The community of law enforcement is just slightly larger, but in comparison to many other jobs, it is small. Within the confines you will find many police officers and fire fighters married to 911 communications operators, it just goes with the territory sometimes.
When I retired from my career in 911 communications and moved to Washington and continued reaching out to our 'unseen heroes,' behind the radio and at times first responders, I always knew in the back of my mind, sooner or later I would be making a quilt for someone I worked with.
Little did I realize I would be making a quilt for an officer who is engaged to a 911 operator that I trained. I worked with both of these people and they are pretty special.
The one memory I have that sticks out is that while she was a trainee, I had him call in a bogus call of someone that was mentally ill to see how she could handle the situation. No! I wasn't picking on the mentally ill, I put my trainee's through many varying situations.
He calls and tells her there are people in his back yard and while she is asking the questions, he tells her they are purple and getting out of a tiny space ship. The look on her face was priceless, but she kept probing for information and he kept going and then hung up.
Without giving it a thought, she immediately followed protocol and called him back. By then, she knew it was a training exercise because he couldn't keep from laughing and I was trying hard not to.
The officer had a kidney removed that was cancerous years ago and now, his remaining kidney is failing and he can no longer work while he does home dialysis and waits for a kidney.
The quilt I have been working on for the past month or so will go to him. I felt it took so long to make because God knew this officer would have a need for it. I feel blessed to do this for such a dedicated man!
Praying a kidney is available soon.
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