls Domestic bedpan Burglar ice pops

Good afternoon and welcome back to another awesome episode of Within the Trenches. It has been a pretty busy week with the announcement of Indiana's statewide text-to-9-1-1 plan  but I now have time so I'm posting a brand new episode from Indiana's NENA conference. In this episode I spoke with Jessica, a dispatcher / CTO with Kosciusko 9-1-1 Communications. Jessica was honored during the opening ceremony with a few others where she received the Teamwork Award. Jessica shares how she got started in 9-1-1, calls she's taken as well as the details of her teamwork award. Make sure to check this out and share it. As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com. Episode topics - How Jessica got her start Dispatch experience Teamwork Award  

Good afternoon and welcome back to another episode of Within the Trenches. This episode brings us closer to the end of my time at Indiana’s NENA conference. My time there was inspiring, educational and I can’t wait for next year. The stories covered have been amazing and today’s episode is right up there with the best of them. In this episode I had the chance to speak to Kimberly, a dispatcher/CTO with Jennings County 9-1-1, John, director with Jefferson County 9-1-1 and Nicole, Assistant Director with Montgomery County Communications Center. We reflected on the beginning of their careers along with some hard calls and advice/techniques on how to deal with them. This is an episode you don’t want to miss! As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com. Episode topics – How each guest started in 9-1-1 Training techniques Dealing with hard calls The importance of attending a NENA conference

Within the Trenches is back with episode 59! This is just one of several episodes recorded last week during the Indiana NENA state conference. In this episode I sat down to talk with Julie, Deputy Director with Bartholomew 9-1-1 Center and Claudia who is a dispatcher with Fayette County Communications. We share stories of messing up on the mic, burnout and how to deal with hitting a rough patch and renewing your love for dispatch.  This is a must listen so check it out and share! As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com.  Episode topics -     How Julie started in 9-1-1 How Claudia started in 9-1-1 Messing up on the mic Burnout 

Within the Trenches is back with episode 58! This is just one of several episodes recorded last week during the Indiana NENA state conference. In this episode I sat down to talk with Amy, Amanda and Wendy, supervisors with Bartholomew County 9-1-1 Center. We look back at their start in 9-1-1, the classes they attended at the conference and we listened to a 9-1-1 tape that featured Wendy helping with the delivery of a baby girl. This is an episode you do not want to miss! Listen, share and as always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com. Episode topics – How each supervisor started in 9-1-1 Conference classes 9-1-1 birth tape featuring Wendy

Within the Trenches is back with episode 57! This is just one of several episodes recorded last week during the Indiana NENA state conference. In this episode I sat down to talk with Heather and Kelly, dispatchers out of LaGrange County in Indiana and they received one of this years Team Work Awards. We look at how they got started in 9-1-1 and how they played a major part in a situation where a woman was taken hostage in Michigan and ended up in Indiana. The suspect was a prisoner who had escaped from custody out of Ionia County. This is a must listen so check it out and share! As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com. Episode topics – How Heather got started in 9-1-1 How Kelly got started in 9-1-1 Team Work Award News coverage

Within the Trenches is back with episode 55! This is just one of several episodes recorded last week during the Indiana NENA state conference. In this episode I sat down to talk with Rob, Director of Vigo County Central Dispatch and North Central Regional Director of National NENA and Terri, Director of Fayette County Communications, NENA Central Region Vice President and Director of Indiana APCO. We took a trip down memory lane while laughing until our stomachs hurt and our eyes watered and stung. It’s an episode you don’t want to miss so listen and share! For more information on Indiana NENA please follow the links below. As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com Indiana NENA – Web | Facebook | Twitter Episode topics - How Rob started in 9-1-1 How Terri started in 9-1-1 NENA awards Continuing education for 9-1-1 dispatchers

Hello everyone! Within the Trenches is back with episode 53 featuring Ed, the Director of Bartholomew County 9-1-1 Center and President of Indiana NENA. The show is recording on location from the Marriott East in Indianapolis, Indiana for the annual Indiana NENA conference. In this episode Ed shares his dispatch experience, switching from dispatch to being an on the road state trooper and eventually becoming the director at Bartholomew. This is just one of several episodes coming up this week from the Indiana NENA conference so stay tuned for more. This episode is sponsored by Indiana NENA and INdigital telecom. As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com! Episode topics - Ed's start in dispatch and switch to law enforcement Dispatch training How officers would benefit from sitting in dispatch Continuing education through NENA

Hello everyone! Within the Trenches is back with episode 52 featuring Jeff, the Director of Monroe County Central Dispatch and 1st Vice President for Indiana NENA. The show is recording on location from the Marriott East in Indianapolis, Indiana for the annual Indiana NENA conference. In this episode Jeff shares his dispatch experience, the importance of continuing education, what the general public knows or doesn’t know about 9-1-1 and some advice to new and seasoned dispatchers. This is just one of several episodes coming up this week from the Indiana NENA conference so stay tuned for more. This episode is sponsored by Indiana NENA and INdigital telecom. As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com! Episode topics -     Rising through the ranks  Memorable dispatch moments Continuing education through NENA

Hello everyone! Within the Trenches is back with episode 51 featuring David, the Director of Kosciusko 9-1-1 in Indiana. The show is recording on location from the Marriott East in Indianapolis, Indiana for the annual Indiana NENA conference. In this episode David shares his dispatch experience and how he worked his way up to the position of director of his center. We also touch on text-to-9-1-1 and his experience thus far. This is just one of several episodes coming up this week from the Indiana NENA conference so stay tuned for more. This episode is sponsored by Indiana NENA and INdigital telecom. As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com! Episode topics - David - from dispatch to director text-to-9-1-1 Why callers would rather text than call

Within the Trenches is back with episode 50! The show has come a long way since the Kickstarter campaign. Whitney and I have spoken to dispatchers, leaders and educators within the dispatch community. The show has also been present for different conferences and the first one was last year at the Mini-C conference in Boca Raton Florida. Tom with the Cool Kids of 9-1-1 invited the show to be there on one of the days to do interviews. The hospitality was excellent, the people were awesome and inspiring and I can’t thank Tom enough for the invite and exposure. This year the Mini-C will be on April 7th – 11th from 0800 – 1700 and one of the dispatchers attending this year is our special guest on today’s episode. In this episode I spoke with Dana from Sumter County Sheriff’s Department. She shared her dispatch experience with me as well as her experience at last years Mini-C. This year she will be attending all week and will be posting on her social media outlets as the conference goes on so make sure to check her

Woo! Within the Trenches Podcast is back with episode 49 and I would like to welcome back Whitney! She has been gone for some time and rather than spoil the surprise I will let you go ahead and listen to her reveal it. In this episode we share some personal stories along with what happened on my trip to Marquette Michigan for work. It was an awesome experience and I can't wait to go back. Towards the end we touch on Kari's Law and future episodes. As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com and follow the links below to 'Like' Kari's Law on Facebook and sign the petition on Change.org.  Kari's Law - Facebook | Change.org     Episode topics - Whitney's reveal Marquette or Bust Future guests/topics Kari's Law

Welcome to a brand new episode of Within the Trenches. It has been a very busy week but I'm back! In this episode I sat down with Missy and Greg of Three Rivers Ambulance Authority (TRAA.) I met them during a training session a few weeks ago and I was impressed with them as well as the rest of the dispatchers and agency as a whole. We shared stories about their career, what High Performance EMS stands for and what it takes to run the agency. As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com and don't forget to check below for links to our podcast promotion featuring, highperfomanceems.com.  Also remember that tomorrow is the day that the No 9 Needed campaign asks that you change your social media profile pictures to the No 9 Needed logo in support of Kari's Law. For more information on Kari's Law please follow this link.  High Performance EMS - Web | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin Episode topics - Missy's beginning Greg's beginning What is High Performance EMS An overview of TRAA What it takes to dispa

Good afternoon and this is episode 47 of Within the Trenches. It has been a couple of weeks since the last episode and I couldn’t wait any longer so I decided to record an episode. I wanted to keep it light so I pulled some 9-1-1 calls from YouTube. I pulled a couple from a channel that belongs to AmericanPride1234 and they are awesome! If you get the chance make sure to check out the channel and subscribe. I have been pretty busy with work lately and one of the weeks I was on the road I got very sick. I made sure to share the story so I hope you enjoy it. There are more new episodes coming up so stay tuned! As always you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com Episode topics – Stomach bug on the road 9-1-1 tapes – Kid calls 911 for help with math Guy calls 911 for pot question Guy gets junk stuck in pump Joe vs. Deer 911 call

Today’s episode of Within the Trenches touches on the topic of stress and physical and mental issues in 9-1-1. As 9-1-1 dispatchers, we have heard it all. We have taken every call from the most ridiculous to the most horrific. If you’re like me, the calls that involve children are the ones that affect you most. I once took a call from a nine-year-old girl who had come home from school and found her mom passed out in the living room. She told me that her mom was not moving and her face was blue. I told her how to do CPR and she did it the best she could until help arrived. Although she did a great job her mom had already passed. She had had an overdose and died long before her daughter got home. I remember the little girl being scared but never lost it. Maybe it was the shock of the situation. Whatever it was, it’s a call I’ll never forget. Towards the end of my dispatch career I began to feel burnt out. I enjoyed my job but the politics, long hours, workplace drama and stress began to eat at me. It’s somethin