I was going through one of the dispatch boards I belong to yesterday and one of the posted topics was a question about the recently released recordings from the Sandy Hook shooting. The moderator asked if any of us planned on listening to the tapes. The majority of those responding said 'No." A few said 'Yes', but with the explanation of making tapes for educational purposes only. There were a couple who said they already did and regretted doing so. Another mentioned hearing an incident played in which he/she was the primary dispatcher involved and re-living that trauma again.
Which brings up a bigger question:
Should 9-1-1 calls and radio traffic tapes be released to the public? What purpose does this serve? We know the unedited recordings will be played in court, should the suspect (s) survive and go to trial. Maybe we should respect the families' wishes not stir up the painful memories of that awful day anew. If the suspects are dead, then there isn't a need.
One of the concerns with NG 9-1-1 is the immediate access to audio and video data. Yes, our imagination can be worse than anything we can actually see. That's why Alfred Hitchcock's films were so masterful. He never actually showed the woman getting stabbed in the shower in 'Psycho', he only let us see the knife and the blood running down the drain. Our minds filled in the details of the deed. The same goes now for incidents. What does the dispatcher think about during the silence between conversations on the phone or radio? NG 9-1-1 will take that away.
Okay, I will admit I utilize public recordings for training purposes. Again, I emphasize for training purposes. As Public Safety Telecommunicators, and Public Safety First Responders, we share audio (and in some cases video) data to learn from one another's experiences. The events are studied, and the responses to those events analyzed in order to hopefully prevent (or at least streamline how we handle a potential future incident) another event. With that said, let the Training Coordinators decide which recordings to use.
Still, does that justify replaying the phone calls and radio traffic over-and-over again, especially in the media? Do we really need to tune in just out of curiosity? One dispatcher's comment noted having flashbacks & nightmares after listening to the Aurora shooting. Come on folks, don't you carry enough mental junk in your closets just doing your job? Do you really want to go browsing for freebies and stuff your attic with hazardous materials until it spills over and burns a hole through your ceilings?
Just think about it. Once you hear a tape, you can't erase the call from your mind. Maybe it would be better to discuss how to handle similar calls within your communications center with the resources available instead.
Meanwhile, take time to relax and listen to some nice music instead. I recommend Enya's 'Watermark' or Loreena McKennitt's 'An Ancient Muse'.
Stay safe out there.