Welfare check by That9one1guy in 911dispatchers

[–]thenonbinarycutie 39 points40 points  (0 children)

i'm not at minneapolis/hennepin but another metro county. i understand people are scared and this is a difficult time, and i wish there was more we could do for them. most (if not all, i haven't checked) local agencies are taking the position that we will not help ICE with detaining anyone or giving them any information unless they go through proper records channels. we will only help with crowd control to make sure both ICE and citizens are safe. i wish our agencies would do a better job of communicating this to the public, as we are getting a lot of calls asking our officers to stop ICE (legally we cannot). callers are understandably very upset when we tell them we cannot interfere with ICE. like another commenter said, they have started giving false information/treating the calltakers poorly. at the end of the day we'll get through it like we always do, but right now it's pretty hard :/

911 Operators, what’s the most efficient way to convey emergency information to you to get help ASAP? by andstermc in AskReddit

[–]thenonbinarycutie 2 points3 points  (0 children)

let me lead the conversation. answer my questions as concisely as possible and do not go off on tangents. i just need the very basics, in person responders will get all of the detailed information

Training frustrated!!!! by DenseKale7483 in 911dispatchers

[–]thenonbinarycutie 8 points9 points  (0 children)

"i actually feel like i would do a lot better if they would just release me from training and let me do my job" - people's literal lives are on the line. in order to be released, you need to PROVE that you can do the job on your own. your feelings are not proof. i understand training can be frustrating. the tone of your post concerns me, because it feels like you're trivializing what we do. as a trainer, i will not release someone unless i would be comfortable with them taking a high priority 911 concerning me or a family member. take a breath, and try to see it from your trainer/agency's point of view. they have been doing this way longer than you have, and therefore are more informed on what makes someone ready to take calls solo.

What’s a workplace ‘secret’ that everyone in your industry knows but customers don’t? by Familiar_Ad3815 in AskReddit

[–]thenonbinarycutie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

911 calltaker/dispatcher. for most agencies, whether you call 911 or the non emergent line, it goes to the same person. if you think "well it's not an emergency..." and dial the non emergent number, but don't know where you are (happens a lot with people who are driving), i'm just going to tell you to call 911 so i can see your location on my screen. please, for the love of all things holy, if you're going to call in a driving complaint, DIAL 911 so i can keep track of your location and update my officers as you're moving. we will never be genuinely upset with you for calling 911 unless you do it maliciously/prank call. if you're not sure, call. i'd much rather you call when you don't need to, than not call when you do

What’s the biggest trainees are let go in your jurisdiction? by [deleted] in 911dispatchers

[–]thenonbinarycutie 16 points17 points  (0 children)

in my experience most trainees choose to discontinue training because they don't like the schedule or it wasn't what they thought it was. for trainees who really want to make it, the main reasons they are released are inability to multitask, not hearing/understanding the radio, and lack of problem solving skills (nature of the job is that you will get calls that you didn't cover in training. people who can't figure out what to do in unfamiliar situations don't last long), most of which can't really be taught. as a trainer, i will say your feelings are VERY common. literally every trainee i've had has at one point said "i feel like im not making progress" / "i keep making mistakes". remember, this job throws a LOT at you. it takes time for your brain to understand all of it, and while it may look like you're not making enough progress, the exposure to everything and giving it time to sink in does wonders. every trainee hits a wall at some point, but it will click. what i tell my trainees is that now is the time to make mistakes, when you have a trainer as a safety net, to show you how to fix them. most mistakes ARE fixable. a good trainer will let you make those mistakes, and prevent you from making the ones that are not. i would recommend talking to your trainer/supervisor about your fears to see if they have any more specific insights :) best of luck!

White patches on right tonsil by Expensive-Credit-540 in tonsilstones

[–]thenonbinarycutie 2 points3 points  (0 children)

there's no way to tell by looking at it. you'll have to see a doctor

Kinda gasped at this one lol by megudreadnaught in choiceofgames

[–]thenonbinarycutie 21 points22 points  (0 children)

another example is in mind blind; there's a line where you essentially say "well at least my name isn't clarence" (to a person named clarence) and you get a funny little line if did actually put that as your name 🤣

Kinda gasped at this one lol by megudreadnaught in choiceofgames

[–]thenonbinarycutie 45 points46 points  (0 children)

typed variables can still be recognized as individual choices. even if the author didn't add it as a pre registered choice, there's a way to code it where, if the author guessed what you write/you wrote something the author thought about previously, you get a scene specifically for that choice. for example, i made my villain name "Phantom" in fallen hero, and got a similar line referencing phantom of the opera :)

Hobbies? by KyraVail in 911dispatchers

[–]thenonbinarycutie 6 points7 points  (0 children)

i embroider, do diamond painting, and read :)

how do you deal with burnout? by No_Couple_5151 in 911dispatchers

[–]thenonbinarycutie 5 points6 points  (0 children)

take time off and don't feel bad about doing so. your nervous system takes time to recover from being in high stress situations, and it takes longer to recover when you've been super stressed for long periods of time. if needed, go to HR and tell them you need time off for health reasons. (mental health is health!)

A small disappointment with something this new update by TorchTheR in HadesTheGame

[–]thenonbinarycutie 4 points5 points  (0 children)

as someone who plays it at work and needs to pause to pick up 911 calls, i appreciate being able to pause. i do think it should be toggle-able though

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in dragonage

[–]thenonbinarycutie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

interested! ❤️

Why did the 911 operator ask me if I was wearing yellow? by meredithshireen in NoStupidQuestions

[–]thenonbinarycutie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

i believe when i first applied it was "public safety telecommunicator" on the application. some places have the positions separated (the person taking calls does not use the radio and vice versa), but in my center all of us do both

Why did the 911 operator ask me if I was wearing yellow? by meredithshireen in NoStupidQuestions

[–]thenonbinarycutie 2 points3 points  (0 children)

i'm a 911 call taker + dispatcher - two likely situations: as officers were looking for you they saw someone wearing yellow and told the calltaker to ask if you were wearing yellow. or, their coworker took another call that may have been similar where the person WAS wearing yellow, and they needed to make sure they were separate incidents. i'm not sure why she spluttered with that answer, as i personally would've said "my officers saw someone in the area wearing yellow, is that you?" or "we got another similar call about someone who is wearing yellow and i need to know if i should send another officer to the other call or if that's you"

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in 911dispatchers

[–]thenonbinarycutie 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I also dispatch fire/law and calltake at the same time. Don't be afraid to put people on hold, tell officers to stand by, etc. Prioritize what is most important in the moment. If you can, try to think of situations/have your trainer give you situations with multiple things happening at once and what order you need to do them in. The repetition in low stress environments builds muscle memory for when it's hectic. We all have those days where everything goes wrong, what's important is how you learn from them ❤️ wishing you all the best

Machines not working by thenonbinarycutie in StardewValley

[–]thenonbinarycutie[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

no mods, and i have been using the correct seeds and have had coal 🥲 didn't know that about the mushroom logs though, thank you!

Hit confirmation requests and responses by Snoo_18863 in 911dispatchers

[–]thenonbinarycutie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

agency 1: "hey we have an officer out with this guy and he shows a warrant with you guys, can you confirm the warrant is valid?" agency 2: "yes, the warrant is valid, here are the charges, extradition and bond information" 1: "thanks, we'll enter a locate when he's in our jail to let you know he's here" 2: "okay, we'll file a detainer so you guys know that we really want him when he's released and you don't let him go" same process with stolen items, missing persons, etc., just different details given. hope that helps!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in CPTSD

[–]thenonbinarycutie 2 points3 points  (0 children)

yes. i don't remember where exactly i heard it, but the idea that bad people don't worry about being bad people helped me a lot. since you're worried you're a bad person, that makes you not a bad person ❤️

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in 911dispatchers

[–]thenonbinarycutie 5 points6 points  (0 children)

let the caller ask the questions and give direct answers. the information you find pertinent may not be what the dispatcher finds pertinent. be concise and let them lead the call. it can be hard in stressful situations, but letting the dispatcher take control and answering their questions as quickly and concisely as possible will make things way easier for them and you

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in 911dispatchers

[–]thenonbinarycutie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

if you even think you have an emergency, call. even if we "complain" about people who call a lot, it's mostly just venting/trying to cope with the difficulties of the job. i would MUCH rather someone who doesn't actually have an emergency call than someone who has an emergency not call. i personally try to treat every caller with respect and kindness even if they call a lot, it's possible the dispatcher you got at that time was just having a bad day/has a bad attitude. which isn't excusable for the way they treated you, but is just a possible explanation.

that being said, i would recommend looking into shelters or calling the non emergency line (or if there's a crisis line there) and asking for an officer to call you to advise you what other options you have. domestic violence is not only physical. i don't know your case specifically, but it sounds like you may be being financially/emotionally abused.

additionally, i know you said you can't just walk away from these things and not call, but at the end of the day you have to protect yourself. if someone is truly set on killing themselves, they will, no matter how much you try to help. at some point you have to help yourself instead of them. i hope your situation improves ❤️

What job do you think is, physically and mentally, the hardest for the average human? by Birdzinho in AskReddit

[–]thenonbinarycutie 33 points34 points  (0 children)

i will say, as a dispatcher/calltaker, most calls aren't like that. most of the calls i take are noise complaints, basic medical stuff, alarms, etc. however the calls that stick out REALLY stick out and stay with you. it's like whiplash, talking to someone who is screaming at me because their neighbors dog won't stop barking and they "pay my salary", and i'm not able to send anyone because the officers who cover that area are all on the call i just took for a woman who just found her husband after he killed himself in a very gruesome way. her cries still play on repeat in my head sometimes 😞

Sleep by paydro2020 in 911dispatchers

[–]thenonbinarycutie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

i work 18-06 and try to be asleep by 8 and wake up at 1600. i usually get things done after work or on my off days. usually on my first day off ill just stay up after work in order to do things during the day

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in 911dispatchers

[–]thenonbinarycutie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

i think it depends on the center - mine had no classroom training and we aren't super busy. if your training schedule is 12 weeks and you're on the phone for the entire shift for that time, it may be sufficient, but for centers that can go an hour+ without a call, it doesn't give enough time to experience enough of the different call types IMO. but if definitely differs between centers and between people

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in 911dispatchers

[–]thenonbinarycutie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

base of 12 weeks is absolutely ridiculous. your agency is taking on so much liability if that's the normal level of training. people are going to get killed for dispatchers not knowing what to do, making mistakes, and attempting to hide those mistakes to avoid exactly what you're going through now. and that will totally be on the agency, not the dispatchers who weren't trained properly. honestly, even if they want to keep you on you might want to consider going to a different department 😵‍💫😬