Volume normalization is a feature in Spotify that automatically adjusts the volume of different songs to make them sound more consistent. The intention for this is to avoid jarring changes in volume when listening to songs in a playlist, When volume normalization is turned on, all songs are played at the same volume, regardless of how loud or soft they were originally recorded. But the setting has some major drawbacks, enough so that some would argue it does more harm than good and should be turned off as a default.
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We’d like to give our sincere thanks to the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association for having us to present at their annual conference! The conference was a rousing success, and we were so inspired by all the community leaders we met there!
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As a company of 911 dispatchers FOR 911 dispatchers, we understand that holding events only during the daytime hours may not work for everyone, especially those of us who work straight shifts during any particular time frame. In an industry that never sleeps, we want to be there for you, and that’s why we’ve begun scheduling webinars and other virtual events during the overnight hours.
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We’re proud to announce the launching of a new 4-hour workshop called “It’s OK To Laugh!“, premiering as a virtual workshop on March 10th in our Virtual Classroom. This workshop exposes the 911 professional to proven self-care techniques they will be able to utilize every day of their career, on and off the job.
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We all know that dispatch centers are prone to "the regulars", members of the community who call daily for a variety of reasons. While it can be tempting to not treat these callers with the same urgency as other, more unique complaints, we must remember that as public servants, every call for service needs to be treated with the same level of respect.
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We’re excited to announce that we’ll be returning to the Navigator conference in 2025 from April 13th to the 17th in sunny Orlando, Florida! Visit us at the American Emergency Preparedness booth in the exhibit hall, where we will be talking with valued members of our profession about continued training, and how to continue working to create an open communication between everyone in our field.
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Just because the body of water in your city has frozen over, that doesn't mean it becomes any less of a potential site for a water rescue. Ted and Coilin talk about the context these types of calls exist in, as well as tips and reminders that can help ensure the safety of all involved.
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On the latest episode of the Lifeline 911 Podcast, co-host Erica Roberts sits down with AEP Director of Operations Justin Prescott about how a person in a leadership position at an emergency telecommunications center should be expected to act, and the responsibilities they should be anticipating on a daily basis.
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AEP Director of Research Paul Bourgeois has teamed with the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) for a new series in their Journal of Emergency Dispatch. In the series’ inaugural edition, Paul explores his most recent research study, titled “Knowledge and Training Regarding the Link Between Trauma and Health: A National Survey of Emergency Dispatchers.“
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Here's a sneak peek at "Transitioning Into Leadership", a new webinar from Erica Roberts and American Emergency Preparedness. In this clip, Erica begins to describe the mental shift that has to occur when a line-level dispatcher is promoted to a supervisory position.
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For this month’s training blast, we’re unearthing a video from early in our company’s history - AEP’s Director of Education Ted Bourgeois and AEP Instructor Coilin Jones talk about bullying between coworkers in 911 centers.
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On this Veterans Day, we come together to honor the brave men and women who have selflessly served our nation. Their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to protecting our freedoms deserve our deepest gratitude. Join us in honoring those who have worn the uniform—today and every day—because freedom is never free. Happy Veterans Day!
Read MoreOn the latest episode of the Lifeline 911 Podcast, co-host Erica Roberts sits down with AEP Director of Technology Alex Chiasson to talk about the differences between agencies with seperate calltakers and dispatchers and combined agencies, where employees can be calltakers or dispatchers depending on the shift. The trio discuss the pros and cons of both PSAP types, as well as discussing ProQA, the software and protocols used for processing emergency medical calls.
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In this month's Training Blast, AEP's Director of Technology Alex Chiasson expands on a previous Training Blast (July 2024) with several different ideas for staying healthy and active during the course of your shift at a 911 center.
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No matter what area of the public safety/emergency management umbrella you fall under, American Emergency Preparedness is proud to call you a colleague!
Read MoreOn the latest episode of the Lifeline 911 Podcast, co-host Erica Roberts sits down with AEP Director of Education Ted Bourgeois about stress in the 911 center. Citing examples and lessons from our workshop “Stress Reduction Strategies: The Hero’s Choice“, Ted talks about how unchecked stress can accumulate over time, and end up affecting your life and those around you, both inside the 911 center and in your personal life.
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Even though some calls might sound immediately to us as a call-taker as a passerby misinterpreting a prank as a legitimate emergency, we need to remember that we need to take our callers at face value as we aren't experiencing the incident firsthand like they are. Asking questions and looking for clarification is a good way to get a clearer picture of what might be happening.
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In this series, members of American Emergency Preparedness' staff expand upon what the phrase "911 Strong" means to them. In this installment, AEP’s Director of Education Ted Bourgeois tells us what the phrase means to him.
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In this month's training blast, AEP Director of Education Ted Bourgeois talks about some of the different things you can review to stay fresh as a fire dispatcher. From practicing PARs to checking run plans, a good working knowledge of the fire side of the room is a needed foundation and can supplant any issues that may you come across with your center's technology.
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We are excited to announce that we’ll have a booth at next month’s Pennsylvania NENA conference in State College, PA! The conference will be from September 18th to the 20th at the The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center. Come say hi!
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