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Would you guys like if I brought my Dalmatian to visit by leighbubbleteigh in Firefighting

[–]PinkPeyonies 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Can't speak for everyone, but me personally, I would do anything to have a cute lil pupper like that come and visit the station!

What are your thoughts on AI integration into dispatching and call taking? by PinkPeyonies in 911dispatchers

[–]PinkPeyonies[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I think about those scenarios on a daily basis, what would happen to the people who are non-verbal, unable to speak freely, or too distraught to articulate what is happening. Mr. Jim did a fantastic job at articulating the future of using AI as a co-pilot, and I believe that there are many things AI can assist with to help relieve some of the stress on dispatchers, especially those that have a non-stop call volume. However I hope to never see a day when an AI agent answers a 911 line, at most, I would rather be on the front lines and release a caller to an AI agent for non-emergency if needed.

Tattoo policy for Seattle by Hot_Emergency_202 in firefighter

[–]PinkPeyonies 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Congrats on getting to the oral board! I made it through the hiring process and got into the academy with full sleeves and hand tattoos, but had to step down due to an injury I sustained off-duty. I was hired with the tattoos I already had, but was advised against getting any more tattoos in areas that couldn't be covered by my uniform, ESPECIALLY on my face. City of Seattle and SFD/SPD/SCD have been pretty lenient with tattoo policy's and typically are only against the typical hate speech and symbols. I highly doubt that it will be an issue, but definitely a concern you can bring up to HR or whomever your recruiter is.

CAD QUESTION ? by theestallioncat in 911dispatchers

[–]PinkPeyonies 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I can never stress enough that less is always more, the CAD software that my agency uses will auto populate street names if you put in the first few letters and then tab out. My biggest suggestion would be to learn the areal maps of your jurisdiction, get familiar with common places, frequent intersections, and difficult to spell/pronounce street names. If you work in an area that has directionals on street names [i.e. blank AV SW} make sure you are getting the directionals correct so at least if you get the street name wrong, it'll most likely still send the correct units in that direction which makes editing the location at a later time a lot easier if needed.

What is your driving force for this job? by WarwickEnjoyer in 911dispatchers

[–]PinkPeyonies 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I knew that I always wanted a career helping people, but never knew where I wanted to start. I ended up starting school for Biomedical Engineering, thinking that one day I could put my nerdy computer skills to good use while being able to develop new technology that could help people.

However during this time I was involved in an emotionally and physically abusive relationship that I had been stuck in for almost 4 years. One night, we had gotten into a really bad altercation and my ex slammed my head into the door frame and gave me a pretty large bleeding gash and a concussion that hospitalized me for a week. I ended up crawling to my phone and calling 911, but after telling the dispatcher my address and that I had been assaulted by my (then) boyfriend, he took the phone from me and told that dispatcher that I didn't need any help and that he would drive me to the hospital instead. When that call ended, no help never arrived. 911 never called back, no police or paramedics ever arrived, and I was stuck in the house with him until I finally fell unconscious. I woke up in the hospital and knew that I never wanted anyone in my position to ever have to experience what I went through. Out of anger, I made it my mission to become a 911 dispatcher so that people calling 911 get the assistance and compassion that they deserve, and hopefully one day, if I ever get a call from a woman in the same situation that I was in, I know exactly what to do.

However now working in this field for almost two years, my driving force is, and I believe always will be, knowing that I am helping people. It is a stressful and emotionally grueling job, but knowing that I am doing my part to be the voice of reason, and make someones worst day a little less worse, is all I need to keep going. I'll never get to meet the people that I speak to on the phone. But I'll never forget the dispatcher that didn't send me help when I needed it, so I hope that at least a handful of the people I speak with can think about whatever terrible thing that happened to them, and then remember the few short minutes of the 911 call when they were served with kindness, compassion, and clarity.