911 Communications Center

[R. Martin]

I chuckle and nod.

"Yeah, you're gonna need that coffee for this storm. I've been up here once or twice for a big storm. Always a helluva time. Way busy."

I check my phone and frown slightly at the lack of a text message.

[A. Tai]

'I've work a couple storms over the years, different jobs of course, but it seems like this city has a... it's almost like we're built on some sort of ancient burial ground for a very powerful god, we get the worst luck.'

Seeing her check her phone and frown, I wonder what she was expecting. Grabbing the carafe, I pour a large helping of coffee, black as tar, into my mug, and then offer it over the table.

'Coffee always makes my mood better.'

[R. Martin]

I accept the coffee, smiling.

'Coffee is a godsend. Makes anyone's mood better. And yeah, this city has a weird curse. Always the weirdest shit going on here. But that's part of why I love it, yanno?'

I sip the nectar, pleased that it was strong. This would definitely get us through the storm.

[A. Tai]

'I swear to god, it's like there's someone writing this shit like a bad novel or primetime drama.

'All we need now is a couple more office romances and we're fit for CBS. Don't you know? Those with badges are all hot and date exclusively those who also have badges?'

I laugh a little as I pull at my belt worn badge a little, nearly spilling my coffee all over my khakis. Jesus whose idea was khakis in the coffee, I mean, Communication Centre?

[R. Martin]

I chuckle nervously like Amiee didn't just call me out unintentionally. Jesus, she had hit the nail on the head.

'Yeah, right? Uniforms only date uniforms or something right...'

I check my phone again, absentmindedly scrolling through tinder.

[C. Aylward]

'Yeah, right? Uniforms only date uniforms or something right...'

'Or nurses. Dodged the bullet of dating a cop years ago, Ended up marrying a nurse until she ended up with a Doctor.'

*I say as I walk up to the coffee machine.*

 

[A. Tai]

'Damn, made for CBS we are. Might as well give up on Tinder Rebekah. All the love you could ever want is right here in this center with me and Charles and good ol' Big Jim. Actually, come to think of it, I haven't seen him in a while. Any idea if we'll get the pleasure of being locked in here with him again soon?'

I pick up my mug and start walking out towards the call center. Three of us, pretty soon there won't be a dispatcher left for Shiloh. 

[R. Martin]

I laugh and shake my head.

'I mean, you're cute and all Amiee, but Charles and Big Jim aren't my type. I hope we don't get the.....pleasure of being locked in here with him.'

I head back out to my console as well with my cup, hearing the 911 line ringing.

[A. Tai]

I'm cute and all? No way that was a hit. I know she's been seen with firefighters, but not dispatchers... right?

I let a little chuckle off and head back to my desk, putting my headset on and taking a call that turns out to be alarm bells. Exciting, exciting things. $5 says first due engine finds out that there was actually no emergency and we just raced to burned toast. Oh well. It's the job. 

[H. Goodricht]

Walking into the sally port, I walk through the locker hall, into the lobby and look out at the floor. There's a couple dispatchers getting ready for shift, making coffee, etc. but I don't bother them. I nod to the first one I see not on a call.

'How's it going today?'

'Busy, like always.'

'You're just saying that because the Captain's here. You know I see our call stats, right' I say with a chuckle. 'Charles in yet?' I say, nodding to the closed door. Supervisors aren't required to stay on the floor the full shift, and often will stop into different places before their first appearance. I know I'm a little early, so he might not even be in yet. 

[M. Price]

Arriving for work I get to my station after putting my lunch in the fridge.  Setting down my purse on the floor I take a seat in my chair and push my purse in further under my desk.  Then I log in for another day of dealing with people.

[C. Aylward]

*I walk in the main door with my lunch box and my backpack a few minutes early to get handoff from the outgoing supervisor. Seeing Henry and Morgan I greet them*

'Morning'

[R. Martin]

I park my car in the lot and send a quick snapchat to a few different cops and firefighters who all think they're the only one getting it. I grab my bag and head up to the comms center, badging in and heading for my console.

"Morning guys!"

[H. Goodricht]

'Good morning, I wanted to touch base about a our EOC operations. I don't think we've activated since Selkirk. How's operations out there?  Ready to go?'

As I ask, a young woman, who looks absolutely like trouble, walks past me . Morning Guys!

'Good morning, have we met? Captain Goodricht, Henry. I'm director of County Comms.'

[C. Aylward]

*Rebekah walks in for her shift*

'Morning'

*Turning my attention to Henry.*

'Good morning, I wanted to touch base about a our EOC operations. I don't think we've activated since Selkirk. How's operations out there?  Ready to go?'

'We should be good. Theoretically since we haven't activated and aside from monthly tests nothings been touched we should be able to activate and be up and running within 10 minutes'

[R. Martin]

Some old guy introduces himself to me as I walk in. Lame.

"Morning, sir. I'm Rebekah."

God, please don't hit on me. Too old. And not in the right kind of uniform. Jeez.

[W. Burke]

 

'Will I be spending any time in here?'

'Of course. This is where it all starts. Every call comes through here, and if it's big enough, grows and gets managed here. Most of the larger operations we work on will have an operations centre established right in here.'

As the door clicks behind me, I swipe into the second one and in we go. I poke my head into the supervisor's office. 

"Lieutenant, this is our new intern, Kristen, she's getting the tour. I'm sure she'll be spending some time in here during any larger operations, to get a feel for the back end of things."

Turning my attention back towards Kristen, "this is Lieutenant Aylward. He's the shift supervisor in here. He makes sure it works smoothly. If you would like, we can head into the main floor and take a look at how the whole processing thing works."

[K. Santana-Estevez]

'Of course. This is where it all starts. Every call comes through here, and if it's big enough, grows and gets managed here. Most of the larger operations we work on will have an operations centre established right in here.'

Great, If I wanted to answer phones I could have worked as the receptionist for my dad's firm

"Lieutenant, this is our new intern, Kristen, she's getting the tour. I'm sure she'll be spending some time in here during any larger operations, to get a feel for the back end of things."

*The commissioner takes me to meet the 911 supervisor, A large man with a mustache walks over and introduces himself as Charles. We shake hands and exchange pleasantries.*

[W. Burke]

As we walk into the bull pen, I look around to the status board, seeing quite a few units lit up, but nothing in red, and no red alerts, meaning units still available. 

"Alright, so this is the most important board for an incident commander, when it comes to handling operations in here. This is our active incidents board. Each open incident has all assigned units, and their priority level. Additionally, there's a red light that turns on for when agencies reach status zero. This means we need to figure out where we can free up resources to manage incoming calls. You might end up in here if the shit fan turns on and doesn't stop, but otherwise, I'd like to keep you with our task forces. What do you say we go downstairs to the floor and take a look at the equipment you'll be working with?"

[A. Tai]

Checking in after a few shifts of annual leave, I sit down for a few minutes at an empty station to check emails. Good lord, there's probably 100 here. Time to start the cull. 

"Hey, how is everyone?"

[A. Tai]

Logging into the system, I make idle chit chat with the outgoing dispatchers. 

"Many calls about the rain over the last few? Glad I wasn't working those days."