Within The Trenches

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)

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 the

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 da

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

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

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

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

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

Within the Trenches is back with episode 109 and you don't want to miss this one. I got the chance to speak with three great individuals including Greg with Van Buren County 9-1-1 along with Jim and Dee Ann of the 9-1-1 Wellness Foundation. We had a great time recording this episode of the show but we also learned a lot. In this episode we shared several stories and Jim talked about his class at the 2016 Michigan NENA conference as well as what the foundation is currently working on for the national conference and future endeavors.  This was an extra special episode for me since it marked 3 years since I made my podcast debut as well as conference speaking debut at Michigan NENA 2013. I recorded episodes with great people that year including Jim and Dee Ann and afterward I was advised that I would be doing the podcast at the national show in North Carolina. I remember standing there in shock at everything that was happening and Jim pulled me aside, put his arm around me and said, "This is how it starts, it's

Good evening and welcome back to another episode of Within the Trenches. This past week I was in Lansing, Michigan for the 2016 Michigan NENA conference. It could not have gone any better. I got the chance to catch up with old friends and met a lot of new ones. It was great to see all of you and it was especially nice to see the crew from Van Buren County 9-1-1, Greg, Mike and Jennifer. It had been a while since I last saw them but we fell right back into it when we recorded this together. In episode 108 we visit our first calls, suicide by gun, domestic violence and spam. This is a must listen so 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 - First calls How the crew of Van Buren County 9-1-1 started dispatching Death by train DV & Spam Car vs animal And more!

Within the Trenches is back! Episode 107 is sponsored by INdigital - A leader in Next-Gen Core Services. In this episode I sat down with my brother Fernando to tell some personal stories that include a possible UFO sighting and a 9-1-1 tape of those sightings. A shoutout goes to OpenMinds - UFO News and Investigations for the short story and the audio. Also the Sons and Daughters of Dispatch decals are available for purchase so get yours while you can! Another shoutout goes to Heather of Absolute Photography in Holland, MI for assisting with the first few orders of vinyl decals. You do amazing work and if anyone is looking for vinyl Heather is your top choice! This episode is a must listen so make sure to 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. Heather - Absolute Photography - Web | Facebook Episode topics - Santa came early House break-in UFO sighting

Welcome to episode 106 of Within the Trenches! This episode is sponsored by Indiana NENA and INdigital, a leader in Next-Gen Core Services. In this episode I sat down with the ladies of Vigo County 9-1-1 Indiana and it was epic! Joining me was dispatchers, Chelsey, Kelsie, Heather and Hanna along with their director Rob "Big Mac" McMullen. There are so many different topics on here that I can't even begin to talk about it. You have to listen to it to understand. This is a must listen so make sure to check it out and share it up! As always if you have any questions or you want to be a guest on the show you can email the show at wttpodcast@gmail.com.  Episode topics - Robbing custard "Your Mom" "Are you a psychic?" And more!

Recording live from the 2016 Indiana NENA/APCO Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana it's episode 105 of Within the Trenches, sponsored by Indiana NENA and INdigital - A leader in Next-Gen Core Services. This episode is entitled "Open Mic". My guest list consists of show regular Rob, Nicole, Assistant Director of Montgomery County, Lindsey, dispatcher with Fulton County and the audience/attendees of the conference. This was the first time I have ever done a podcast with a live audience and it turned out amazing! We tell all kinds of funny stories and some of them may make you blush. There is a warning in the beginning so listen and remember, you have been warned.  This is a must listen so make sure to check it out and share! As always if you have any questions or if you want to be a guest on the show send an email to wttpodcast@gmail.com. Episode topics - Bottle cap story "Annie are you ok, are you ok Annie?" "I am the drunk driver" "Something is stuck" And many more!

Recording live from the 2016 Indiana NENA/APCO Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana it's episode 104 of Within the Trenches, sponsored by Indiana NENA and INdigital - A leader in Next-Gen Core Services. In this episode, show regular, Rob "Big Mac" McMullen joined me to talk about anything and everything we could think of. I can't even begin to mention what all we talked about but shout outs go to Leah of Grand Traverse, Smart911, the graphic design talents of Rizzo and the 911 Wellness Foundation.  This is a must listen so check it out, share and share again. 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 -   Rob is a celebrity Rob loves the media New Hampshire or bust And more...

Welcome to Within the Trenches and this is episode 103. This episode is sponsored by INdigital - A leader in Next Gen Core Services.  Last week for episode 102 I spoke with Lloyd out of Canada and he shared his 911 story and touched on mental health and dispatch wellness as well as how he started Dispatch Monkey. If you missed that episode please make sure to go and listen and share.  The Sons/Daughters of Dispatch decals are currently up for a second round and available for only 2 weeks (end date April 2nd2016). They are 5X5 decals at $9.99 + shipping. A portion of the money made goes to fund a scholarship for the 2016 National NENA conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. There are also t-shirts of the logo made by Threadsy Tee that will be going up for sale as well so keep an eye out for them. As for the scholarship it includes, Complementary registration to the conference & expo Complementary registration for a one-day pre-conference course of your choice A $500 travel stipend Official Within the Trenche

Welcome to episode 102 of the Within the Trenches Podcast, a podcast based on the experience of being a 911 dispatcher. The show is going strong and while stories are the main focus of the podcast, 911 companies and organizations are coming on the show to talk about what they are doing. The way I look at it is that if I can supply dispatchers with some free training through the podcast, why not? On episode 101 I spoke with Eddie of St. Louis County, Missouri and he shared his 911 story as well as what it was like for him in the dispatch center during the Ferguson riots. If you missed that episode, please make sure to go and listen and share.  The Sons/Daughters of Dispatch decals are currently up for a second round and available for only 2 weeks (end date April 2nd 2016). They are 5X5 decal’s at $9.99 + shipping. A portion of the money made goes to fund a scholarship for the 2016 National NENA conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. There are also t-shirts of the logo made by Threadsy Tee that will be going up f

Welcome to episode 101 of the Within the Trenches Podcast. Last week I posted the 100th episode of the podcast and in that episode I took a trip back in time to how everything started out and what’s to come. I played clips from episodes 1, 6 and 12 and I hope you enjoyed them because they were so much fun to record. Since that episode I have received many emails for the Sons and Daughters of Dispatch vinyl decals. Because so many people wanted a second round I opened up the vault and they are available once again. They will only be available for 2 weeks so get them while you can. They are 5X5 decals at $9.99 + shipping and can be found here. A portion of the money made goes to fund a scholarship for the 2016 National NENA conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.   Scholarship includes: Complementary registration to the conference & expo Complementary registration for a one-day pre-conference course of your choice A $500 travel stipend Official Within the Trenches t-shirt To apply for the scholarship make su

Episode 100! Man oh man I can’t believe it. It’s been one crazy ride and I wouldn’t change a thing. Welcome to Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 911 dispatcher. I have interviewed dispatchers from all over the United States including Ireland, Canada and Australia. I have also interviewed 911 leaders, directors and 911 pro companies and organizations such as the 911 Wellness Foundation, Dispatch Magazine Online, NENA, APCO, TERT, EENA, INdigital, Success Communications, Agency360, 911Trainer.com, Avaya, The Denise Amber Lee Foundation, Xybix, Smart911, The Cool Kids of 911 and more! I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to interview and meet so many amazing people. It started as a school project and blew up from there. In this episode I go back and reflect on the beginning of my journey. I play clips from episodes 1, 6 and 12 and share all kinds of stories. I hope you enjoy them and I will post links to those episodes below. Don’t forget that you have until April 15th