The Powerful Beginnings of "Imagine Listening" – A Journey of Healing and Closure for 911 Dispatchers

Imagine Listening Podcast Cover

Written by Virtual Assistant Castmagic
Edited by Within the Trenches Media

When we think about the realm of public safety, our minds often go straight to the brave police officers, firefighters, and paramedics who stand on the frontlines, risking their lives to protect and save ours. But there’s another group, often unseen and unsung, whose voices guide these heroes and the public alike through our most desperate moments. In the inaugural episode of the "Imagine Listening" podcast, Ricardo Martinez, founder of the #IAM911 movement and host of the acclaimed "Within the Trenches" podcast, takes listeners on a profound journey into the heart of 911 dispatching, laying bare the emotional tapestry that defines this challenging profession.

The Birth of a Movement

Ricardo’s story is one of vulnerability and transformation. Drawing from over 20 years of service as a dispatcher and advocate, he artfully weaves personal anecdotes and hard truths to illustrate how the “Imagine Listening” concept was born. The podcast opens with a chilling scenario: a dispatcher receives a call about a car crash only to learn, six hours later, that one of the victims is their own baby brother. This heart-rending reality sets the tone for the gravity of the stories shared.

But "Imagine Listening" wasn't just an idea plucked from thin air—it grew out of lived experience and a deep desire for change. In 2016, as national organizations like APCO and NENA fought to reclassify 911 professionals from clerical to protective service status, there was a call for both data and stories. While data could prove the complexity of the job, stories could bring the human cost to life. Ricardo, already steeped in the world of story-sharing through his original podcast, recognized the urgency and potential impact of these narratives.

Faced with the silence that shrouded the hardships of dispatch work and his own struggles with emotional suppression, Ricardo turned to writing as a form of therapy. This act of personal journaling soon evolved into public storytelling, culminating in the launch of the "Within the Trenches" podcast. His mission: to ensure that neither he nor his peers would feel alone in their experiences again.

From Hashtag to Healing

What sparked the viral fire? It began with a simple meme—a haunting photograph of a night sky with the words, “I heard your last breath the night you flipped your four-wheeler,” capped off with the hashtag #IAM911. Ricardo hovered anxiously over the publish button, uncertain of what would follow. The response was astounding. Dispatchers from around the world flooded social media with their own glimpses into their most memorable calls, sharing under the banner of #IAM911 (and its international cousins, #IAM999 in the UK and #IAM000 in Australia).

This raw, succinct storytelling—deliberately designed without closure—was intentional. As Ricardo explains, most dispatchers never know the final outcomes of the calls they handle. This lack of closure is part of their reality, and he wanted the public and others to share in that feeling, if only for a moment. The result was more than awareness; it was validation, peer support, and, for some, the start of healing.

What began as a campaign to raise awareness for professional reclassification quickly morphed into a lifeline for dispatchers everywhere. They realized they weren’t alone in their trauma, and readers gained a sliver of insight into the mental and emotional burdens borne by those who answer the calls.

Launching Imagine Listening: A Safe Space for Storytelling

Building on the momentum of #IAM911, Ricardo sought new ways to elevate these stories beyond pixels and posts. He envisioned live sessions where dispatchers could gather, share, and support each other in person. Thus, “Imagine Listening” was born as a conference session—half dedicated to the sharing of painful, anonymous stories, and half as an “open mic” focusing on the lighter, often humorous moments that also define the dispatch experience.

The first session, held at a NENA/APCO conference in Indiana in 2017, was a risk. Would people share their stories aloud? Would the space feel safe enough to be vulnerable? Initially, there was hesitation, but as Ricardo reminds us, “It takes one voice to make a change.” Once the first attendees stepped forward, more followed, reading aloud or submitting written stories for Ricardo and his co-host, Rob, to share.

In the podcast, listeners hear a tapestry of voices recounting experiences—tragic, harrowing, and deeply personal. There’s the dispatcher who realizes after the fact that the patient they tried to save was their own neighbor; the one coaching a 12-year-old through CPR, knowing the family's tragedy firsthand; another forced to confront the limits of their own control as they listen helplessly to a suicide attempt play out in real time. Each story ends with the unifying affirmation, “I am 911.”

Why Stories Without Closure Matter

Ricardo’s methodology—sharing brief, impactful stories with no tidy endings—is deliberate and vital. It mimics the experience of dispatchers themselves, who often don’t know what happened once the line goes silent or the responders arrive. This narrative choice, at first uncomfortable, brings readers and listeners closer to the lived experiences of emergency professionals.

These moments are not merely statistics or sad anecdotes—they are pieces of real human lives, handled with care, carried quietly, and often processed only in the company of others who understand.

Not Just Sorrow: Finding Balance and Healing

With “Imagine Listening,” Ricardo is careful to provide more than just heavy content. Each session and episode are crafted to also include lighter moments—the funny, strange, and downright surreal calls that pepper a dispatcher’s day. This humor, as dark as it sometimes is, becomes a crucial survival tool. Without it, as Ricardo notes, many would burn out or be crushed under the weight of constant trauma. Ending the sessions with laughter allows dispatchers to process, decompress, and share in a camaraderie built on shared understanding.

The Future of Imagine Listening

As the podcast wraps its first episode, Ricardo reflects on what “Imagine Listening” has blossomed into—a platform purely for stories. No interviews, just voices. He teases future episodes that will continue the format: the heartrending, then the hilarious, mirroring the conferences that have brought together thousands of dispatchers over nearly a decade.

Through eight years of Imagine Listening sessions, Ricardo has witnessed transformation—not just in individuals, but in the culture of an entire profession. Dispatchers now have space to share, validate, and heal their wounds together. The stories continue to pour in, both from professionals and, movingly, from callers whose lives were saved by a calm voice on the other end of the line.

One Voice Can Change the World

In his closing thoughts, Ricardo returns to the episode’s core message: “One voice can change the world.” Even if your story doesn’t change legislation or make headlines, it can change the world for one caller, one responder, one colleague. That’s the quiet, profound legacy of Imagine Listening—and why its mission should resonate with us all.

Whether you are in public safety, have been touched by a dispatcher’s presence during your worst day, or simply want to understand the invisible backbone of our emergency response system, Imagine Listening is an unmissable exploration into the unseen world of 911 dispatchers. It’s proof that sometimes, the softest voice can make the loudest impact.

You can listen to “Imagine Listening” wherever you find your favorite podcasts. For more information or to share your own story, visit liinks.co/iam911.