Within the Trenches

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Within the Trenches Ep 119 Oct 11, 2016

Show notes

Welcome to episode 119 or 9-1-1 of Within the Trenches. In this episode I had the chance to speak with Brianna, deputy director with Benton County Office of Emergency Communications in Arkansas and show regular, Rob "Big Mac" McMullen, director of Vigo County out of Indiana and 1st VP of NENA. We recorded live from the Hilton in Columbus, Ohio for the NENA Standards and Best Practices Conference as well as the Critical Issues Forum. This episode was a lot of fun to record and we covered a lot of topics so please make sure to check it out and share.

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 -

Brianna's 9-1-1 story
Brianna's first 9-1-1 call
#IAM911
Project #IAM911
Dogs ate owner call
On the go CPR
Illinois conference decal offer
And more

On the go CPR (as mentioned in the podcast)

Within the Trenches Ep 118 Sep 20, 2016

Show notes

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

Within the Trenches Ep 117 Sep 15, 2016

Show notes

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...

Within the Trenches Ep 116 Sep 08, 2016

Show notes

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

Within the Trenches Ep 115 Sep 04, 2016

Show notes

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

Within the Trenches Ep 114 Aug 26, 2016

Show notes

Good morning and welcome to episode 114 of Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. A lot has happened since the last episode and instead of boring you with text I will let you get to this episode. Check out the topics below and make sure to listen and share! As always if you have any questions or you would like to be a guest on the show you can email us at wttpodcast@gmail.com.

Episode topics -

#IAM911 Movement
How to participate in the movement
Suicide Call
Grandmother Death Call
Four wheeler Flip Call

Within the Trenches Ep 113 Jul 21, 2016

Show notes

With all of the B.S. going on in the world right now I thought I would do a funny episode with the always epic Rob "Big Mac" McMullen. In this episode we share some personal stories along with a few funny 9-1-1 tapes. A big thanks goes out to the person who hooked me up with the tapes. They are awesome and shows what we deal with in dispatch. It's definitely light hearted and if you are looking for a laugh then make sure to check this out and share!

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

Episode topics -

Rob's trip from hell
A Ricardo recap
I've locked myself in my car - 9-1-1 call
I want my soup - 9-1-1 call
Report of stolen false teeth - 9-1-1 call
There is no one to make lunch - 9-1-1 call
Put it in the wrong place - 9-1-1 call

Within the Trenches Ep 112 Jun 27, 2016

Show notes

Welcome to Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. Episode 112 features Jordon, a dispatcher and CTO out of Colorado and this episode is kind of a behind the scenes look at the voiceover work for the podcast. It's a funny one and towards the end we talk about marijuana, Colorado's legalization, edibles and how they pertain to 9-1-1.

It was a funny episode to record and I hope you enjoy it. 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.

Decals - Dispatch Love | Daughters of Dispatch | Sons of Dispatch

T-shirts - Sons of Dispatch (Split by size) | Daughters of Dispatch (Split by size) | Dispatch Love (Split by size) | Official Podcast Tee (Split by size)

Episode topics –

NENA conference recap
Podcast merchandise
The birth of my daughter Olivia
Podcast Voiceover
Marijuana edibles

Within the Trenches Ep 111 Jun 17, 2016

Show notes

Welcome to an all new episode of Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. In this episode I spoke with the first recipient of the Within the Trenches Continuing Education Scholarship. Her name is Leslie, a Telecommunicator, CTO and 2016 recipient of the Mary Antley Telecommunicator of the Year Award. She dispatches out of New Hanover County in North Carolina and it was an honor to have her on the show. We recorded live from the Indiana Convention Center for the 2016 National NENA Conference & Expo. This episode is sponsored by NENA and INdigital - A leader in Next-Gen Core Services.

I was given an opportunity three years ago to bring my newly created podcast to the National NENA conference in Charlotte North Carolina. It changed my life in so many ways. I told my wife that one day I would pay it forward and I did that by creating a scholarship that would send a dispatcher to the national conference. There is so much to say about Leslie but I would rather you hear her story in her own words. Once again it was an honor to have her on the show and I see big things coming in her future. Keep doing what you do!

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 –

How Leslie started out in dispatch
Early phone calls
A call that changed her life
Mary Antley Award
And more

Within the Trenches Ep 110 Jun 17, 2016

Show notes

Welcome to an all new episode of Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. In this episode I spoke with dispatchers from Indiana with the code names of Maverick and Phoenix. We recorded live from the Indiana Convention Center for the 2016 National NENA Conference & Expo. This episode is sponsored by NENA and INdigital - A leader in Next-Gen Core Services.

This episode is hilarious and I can't even start to explain the stories we told but it was a good time and if you are looking for a good laugh make sure to listen and share. As always if you have any questions or would like to be a guest on the show please send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com.

Episode topics -

Top Gun
Early morning accident
The loss of a member
Tyson voice

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