I have to say I love working the 3-11 shift. I had been complaining that I hadn't gotten any overtime lately because our scheduler had been giving it all to one dispatcher. Well, we sent him home again this evening with some medical issues, and then the fun began.

First call involved a weapon, the next involved a toddler wandering down the road wearing nothing but a diaper, and finally a medical call that was really strange. A 911 call with no one on the other side...all I could hear was a television in the background and some faint noises that sounded like either a moan or whimper.

Get 1st responders enroute and they call for PD because they can't get in the house and someone is calling for help inside.

It all ended well...although that was all within 2.5 hours. :)

Now to my actual shift...what do you call a verbal domestic when the parties involved are deaf?

That's been the running call of the night, we're back over there now for the second time in an hour. Throw in a civil custody dispute and it's a good night :)

Of course, if my guys knew I was enjoying this, I'd be outta luck!

And so it begins :)

It appears I've started a new journey :)

I guess the one of the best things about being young is that I can still change my mind. I've spent the last two and a half years preparing myself to go to law school, mostly because of my random sense of justice, ignoring the fact that emergency services is my actual passion.

I spent four years working disaster relief with the Red Cross before moving to my current hometown. Survived house fires, canteens, ice storms, and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and loved every minute of it.

So, consequently, I'm starting reserve CLEET and transferring at the first of the year and changing my major to Emergency Management.

It's been an interesting evening so far, came on shift in the middle of an assault call, and just a few minutes ago a EOD request/domestic issue decided to come visit the PD.

I'm kinda tired so being busy is good :)

You're a good dispatcher when you can empathize with whoever is on the other side of the radio or phone line. However, when you hang up the phone and feel like taking a moment, you're too close and emotions are clouding judgement.

Not saying this is a bad thing, especially if you don't have the opportunity to decompress afterwards.

So far in the last week, received an attended death notification of a lady who I've known nearly the entire time I've lived here. Talk about surreal :)

On to happier decompressing topics, I've been combing through numerous websites attempting to gather my duty gear. This whole decision to go to cleet has incited major family issues.

Let's just say that there are some religious issues which have previously prevented me from doing a lot of the things I've wanted to do, as far as dress goes. I've made some decisions over the last several months to move away from a lot of these ideas. And, as I've tried to explain to my parents, I'm not doing away with God...just some of the rules that I was raised with.

We'll see, perhaps I'll be living under a bridge eventually :))

I almost thought tonight was Monday, luckily I wasn't the only one running late :)

It's been an interesting week already. I had to work a partial shift on days, Wednesday and it was actually nice to be at work with other people who are at the station and can have actual conversation! I love my guys, but, they are definitely guys.

It also gave me the chance to experience types of calls I haven't had before, including the ones that dispatchers all hear about and hope they never have to take. The classic panicked, incoherent, and scattered caller who is unable to calm down long enough to even give an address. Fortunately, there was another person with her who was able to advise me that they would not need the ambulance they would be going to the hospital POV. Sadly, as I learned later, two children were injured which prompted the call. Both were evac'd to separate children's hospitals. that call ...pretty much sucked.

I have to say I'm kinda proud of myself, I was calm, persistent, asked all the right questions.. :) I'm getting the hang of this thing. Now, we'll see how the reserve officer experience turns out!

One last thing... I admire and applaud anyone who dispatches for an ambulance service or any other Emergency medical service exclusively... I couldn't say some of the stuff they have to say over the radio and maintain a straight face...

It's Friday, thank God. I'm going to attempt to actually get something accomplished on my days off this week. The parentals are leaving town this week so I might be able to get into some trouble on my two days off. We'll see how that goes :)
I started working to get into shape for reserve school, it's not as hard as I thought it would be, however in a week I might say something else. It was almost abysmally quiet last week, everyone may have been recovering from the holiday. So hopefully, next week will pass faster than this week did.

I'm not exactly sure what I've gotten myself into this time. :) It has all the potential of being a lot of fun and I might never do anything else again.

I was talking to the Chief last week and he asked me about getting on as a reserve officer. I told him that would be something I would possibly be interested in, just not right away. Well, let's just say that I somehow managed to get roped in attending reserve school in July and took my crazy test this afternoon.

One thing about the test - if I wasn't crazy before,I sure as hell am now :)

It's a nice Friday night, not too busy so far just steady. Syfy channel has been running reruns of old shows such as X-files and Stargate, I'm just desperate enough that I've been sucked in every night this week.

And let's just say that it apparently works to keep the phones quiet :)

Well, it's Monday for me, back in the chair behind the radio. Truthfully, this operation is on such a smaller scale than even the County Communications center that it makes me laugh sometimes.

We only run five agencies primarily and on occasion the state troopers or deputies will switch over if they're helping out locally. I've always been a fan of information, it didn't really matter if I was repeating it or not, I just like to know...some people call that nosiness :)

In a small town, the rumors definitely fly and somehow we manage to hear a large amount of them. Sometimes, the information is useful, mostly it's just simply for entertainment value.

I finally managed to wrangle a ride-along last Monday night, I can't really say if I'm relieved it was completely dead or if I'm slightly disappointed. :) Pretty sure the officer I rode with was glad it was quiet. He points to the console near his knee and says, switch for the shotgun is right here, chamber, safety off, pull the trigger. I just nod and smile.

It is summer, I'm (semi) anxiously awaiting the 4th of July and the ensuing cluster that will transpire. Our town hosts one of the largest fireworks displays in the Southern part of the state and all the crazies show up for it. Festivities start that morning and continue on until well after dark when the main event occurs.

We shall see how my trial by fire(works) goes...