10-4-2013 Tulare County Sheriff’s Dispatch, Channel 1, south end of Tulare County.
Workin’ the OT
October 4, 2013
9-1-1, geek, Personal 911 dispatch, dispatch, tulare, tulare county sheriff, visalia 1 Comment
9-1-1: “Just the facts, Sir.”
May 8, 2013
9-1-1, commentary 9-1-1, 911, 911 calls, Amanda Berry, Charles Ramsey, Cleveland kidnap victims escape, dispatch, rude dispatcher 3 Comments
Should 9-1-1 operators kiss your ass, or save it?
Recent news coverage of the escape of three women from a decade long imprisonment, after their kidnappings as teens, has many people commenting on a perceived lack of empathy or concern for the victims on the part of the 9-1-1 operators in Cleveland, Ohio. Most of the criticism is unwarranted.
Amanda Berry, the woman who escaped from the house, can be heard calling 9-1-1, here. The call by the man who assisted her, Charles Ramsey, can be heard here. Go listen, then come back and let me give you my take on the calls.
Ok, back? Before we begin, a reminder: I’m a 9-1-1 dispatcher. I’ve been employed in this position by a county Sheriff’s Department in Central California since July of 1994. Which county is not germain, as this commentary is my personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of that agency.
That said, now it’s time to decide – should the 9-1-1 operator kiss your ass, or save it?
It has occurred to me…
August 29, 2012
Gay, Personal boring, dispatch, relationships Leave a comment
It’s a shame there aren’t more (any) out gay deputies at my department. During a quiet spell tonight, I was thinking about the dispatch tradition I’ve been unable to uphold in my 18 years here.
In all those years, I’m pretty sure I’m the only (single) dispatcher that has not had some kind of gossip-worthy relationship with a deputy or officer.
I’m a bit bummed by that.
Oh well, guess it’s just not meant to be.
Really, who could resist this face?
Another Night In Paradise – more or less
July 9, 2010
9-1-1, geek, Personal 9-1-1, dispatch, Jim Reeves, Jimmie Reeves, kc6yru Leave a comment
At work, July 8, 2010.
In the basement dispatch center, telling them where to go. What’s YOUR emergency?
Channel 3 Is Now Closed
June 10, 2010
9-1-1, Humor, Personal Channel 3, Channel Three, close the channel, dispatch, TCSO Radio Leave a comment
Normally, it’s just that… “Visalia One to all units and stations, Channel Three is closed”. Sometimes we get to play a little bit. All unauthorized and unapproved. But fun, anyway!
Call 9-1-1, FIRST!
January 30, 2010
9-1-1, News, Personal 9-1-1, dispatch, emergency, medical aid, stroke Leave a comment
It happened again last night. Someone called for help. The only problem was, they didn’t call 9-1-1! They called family. In another state. Halfway across the country! THAT person called 9-1-1. The trouble with that? 9-1-1 here isn’t the same 9-1-1 there. (It’s not one big room of dispatchers. I can’t stand up and yell “Yo! Boston! Line 3!”) Precious time is ticking away, and the person who needs help is endangering themselves by calling the wrong place. The first person you think of when you need help can’t do much from 2,000 miles away!
New Chairs!
January 27, 2010
News, Personal 9-1-1, chairs, dispatch, ergonomics, sheriff, Tulare County 2 Comments
After much too long, we now have some new chairs in dispatch! Designed for a dispatch center, where furniture must be able to stand up to heavy use 24/7/365, these new chairs are a welcome addition. Our old chairs, although promoted as heavy duty, just were not up to the task. We had bought them locally, from a business supply company, but only companies that understand dispatch centers are really able to design equipment that can handle the demands we place on things. These chairs look like they’ll stand up well, and are very comfortable. The old chairs were literally a pain in my… hips. Thank you Tulare County!
JimmieJoe / KC6YRU 
Want to piss off a dispatcher? Act like you’re the only unit on the radio!
July 5, 2013
Jim Reeves 9-1-1, commentary 9-1-1, dispatch, dispatcher stories, law enforcement, police radio traffic, radio procedures, TCSO, tulare county sheriff 3 Comments
We have procedures officers in the field are supposed to follow on the radio. They are designed to allow the quickest, most efficient transfer of information possible. It really gums up the works, and creates needless stress, when radio traffic is not conducted according to those procedures.
Last night, the 4th of July, was one of those nights that will have me cursing the name of a particular unit for a long time. Those in the know will probably figure out who I mean just from their own knowledge of the departments and personel involved, but I’m not going to name names (or unit numbers!) (even though my “about” blurb says the guilty will be hung out to dry! It is my job, so I have to be minimally diplomatic in this rant. I may still hear about it from upper echelons). I’m going to hope it’s simply a training issue, and not a case of “I’m the most important thing on this radio channel, and you better be able to handle what ever I do regardless of how many other things are going on!”.
How can any unit in the field not realize that there are 20-25 units on the same radio channel, it’s a national holiday, it’s hot as hell, and their dispatch center is a small room in the basement of the jail building? Are you not listening? You just key up and start talking? Really?
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