LifeLine 911
LifeLine
In the rapidly-shifting world for First Responders where it seems that everyday the rules and norms are changing, there is one voice you can count on to give you the latest in Emergency News: that is LifeLine.
The LifeLine911 podcast's mission is to discuss issues and stories related to Emergency response services, with specific emphasis on Emergency Communication.
LifeLine911 is hosted by Erica Roberts, a veteran of over twenty years in the Emergency Communications industry and instructor of training techniques in an ECOMM environment.
Our goal is for the podcast to be interesting to professionals within the field and welcoming to those who have an interest in it. To that end, we highly encourage those who have questions or if you would like to be a guest on the show to email us at [email protected] with any questions you would like to have answered on the show.
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Top 10 LifeLine 911 Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best LifeLine 911 episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to LifeLine 911 for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite LifeLine 911 episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
LifeLine Ep 37 - Trauma in the Field
LifeLine 911
10/21/24 • 41 min
Across many police, fire and medical agencies in the United States, there are individuals who assist with traumatic calls. These are sometimes known as crisis counselors, or perhaps victim services, but regardless of what their title is, their job is the same: to assist those who are going through powerfully emotional events to get to the other side of them. Joining us this week to discuss these issues is Connie Geerhart, a crisis counselor with almost three decades of experience in the field.
As always, if you have any questions or comments on the show, or you would like to connect with us, please send us an email to [email protected].
LifeLine Ep 41 - 10-Codes
LifeLine 911
11/18/24 • 33 min
One of the most iconic parts of the first responder profession, especially that of law enforcement, is the use of 10-codes. These are numbers which take the place of other words, phrases, or situations that can be used in lieu of the "plain language" of just stating what you mean to say. For instance, instead of saying "Okay", or "Acknowledged", a person speaking with 10-codes may just say "10-4", one of the most popular of the 10-ocdes. This coded language provides a sense of comradery, community, and culture to those who use it, but there are drawbacks to it as well. A big one is that not all agencies use the same 10-codes when they speak, meaning one agency's 10-32 is a cat in a tree and another's might be a suspect armed with a gun. Join your host Erica as we discuss this week our thoughts on 10-codes.
As always, if you have any questions or comments on the show, or you would like to connect with us, please send us an email to [email protected].
LifeLine Ep 33 - System of a Down: Crowdstrike
LifeLine 911
09/23/24 • 42 min
In July of 2024, the software company Crowdstrike released an update for its software which caused computers using it to malfunction and cease operations. These systems included everything from airlines to trains to hospitals, and even emergency services. How can a 911 agency respond to loosing such key tools in it's arsenal to help serve the public? Joining us this week is our guest, Tatiana Rivera, who was the on-duty supervisor the night that her agency experienced the system failure and what she and her team did to overcome it.
As always, if you have any questions or comments on the show, or you would like to connect with us, please send us an email to [email protected].
LifeLine Ep 34 - Ted Talk: The Hero's Choice
LifeLine 911
09/30/24 • 50 min
For every hero behind the headset, the day-to-day stresses of the job can quickly build and create tension in your life. This tension can lead to mistakes at work and disaster at home. But there are paths you can take to avoid that, and understanding the problem is the first step to take. Joining us this week is Ted Bourgeois, the director of education at American Emergency Preparedness (AEP), who has a career spanning four decades in emergency services to talk about the physicals and emotional challenges "stress" can bring on and, more importantly, how to overcome it.
As always, if you have any questions or comments on the show, or you would like to connect with us, please send us an email to [email protected].
LifeLine Ep 42 - FOIA For You & FOIA For Me
LifeLine 911
11/25/24 • 26 min
The Freedom of Information Act, FOIA for short, is an act passed by the United States Congress with many states having passed similar laws. This allows citizens to petition their government for information on any number of topics, from salaries of government officials to 9-1-1 emergency calls. This has allowed a greater degree of transparency in the government but has also allowed for some nefarious actors to take advantage of the rules. This is especially true in the realm of law enforcement. Join your host Erica as we discuss the Freedom of Information Act and the impacts that it has on law enforcement and especially emergency communications.
As always, if you have any questions or comments on the show, or you would like to connect with us, please send us an email to [email protected].
LifeLine Ep 38 - Many Hats
LifeLine 911
10/28/24 • 46 min
In different agencies around the country emergency operators are tasked with various jobs. Some agencies have their workforce clearly demarcated between "call takers" (those who process the incoming 9-1-1 calls) and "dispatchers" (those who send those 9-1-1 calls out to field units). Some agencies have their telecommunicators do both. We have generally talked about agencies who have the split approach, but there are unique challenges and opportunities for those who work in centers where they both process and send on emergency calls. Joining us this week is one such operator, Alex Chiasson from the town of Waltham, Massachusetts, to discuss how that works.
As always, if you have any questions or comments on the show, or you would like to connect with us, please send us an email to [email protected].
LifeLine Ep 27 - Complacency: The Silent Killer
LifeLine 911
08/12/24 • 55 min
For those of us in the emergency communications profession, as in any profession, one of the most challenging obstacles to overcome is complacency; the feeling of confidence in oneself which lowers one's guard and causes unforced errors to occur. How can a 911 call taker or dispatcher overcome such an issue, especially when given the stakes of our profession are literally life or death? Join your host Erica this week as she discusses what complacency is and how it can be overcome. Special guest this week is Justin Prescott, the director of operations for Ameri-Prep (AEP) to help unravel this complicated issue.
LifeLine Ep 07 - The Invisible Line
LifeLine 911
03/18/24 • 34 min
In any large enough group of people, there are bound to be those who feel disconnected from others and from the organization as a whole. So too it sometimes is with Emergency Communicators, the 911 Call Takers and Police Dispatchers who serve their community. This invisible line which separates the two groups can take many forms, can be conscious or subconscious, benign or malignant, but always harms the unity of mission for the center. In this episode, join your host Erica as she discusses some of the effects of this unwanted division and some methods for fighting against it.
03/11/24 • 34 min
In the previous episode, we discussed several methods that Emergency Communications personnel could take care of themselves to have long, successful, and happy careers in the field. In this episode, we discuss pitfalls to avoid in the industry that make it hard to thrive and can lead down paths of despair. Take it from Erica, these are things which you absolutely want to avoid.
LifeLine Ep 44 - From Console to Car
LifeLine 911
12/09/24 • 55 min
Many of those in the emergency telecommunications profession choose to make that their life-long career, spending decades serving the public by answering the call and dispatching units to the scene. But, for a large percentage of those who don the headsets, they yearn for wearing the badge as a sworn officer. While many police officers go straight into the profession, there is something to be said about getting your feet wet by spending some time to understand the communications aspect of law enforcement. Joining us this week is our guest, Sarah Foster who served as a police dispatcher for two years before becoming a police officer.
As always, if you have any questions or comments on the show, or you would like to connect with us, please send us an email to [email protected].
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FAQ
How many episodes does LifeLine 911 have?
LifeLine 911 currently has 44 episodes available.
What topics does LifeLine 911 cover?
The podcast is about News, Ems, Podcasts, Fire, Police and Government.
What is the most popular episode on LifeLine 911?
The episode title 'LifeLine Ep 06 - How Not to Take Care of Yourself' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on LifeLine 911?
The average episode length on LifeLine 911 is 37 minutes.
How often are episodes of LifeLine 911 released?
Episodes of LifeLine 911 are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of LifeLine 911?
The first episode of LifeLine 911 was released on Feb 7, 2024.
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