MY BLOG: October 2009, a crazy month and so emotional

Friday, October 2, 2009

October 2009, a crazy month and so emotional

October is crazy for us. But it's so emotional and so moving. I'm crying.

Mark and Nathan are in Michigan. Amber and Noah went with them. They are attending another 9-1-1 conference for APCO. Mark and Nate have just returned from the Missouri APCO and are off again in Michigan. It was Noah's first plane ride. I wish I was with them but I stayed home with Adam. Adam is such a cutie. It's been wonderful but I'm missing Mark and Nathan.

Next week Mark, Nathan and I will be going to Colorado for another conference in Longmont.

The following week Mark and Nathan go to Springfield, Illinois. Yes, another conference.

And then the last week of October to Wisconsin.

Nathan is speaking at all of them. The outpouring of support has been indescribable. So many 9-1-1 telecommunicators being touched by this story. I can't describe the letters and emails we receive.

Also this month we have a float in the Sun Fiesta Parade held in Venice, Florida just north of us. We'll also have a booth. And another booth at the Placida Seafood Festival.

Many still ask what our purpose is. Well, Nathan tells Denise's story. Then he goes into problems in the 9-1-1 industry that need addressing. That call takers and dispatchers, in many places, are underpaid, underappreciated and the first to be thrown under the bus when tragedies and/or cut backs occur. 9-1-1 telecommunicators are our "true" first responders and deserve respect where in many places there is none. Without them the firefighters would never get to the fire, the EMTs would never get to the medical emergency and the police cannot prevent certain crimes in progress. He explains why he thinks they needs standards and certification. How they DESERVE that. It's not fair that some counties and townships do not have the same technologies and training standards others do. Also not everyone is capable of doing the 9-1-1 telecommunicators job. Some people are just not cut out for the job! It takes a special person to be a 9-1-1 telecommunicator. A person who has compassion, can think outside the box, make quicker than quick decision, multi-task, and work with dilegence. To get these people and "retain" them they need to be recognized. That there should be quality assurance always. A CELL PHONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE LOCATED BY 9-1-1. Sadly, it takes a tragedy such as Denise's to bring this to light to the general public. The general public needs to be educated as to the proper use of 9-1-1. They need to know that consumer cell phone technology has advanced at such a rapid rate that the 9-1-1 centers cannot keep up unless they receive more funding. Oh, boy. I really ran away with that but as you know I could talk about 9-1-1 24/7.

All good things.

Then at the very end of the month is the Spencer Hearing. Ugh! Apparently Spencer Hearings are unique to Florida. The jury found King guilty and "recommended" to the judge he receive death. Now the prosecutors and the defense go before the judge without the jury and go over the mitigating and aggravating factors all over again. We all get to read our impact statements and we have to go through it all again. I could just scream.

So.... October is busy. It's good. Denise will not die in vain. Michael King cannot hurt anyone else. Noah took his first plane ride. Adam can count to ten and recite his ABCs. Adam refuses to let me read to him and insists reading to me even though he's just turned two. And life goes on. I think and pray Denise would be proud.

Attn: Cell Phone Users

I'm adapting this from a pamphlet Mark picked up from the California NENA conference out in San Diego.

When Dialing 9-1-1 From Your Cell Phone

1. Call only for immediate emergency assistance - medical, fire, or police.

2. Be prepared to provide your location and any essential information the dispatcher may need.

3. Stay on the line until told to hang up. You may be transferred to another agency.

added edit

Cell phones cannot "text" 9-1-1. During the Virginia Tech massacre, many students tried texting 9-1-1 because they were afraid the killer would hear them.

Do not assume 9-1-1 can find you when using a cell phone. Cell phone signals go to the nearest "available" tower.

IMO, always call 9-1-1 in an emergency unless you are sure others have already called.

And, IMO, if you are distraught, if possible have a neighbor or other family member call 9-1-1 for you. They will most likely be able to listen and give clearer instructions.

Help Reduce Unnecessary Calls

Use non-emergency numbers for your local law enforcement agency when you do not need immediate assistance.

If medical, fire or police are already on scene, it is not necessary to call 9-1-1 again. Instead, call a non-emergency number if you have additional information and witnessed the incident.

Do not call 9-1-1 for non-emergecy incidents (i.e., requesting road conditions, asking why traffic is backed up, requesting driving directions, or other similar reasons). Be prepared; contact your local FHP (Florida Highway Patrol) office directly, using a non-emergency number.

Use or maintain a landline at home and at work for 9-1-1 calls, as the dispatcher is more likely to get accurate location information from a landline.

Using 9-1-1 in non-emergency situations prevents critical emergencies from being attended to.

DID YOU KNOW?

Almost everyone in the U.S. owns a cell phone and some households do not use a landline at all. Consequently, hundreds of thousands of wireless 9-1-1 calls are made daily nationwide.

Far too many cellular 9-1-1 phone calls, both non-emergency and repeat calls for the same incident, are tying up the 9-1-1 phone system. This results in unnecessary busy signals, disconnects, and delays in dispatch time for ture 9-1-1 emergency calls.

Not every 9-1-1 call is answered by your local law enforcement agency. Cell phone providers try to calculate you approximate location using cell towers or satellite positioning. If they cannot, the call will likely default to the Florida Highway Patrol and then be transferred to the appropriate agency. This means that non-emergency or repeat calls are wasting critical minutes or dispatchers' time.

If you call 9-1-1 from you cell phone or an inactive phone, your phone number and location information may not be available to the dispatcher. Know your surroundings (street address, landmarks, mileposts) when calling 9-1-1. This will save valuable seconds in an emergency.

Avoid accidental 9-1-1 calls

Accidental cell phone calls can congest the 9-1-1 phone system. Accidental calls occur when the phone is placed in a pocket, belt clip, or purse, and a pre-programmed emergency button is bumped. Even a locked phone can dial 9-1-1.

Help Avoid Accidental Calls With the Following Tips

Do not hang up on an accidental 9-1-1 call. Inform the dispatcher that the call was an accident before you hang up.

Do not pre-program 9-1-1 into your or your child's cell phone's speed dial. This can lead to accidental calls.

Teach your child how and when to dial 9-1-1 from a cell phone. Train them to press 9-1-1 and the "send" button only in an emergency.

Even cell phones without active service can dial 9-1-1. Take batteries out of cell phones before recycling them or giving them to a child to play with.

Don't call 9-1-1 to check to see if you cell phone works. 9-1-1 is to be used for emergency calls only.

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Friday, October 2, 2009

October 2009, a crazy month and so emotional

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Attn: Cell Phone Users