Nowadays in the emergency telecommunications industry, change seems to be more of a logjam rather than a river — but still, progress is happening. By Jeffrey Vilk, Guest Writer The Greek philosopher Heraclitus has been credited with a saying that has become engrained in modern vernacular: “Change is the only constant in life.” No offense…
Each Tuesday, as part of a new weekly series, we’ll be asking one of our readers to share some of the ways they stay healthy mentally and physically in our demanding field. To kick things off, Transformation Tuesday: THD Edition features The Healthy Dispatcher president and founder Adam Timm, who spent over a decade as…
By Jeffrey Vilk, Guest Writer Reflection is the act of pondering, thinking or meditating. It’s not something I do a lot because I feel like I don’t have time to, or I frivolously believe that I’m too young to be in the “reflection” part of my life. However, due to Telecommunicator’s Week and the fact I’ll…
You’ve been working hard to set the stage for success. Now, you and your employees can start writing your center’s new story, together. If you’ve been following this article series based on my book, “People Driven Leadership: How the Best 9-1-1 Centers Inspire Positive Change,” you know that this is the final installment. Over the…
9-1-1 work takes a toll on those under the headset. Are you giving your employees the resources to thrive? In 2007 a study was published—the first of its kind—exploring the connection between duty-related trauma in 9-1-1 and PTSD symptoms. This was the first conclusive evidence that proved what 9-1-1 professionals have known all along: This…
Appreciation inspires commitment — but it has to be genuine, and demonstrated daily. I began this article series with one simple premise: the best comm centers in this country share several common characteristics. Throughout the series, I’ve discussed these traits at length. We’ve seen, for example, how good communication helps centers succeed, and how the…
