By Jeffrey Vilk, Guest Writer Since I began writing this column, I’ve realized something: I’ve forgotten a group that impacts us more than any other–our spouses and significant others. They are the ones who are there to pick up the pieces after we’ve experienced a tragic event. Events like when a baby receiving CPR instructions…
By Jeffrey Vilk, Guest Writer When I started my career as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, I knew — or at least I thought I knew — what emotions I would experience. Excitement and anxiousness when I picked up the 9-1-1 call; nervousness and concern as I sent police officers to a call with lights and sirens…
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…
By Jeffrey Vilk, Guest Writer In the closing scene of the 2000 movie “The Patriot,” General Lord Charles Cornwallis is staring with despair out his window as he watches American colonists win another battle over British troops. In this moment, he utters to his assistant, “Everything is changing…everything has changed.” This is the perfect metaphor…
By Jeffrey Vilk, Guest Writer “9-1-1, where is your emergency?” It seems like such a simple phrase now — a phrase that’s almost taken for granted. You dial those three numbers and expect the same response when calling. However, it has taken decades to get to this point. Emergency dispatching has gone from simply a…
