Emergency dispatchers for 911 are the first people you talk to in any crisis and their job is to help you get to first responders as quickly as possible. Although after 18 years as a dispatcher for the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, Sgt. Brandi Baldwin used her quick thinking to save a puppy’s life. It all started with a call to 911. The caller said, “My puppy is choking and we can’t ask him to take a treat.” Baldwin said dispatchers only have one second to dissect a position. “It’s one of those things that you make split-second decisions because whoever is on the other line needs your help and needs your help,” Baldwin said. However, for any caller, everything can happen so quickly. The caller said, “I poked my finger around his neck and I can’t feel anything.” Baldwin said he did his best to keep everyone calm. “Just stay with me is fine,” Baldwin said. “Come on mate,” said the caller. Baldwin said what helped her get through this call or other calls is her training. “We are taught to think on our feet and try and come up with solutions,” Baldwin said. That’s what Baldwin did by searching online how to perform the Heimlich maneuver on a dog. “There are cases where you don’t have good results so it’s good to have an occasional,” Baldwin said. This was one of those times as the collar being able to receive a treat from his dog, Finn. Finn is safe for his quick thinking, and Baldwin received the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Lifesaving Award as a 911 dispatcher for the first time in 18 years. However, for him, this job is bigger than that. “It’s not about being a hero. It’s just about helping,” Baldwin said. Baldwin said that if you are interested in becoming a 911 dispatcher, you have to be prepared to learn because you never know what will be waiting for you on that other line.
Emergency dispatchers for 911 are the first people you talk to in any crisis and their job is to help you get to first responders as quickly as possible.
Although after 18 years as a dispatcher for the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, Sgt. Brandi Baldwin used her quick thinking to save a puppy’s life.
It all started with a call to 911.
“My puppy is choking and we can’t ask him to treat him,” said the caller.
Baldwin said dispatchers only have a second to dissect the situation.
“It’s one of those things that you make split-second decisions because whoever is on the other line needs your help and needs your help,” Baldwin said.
However, for any caller everything can happen so quickly.
“I stick my finger to his throat and I can’t feel anything,” said the caller.
Baldwin said he did his best to keep everyone calm.
“Just stay with me is fine,” Baldwin said.
“Come on man,” said the caller.
Baldwin said what helped him through this call or other calls is his training.
“We are taught to think on our feet and try to come up with solutions,” Baldwin said.
So, that’s what Baldwin did by searching online how to perform the Heimlich maneuver on a dog.
“There are cases where you don’t have good results, so it’s good to have an occasional,” Baldwin said.
This was one of those times as the collar being able to receive a treat from his dog, Finn.
Finn is safe for his quick thinking, and Baldwin received the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Lifesaving Award as a 911 dispatcher for the first time in 18 years.
However, for him this job is bigger than that.
“It’s not about being a hero. It’s just about helping,” Baldwin said.
Baldwin said that if you are interested in becoming a 911 dispatcher, you have to be prepared to learn because you never know what will be waiting for you on that other line.