My Worst Call Will Linger in My Mind Forever
“911 your calls recorded, how may we help you?” Too calmly: “My baby’s not breathing, can you help me?”
First 911 Call
My first ever 911 call was in July of 2000 on the graveyard shift. A female called saying that someone trying to get into her back door, I immediately started officer her way and stayed …
From Streamers to Stress
NPSTW 2017 started out as an agency wide celebration and recognition of Suffield’s three (3) full-time and two (2) part-time Public Safety Dispatchers. The Police Chief’s Executive Assistant and Records Clerk had snuck in Sunday …
New Year’s Eve
Many years ago I was working the 3pm to 11pm shift on December 31st. I got a call around 11 pm from a man who said he was going to kill himself at midnight and he …
Lost Boy
I started my career in 1978, working for the Casper, WY, Police Department. I hadn’t been there long when I took a phone call from a frantic mother saying that her 6 year old son …
The Call That I Won’t Forget
It was a slow weekend morning in the tiny suburban city that I used to work for. You were my first and only call that day. As I was saying “911, where’s your emergency”, I …
Officer Needs Assistance
It was not “my officer” but his cries for help pierced my soul just the same. “I have been shot!” are four words no dispatcher ever wants to hear whether the officer is of their …
Helping Hand
I began my life venture on the private side of Public Safety for a gated community. We were sworn officer, first responder, convenience officer and the list goes on. I worked there for over 10 …
It Was Good to Know You
Early in my career, probably in 2004 or so I received a call from a man who lived in one of our unincorporated communities, I can no longer remember his name, but I will never …
Team Work
At approximately 1300 on June 7, 2016 we received a phone call from a very distressed young man who, along with two friends, were tubing on the Arkansas River in Pueblo County when their tube …
Thunderbird Down
On June 2, 2016 the U.S. Air Force Academy was hosting the U.S. President for the 2016 commencement exercise and the Air Force Thunderbirds were in town for their flyover of the graduation ceremony. Beginning …
Two Year Old Having a Seizure
I was working day shift on Thursday August 4, 2016 at the Call Taker position for the Wood County Central Communications Center aka Wood County E911. I took a 911 call of a 2 year …
Suicidal Victim Gets Help
On December 20, 2016 at 10:15 a.m., Dispatcher Catie Guzman was on duty in the Communications Center for the University at Buffalo Police. The semester had just ended at UB and most of the students …
Guardian of the County
I have had the pleasure of being a 911 dispatcher for police, fire and rescue for a little over ten years. I have taken more calls then I could even begin to count; some good, …
Baby not Breathing
It was 0715 on my last night shift right before I was getting off at 0730 of my last shift for 4 days. 911 line rang and I answer to hear a mother that told …
That Moment…
January 5, 2016, started out like any other day shift. Day was busy with calls coming in asking for every division within the department except for Dispatch. Detectives were running in and out of the …
Code Blue
I talked to you while you were home alone having a heart attack and couldn’t breathe. You quit talking to me before the paramedics arrived. I stayed on the line in case you had just …
Goodbye my friend
I was on duty when a call came in from a tower that was not in our jurisdiction. I answered the phone and a male said he wanted to report someone dead in their vehicle. …
Saving a Life
This occurred more than a decade ago. I received a call from a frightened, distraught woman. She purchased a pair of shoes that he husband disapproved of, either because she was not allowed to spend …
Just Today
So many of the stories over the years you think you will remember, just seem to blend into each other because what we do is just a day at work. We only dispatch LE so …
