Hi! I guess I'm starting this blog because there is a lot that people don't know they don't know about 911. Hopefully the information provided here can be entertaining as well as educational. I think it is interesting that our society has all kinds of lessons for what to do in a life and death emergency. There are classes on how to do CPR. Most everyone knows not to move someone who has been in a serious car accident, there could be spinal trauma! We know stop, drop and roll, and how to give the Heimlich maneuver. But no one ever really explains to people how to call 911. Funny, because it can be every bit as life and death as finding yourself on fire or choking on a Vienna sausage. You'd think it would be a simple thing. Dial the numbers and then answer the questions. Help appears in the form of a police man, a fire fighter or an EMT. The bad guy is caught, the baby is saved from the burning building, and the car crash victim is carted away to a hospital where she makes a full recovery.

If only 911 was that easy.

Let me tell you a little about me. I'm a 30 something small town girl who has found myself living in a crowded, big city. I've been working at 911 for a total of 7 years now, 5 years of that time at the current place. For blog purposes, I'll just call it 911. 911 is the busiest center in the state, and one of the busiest in the nation. We handle 911 services for several different police departments, of all sizes. We don't do fire or medical aid. All those calls are transferred. We'll talk more about that later.

I have lots of other interests outside of work, but I figure if you wanted to know about those, you'd be reading a different blog.

When people find out what I do for a living, the question is always "What is the worst call you ever took?" Really? I just met you and you already want the bloody, gory details? Well, I don't blame you. I guess the reason I love my job so much is because I kind of want all the details, too! I'm sort of nosy like that. The problem is, when I start telling people about the time I heard a guy get shot, or the suicidal who jumped off a bridge and was never found, people realize its not all that exciting. Really its actually kind of depressing. Or emotionally exhausting. Or incredibly frustrating. But mostly it is mundane and very boring.

Like This

Let me just note that I do not work at the dispatch center featured in that video. But I've heard every kind of call featured there. You would think people would know better. That's why I'm writing this. Now you can't say no one ever told you.