Movie Review – The Call

March 25, 2013

Jim Reeves 9-1-1, commentary , , , , Leave a comment

The Call 93291(SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t seen this movie, and you want to be surprised, you may not want to read any further.)

(Oh, what the hell.  Read it anyway.  If you can’t enjoy a movie even though you know a bit about it, then you really don’t belong in a movie theater to begin with.  Their business model is predicated on repeat viewings.)

The first thing you should know about the portrayal of 9-1-1 dispatchers in this movie is that it’s exactly spot on.  The movie makers could not have gotten it better if they were 9-1-1 dispatchers themselves, and writing a movie to show precisely what happens in the dispatch center.  From the spacious dispatch floor, the modern, well laid out and controlled computer equipment, to the big screen televisions and the comfortable “quiet room”, nobody should doubt how well 9-1-1 dispatchers have it at work.

The most important thing to remember,  however, is this:  If you piss off, or otherwise get a dispatcher wound up, we will hunt you down.  What ‘Jordan’ (Halle Berry) does to the protagonist (i.e. – the bad guy, AKA the perp, politely – the ‘suspect’) is nothing compared to what a *REAL* 9-1-1 dispatcher will do to you!

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They finally made a movie about a dispatcher. This could be bad.

March 8, 2013

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Screen Shot 2013-03-08 at 1.44.23 AM

So I’ve seen the promos at the theater.  A lot of the background looks realistic, the situation has happened before.  What I’m not to sure about is the idea that she gets involved in a call.  “This one made it personal”.  I’m hoping for the best.  It is Hollywood, so there’s no telling what will happen.  Just remember, it’s only a movie!  (unless it’s really, really good.  Then it’s exactly like our center, and we’re all heroes like Halle Berry.)

Want the picture with YOUR jurisdiction in the map background? Here.

Texting to 9-1-1 is just around the corner

January 23, 2013

Jim Reeves 9-1-1, News , , , , , 1 Comment

Sending text messages to 9-1-1 is something few PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points) are ready to receive.  The ability is in the works, however, and the FCC is working with carriers and 9-1-1 centers to roll out the service beginning this year.  If you attempt to send a text message to a 9-1-1 center that is not capable of receiving it, after June 30, 2013  you will get a “bounce back” message telling you to use other means to reach 9-1-1.  Prior to June 30, you will receive no notice that your message did not go through.  Equipment upgrades and policy decisions must still be implemented in most PSAPs before they will be able to respond to text based 9-1-1 calls.  If you intend to use text messages as a way to contact 9-1-1, you should check with your local PSAP to find out when they will be able to receive and act on your message.  Until then, use voice, TTY, or relay services to reach 9-1-1.

It affects each of us differently, at times

January 13, 2013

Jim Reeves 9-1-1, Humor , , , Leave a comment

A Twitter commentary by an EMT.  Just another day at the office!  Read from the bottom up.

Screen Shot 2013-01-13 at 8.15.50 PM

She sells sea shells down by the seashore…

January 7, 2013

Jim Reeves 9-1-1, commentary, Humor, Personal , , , Leave a comment

Sometimes things look just fine in the brain, but by the time they get to the lips, there’s just no telling what may come out…

Sunday’s fumbly-mumbly radio traffic.

My very first Oyster. San Francisco, December, 2012

January 3, 2013

Jim Reeves 9-1-1, commentary, geek, Personal , , , , , Leave a comment

Wednesday night, December 19, 2012.  Dinner at Pier 23, San Francisco, after a day of dispatcher training class in Pittsburg. My very first experience with oysters on the half shell.  As I said in the video, it’s highly overrated!  Must be one of those “do it because everyone else does” things.  Or maybe it just takes more of them to break through my already impressive stoic-ness.  😉  Oh, and if they’re supposed to be an aphrodisiac, it apparently takes more than just one.  (thank goodness, since I just went back to the hotel room… alone)

 

Santa BOL 2012

December 25, 2012

Jim Reeves 9-1-1, Personal , , Leave a comment

Here’s our Santa BOL (be on the lookout) broadcast for 2012.

Ho Ho Ho…  Happy Holidays!

Official Training, and corruptive training

December 21, 2012

Jim Reeves 9-1-1, commentary, Personal , , , , , , 1 Comment

pitts_photobomb

Will photobombing Jim’s self portrait

So this week I was in the Bay area, specifically Pittsburg, California, for Dispatcher Training, as required by POST, to keep my certification current.  Since Pittsburg is only a 45 minute BART ride from San Francisco, you can be sure we snuck off to see the sights, and tempt fate.

I did two things on this little excursion that I’ve never done before, and since this isn’t Las Vegas, this is (some of) the story!  No names were changed to protect anyone…  as my “about” says, the guilty are hung out to dry!

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9-1-1 Dispatchers hanging up on new A&E show, “Panic 9-1-1”

November 30, 2012

Jim Reeves 9-1-1, commentary , , , , , , 19 Comments

panic-911From A&E’s community message board for their new “reality” show “Panic 911“:

A&E’s new thriller series “Panic 9-1-1” takes 911 calls to a whole new level never seen or heard before on television. Unlike emergency shows of the past, viewers will live inside the calls and experience every harrowing and terrifying moment along with the caller. Every second is real.
One part thriller and one part true-crime show, “Panic 9-1-1” features the real, urgent, unrehearsed, 911 call audio in real-time between emergency dispatchers and frantic callers as life and death situations unfold around them. Each call is a race against time where the dispatcher is the caller’s only lifeline, gathering critical information from the caller to give to first responders. When literally every second counts, getting the right details is crucial. Who lives and who dies remains a mystery until the very end.

In the real world of 9-1-1 dispatching, the verdict is in: this show sucks.

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Which way did he go, George? Which way did he go?

November 8, 2012

Jim Reeves 9-1-1, commentary , , , Leave a comment

Sometimes you just can’t tell who will be able to convey information to you and who will not.  Disregarding folks who are new to an area, or just visiting, there’s still a huge number of people, or so it seems sometimes, who simply don’t know the basics about where they are, and which way is up.

Well, I suppose they can figure out which way is up, but trying to get north, east, south, or west out of them is like pulling those proverbial teeth out of those proverbial hens.  Some folks just have no clue.

Now, they’ll tell us it’s “to the left”, but, really….  that doesn’t help.  Turn around and your “left” is now the opposite direction!  And telling me that it’s now to your right won’t improve the situation!

You guessed it…  another 9-1-1 caller without a clue, calling in on a cell phone.  No idea of the address of the house they live in, no idea which way east is, and unclear on what “get a piece of mail and read me the address” means.

It’s most annoying when they get mad at US for not knowing where THEY are!  I want to reach through that phone and slap them silly.  That’s probably why that particular feature is not activated on our systems.  Part of our job is protecting the public.  Even from us!  😉  Kidding!  (sort of)

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