Top products from r/911dispatchers

We used to have a binder in our comm center where we would transcribe some of the funnier conversations. It was only for our amusement. It had some pretty good ones in there, but eventually people forgot about it. I have no idea where it is now. I have seen published books but I honestly can't believe there is that huge of a market for them.

Some people take the prescription Provigil to increase alertness while awake, but i've found a lot of success with over the counter like this one

I ended up returning my blackout curtains to Amazon before even using them because I found this sleep mask that had built in Bluetooth. It blocks out light really well and I use the sleep meditations in the Insight Timer app to fall asleep. I find the guided meditations work best for me rather than just background sounds. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QJ1JZK6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2nzxDbB7DHGYM

e911 has been an awesome investment. We quickly forget that in most part of the worlds, including very developed countries, there is no automatic geolocation that comes from the caller if he is using a mobile phone.

See for instance the hiker who was found 9 days later in Italia because he was not able to give his location to the dispatcher after falling in a ravine.

Obviously in these countries, the next step is to deploy something similar to e911 (could be AML).

For people who venture in remote locations with no cell coverage, Garmin inReach satellite communicators are awesome. I have the mini and it's great. 2-way SMS-like communication with an emergency call center all over the world with GPS positioning.

There is a slippery slope between a drink to get through a really hard day, then a drink to get through a sort of hard day, and then a drink to get through every day.

I don't mean to sound alarmist about it but there is a reason alcoholism tends to run in the industry. If its just a bad day, walk it off, move on. If its more, please consider speaking to someone and getting support.

Also, I always recommend Gilmartin's Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement even though its meant for officers' it applies to first responders in general.

Did you end up finding the curtains? I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CS31QE0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and they work quite well!

Something like this? I've been wearing them in black for 15+ years.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EHB54S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_fBNuDbXDB8FFA

I use the alligator clips from this badge holder set. Just wrap the loop around two coils of the headset cord to keep it from sliding up/down the cord.

> we would be better off to allow them to leave the dispatch area, walk around the block or something to not only exercise the body, but to clear the mind as well.

the thought of this is nice, but if you're halfway around the block on a stroll and shit goes down, you won't hear the radio traffic/phone ringing/whatever and it will take you more than a few minutes to get back. a treadmill in the next room means you can still hear everything that's going on in the office and get back to your console immediately if you need to.

if your dispatchers have said they aren't interested in treadmills, maybe ask them what they are interested in? our office has talked about under desk ellipticals (like this). we don't use foot pedals but i'd imagine those are small enough that they wouldn't be in the way too much.