Re: 911:: Snippets, sort of related to each other

[Guest guest]

The department I'm a cadet for recently had a LODD and I seem to

remember seeing CA represented fairly well at the funeral.

Seeing all of the other agencies show up was possibly the most

comforting part of the funeral for me. It just strikes me as

fundamentally RIGHT for agencies from different areas to support

each other. Helps drive home the fact that we're not a bunch of

service areas on the same piece of dirt, we're all members of

the same family.

Angie

Die-hard Oregonian

--- Olmstead wrote:

> Last Thursday, a team of horse-mounted officers from OREGON

> stood at attention while the funeral procession passed. Yes,

> there were public safety personnel from all over the state of

> CA, other participants from other states across the nation and

> all three disciplines, but that was one of the somethings that

> really impressed the dispatcher(s) who attended - especially

> the one who'd been working the radio for the incident.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

As Angie from Oregon so eloquently put it:

> Seeing all of the other agencies show up was possibly the most

> comforting part of the funeral for me. It just strikes me as

> fundamentally RIGHT for agencies from different areas to support

> each other. Helps drive home the fact that we're not a bunch of

> service areas on the same piece of dirt, we're all members of

> the same family.

That goes double for me! And I just have to say a few words about CISD, as

well. Since our county implemented CISD 2 years ago, we have had 3 LODDs, 2

officers (both too young!) die of natural causes, and 1 officer suicide. In

addition, there have been several officer-involved shootings. I've been to

more than my share of funerals lately, and each death seems to be someone a

little closer than the last. I truly believe I would have lost my mind had

it not been for CISD.

I find that I take comfort in odd things...the out-of-town officers who come

for the funeral. The sad but familar pagentry is reassuring in its own way.

The citizens who line the streets to pay respects to someone most never

knew, and never will. Even the idiots who call when I'd rather be left

alone are reassuring in a way-- they prove, once and for all, that life does

indeed go on. I take comfort in the officer down memorial page, reading the

reflections that people have left, friends and strangers alike. It is a

mission of sorts for me to help, whenever I can, see that the memorials have

complete information, whether it be patch, photo, or details not previously

available.

The funeral itself really is like a family funeral; there are people I

haven't seen since the last funeral. " Oh, there's so-and-so; he came the

last time, bless his heart. " (Remember, I'm Southern, we really do talk

that way!!) Out of our first shooting LODD in years, which was just before

9/11, came the family support group that has also been a sanity-saver.

Getting together as a group for our monthly meetings, seeing the wives and

kids at something other than a funeral, has been a great spirits-lifter!

So has this list, so I add my " me, too " to 's " I'm glad list exists " !

Oh, and , give your officer a message from me: " Way to go, girl!!!!! "

I feel better now...

Kim :-)

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