One of the fun parts of being a writer is the interesting tidbits of research I might need at any given time. Usually, I can look up whatever I need to know online, but tonight I had a doozy.
I needed to know what date 9-1-1 services were implemented in Clermont County, Ohio. My hope that it wasn't before 1982, since I have my character not understanding Sarah's insistance that she call 9-1-1.
So, after calling my mom and asking her (she didn't think we had 9-1-1 in '82, but her suggestion was to call the sheriff's department and ask them) I called the Columbus Metropolitan Library and asked a nice reference librarian.
And stumped her. She suggested I call the Clermont County Sheriff's Department.
Then, I figured I'd try the Clermont County Library, so I called them up and they couldn't help me either. (I picked on the branch I used to work at, but I didn't recognize the voice on the phone, so I didn't identify myself.) That reference librarian also suggested the Sheriff's Dept., and she gave me a 24-hour citizen information line to boot.
So I called them. The nice man who answered the phone didn't know, but he transferred me to the communications department. The nice lady who answered the phone didn't know either, but she transferred me to her supervisor, who informed me that she was there at the time, so she definitely knew!
The date? Well, either August 15 or 16, 1988. She wasn't positive on the exact date, but since I really needed the year, that was fine with me.
And it works with the story, because I don't remember even hearing about 9-1-1 until the stickers appeared on our phones. Yay!
And onward. Tricky reference question #1 down the drain, thanks to the nice lady at the Clermont County Sheriff's Dispatch.
I needed to know what date 9-1-1 services were implemented in Clermont County, Ohio. My hope that it wasn't before 1982, since I have my character not understanding Sarah's insistance that she call 9-1-1.
So, after calling my mom and asking her (she didn't think we had 9-1-1 in '82, but her suggestion was to call the sheriff's department and ask them) I called the Columbus Metropolitan Library and asked a nice reference librarian.
And stumped her. She suggested I call the Clermont County Sheriff's Department.
Then, I figured I'd try the Clermont County Library, so I called them up and they couldn't help me either. (I picked on the branch I used to work at, but I didn't recognize the voice on the phone, so I didn't identify myself.) That reference librarian also suggested the Sheriff's Dept., and she gave me a 24-hour citizen information line to boot.
So I called them. The nice man who answered the phone didn't know, but he transferred me to the communications department. The nice lady who answered the phone didn't know either, but she transferred me to her supervisor, who informed me that she was there at the time, so she definitely knew!
The date? Well, either August 15 or 16, 1988. She wasn't positive on the exact date, but since I really needed the year, that was fine with me.
And it works with the story, because I don't remember even hearing about 9-1-1 until the stickers appeared on our phones. Yay!
And onward. Tricky reference question #1 down the drain, thanks to the nice lady at the Clermont County Sheriff's Dispatch.
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