CODE: Living Healthy, Happy and Whole Submerged in Tragedy, Trauma, and Death

by Anita Agers-Brooks, Darren Dake

Horrific accidents, savage beatings, murder, suicide, autoerotic deaths, overdoses, burned and mutilated bodies: these are nearly every day occurrences for the extraordinary women and men who work in emergency services fields. These selfless individuals are exposed to things the everyday person rarely, if ever, sees. Yet, the men and women who sacrifice family and self-are often taken for granted - or treated as if their work doesn't matter. In worst cases, they are treated like the bad guys. Over time, an accumulation of these experiences allows the slippery tentacles of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder, a/k/a Compassion Fatigue, to grip the minds, bodies, and souls of those who serve. 911 Operators, police, fire, EMS, death investigators, coroners, and others need to know they are not alone. C.O.D.E. addresses this reality in a real, raw, and relevant way, telling stories inspired by true events and authentic cases. Powerful tips at the end of each chapter offer hope, encouragement, and healing methods - real help for the hurting people who give their all. Foreword Domestic violence, car accidents, suicide, murder. . . . You read about them in your local newspaper, online and through social media. For a time after you read the article or headline, you show emotion for those who have been hurt, but you soon move on. For you, it's over. But what about those working in public safety? Those news stories begin with, "9-1-1, what is your emergency?" From dispatch to those on the road, and to the medical examiner, a call for help can come in different forms, but the result is the same for those who respond. Eventually, it takes a toll on the soul. In reading C.O.D.E., written by Anita Agers-Brooks and Darren Dake, I revisited my thirteen years in 9-1-1 as an on the line dispatcher and supervisor. This is a must-read for those in public safety who have experienced the worst the industry has to offer and who are looking to rise above the pitfalls such as depression, PTSD, Compassion Fatigue and more. The stories of Caleb and Josie were all too real. Like Josie, I took a few calls when I stopped to think, Is this someone I know? Working in the county I grew up in, the odds were high that it was a friend or relative. In 2007, I took a call from my cousin telling me our grandmother had just passed away. My job was tough, but I loved what I did. Like Caleb and Josie, I didn't talk to anyone, and I buried my emotions. In C.O.D.E., Brooks and Dake walk you through cases based on true events. At the end of each story, they offer tips of hope, ways to stop and analyze your situation and better communicate your feelings with loved ones, so you can heal from the trauma. I found closure and healing through writing my 9-1-1 stories out on my blog, The Jabber Log, and creating, Within the Trenches, a podcast based on the experience of being a 9-1-1 dispatcher. Through this, I created #IAM911. A movement that gives a raw glimpse into the emotional stress that comes with each 9-1-1 call through the words of each dispatcher. C.O.D.E. is another crucial healing resource. Those who work in emergency services, care about someone who does or are curious about what those on the front line deal with, should read this book. -Ricardo Martinez II, host and creator of the Within the Trenches podcast. He is currently the Director of Communications at INdigital, a 9-1-1 solutions company in Indiana. In August 2016, Ricardo started the #IAM911, a movement that spread from the United States to Canada, the U.K., New Zealand and Australia. It's popularity and success has brought the Thin Gold Line into the spotlight, and has opened the eyes of millions to what 9-1-1 dispatchers deal with daily.

208 pages, Paperback

Published January 10, 2018

About the author

Anita Brooks motivates others to dynamic break-throughs. Blending mind, heart, and spirit, as an Inspirational Business/Life Coach, International Speaker, and Common Trauma Expert.

Anita is also an award-winning author. Her titles include Amazon best seller: Getting Through What You Can’t Get Over, Barbour Publishing, First Hired, Last Fired — How to Become Irreplaceable in Any Job Market, Leafwood Publishing, Death Defied-Life Defined: A Miracle Man's Memoir, and contributor to The Change: Insights Into Self Empowerment Book #4. Her books are available at major and independent bookstores, Amazon, plus several online retailers.

She fulfills her mission to help 21st century women and men make fresh starts with fresh faith by sharing what she’s learned through experience, interviews, and research. Anita shares hope and encouragement on her Fresh Faith Inspirations podcast.

Anita’s favorite pastime is watching sunsets with her husband of 30 years, while they laugh and dip their toes in the water. Her favorite passion is inspiring others to transform battles into victories.

You can connect with Anita on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, or Twitter. Keep up with Anita’s latest happenings at anitabrooks.com. Email anita@anitabrooks.com to request information on having Anita inspirationally speak or train at your next event.

Reviews

[R.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Communication, Objectiveness, Dedication, and Engagement; Those are the CODE of Conduct that emergency professionals live and work by. What if we applied the same CODE to our lives?

CODE is a book that takes the stories from emergency professionals and draws the reader into the story by asking them questions on how proper application of the CODE could have changed or resolved the situation. It illustrates thinking of people with limited time and how instantly someone’s life can change. When we have that outlook on life, believing that at any moment, someone’s life could end unexpectedly, how does that cause us to treat the people we love or handle our daily trials?

I’m not going to lie, this book is intense. Inspired by real life stories dealt with by emergency officials, it is truly an eye-opener to the drama and horror that these special people endure to save lives. The trauma that takes its toll on one’s emotions and mental state is something most of us truly don’t even think about in our “normal” lives; until it happens to us–if it happens to us. It really does take a very special type of person to choose to withstand and endure the dirty, horrific details of life–or rather, the end of life in many cases– that most of us would like to pretend doesn’t exist.

CODE describes the chilling details of particularly impactful cases on individuals. From storm emergencies, to vehicle accidents, to murders, to suicides, this book covers them all and each story has a unique lesson to learn from it, if you can stomach the details. I’m not gonna lie, there were a few that were particularly hard to get through, but reading this book has given me such a new appreciation and thankfulness for first responders and emergency workers. Without them, there truly would be so much more death and disaster in the world.

I give CODE: Living Happy, Healthy, and Whole Submerged in Tragedy, Trauma, and Death 5 out of 5 stars and do warn readers of the graphic details of death and sexual-related cases. However there is no cursing present in the book.

I received this book from the author(s) for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.

This is a LiteratureApproved.com Review.

[Natasha Banton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helps as it offers words of hope and encouragement. It helps many people by helping to help them know what to do in case of an emergency. Many people sacrifice their lives every day but this book can help open so many peoples eyes.

I would reccommend this book to anyone who needs to learn what to do in case of emergencies.