Staff Stories - Angela Rudd, Central Control Officer

Angela has been working with us for 30 years in the Emergency Resolution Team. She started her job role as an alarm installer but now handles the crucial task of answering emergency calls. 

She genuinely enjoys helping our customers and loves spending her free time with her lovely granddaughter. 

We asked Angela to share what it is like to be part of Taking Care.

What's a typical day for you at Taking Care?

I come to work in the morning, and it's always a wonder what you will get to work on each day. One day it's handling calls about ambulances; another day, it could be fire sponsors. So, it changes, but generally, we are busy with constant calls, and speaking to and supporting people is always good.

I enjoy the job role because I genuinely enjoy talking to people. It's a privilege to speak to these clients, and given their age and life experiences, to help them at this time and when they need us is quite fulfilling. 
Angela Rudd, Central Control Officer

Can you tell us about a particularly memorable alarm call?

My most memorable call was on Christmas Day. It was quite a long time ago, but it will stick with me forever. It was Christmas, so I wanted to spend time with my family, but it was my day to work, so I came in. I got a call about a gentleman with a GPS personal alarm that his wife bought for him as he used to go for long walks. She felt safe knowing he always had the personal alarm in his pocket while he was out-and-about but that day, she called to say she couldn't find him and didn't know where he was.

I looked it up his location on our system and located him heading towards the cliffs on Durdle Door, as he used to go there as a child on holiday every year. I knew exactly where he was heading, so we contacted the coast guard and the police. We also coordinated with a rescue worker. Luckily, the helicopter managed to find him as he headed towards the cliff. An hour later, we received a call back from the grateful wife.

When I went home for dinner, I remember sitting with my family and telling them how pleased I was that I went in to work that day.

How is a personal alarm different from a mobile phone?

We are here with 24/7 alarm monitoring; when you are out there, it's difficult to use a mobile phone all the time. I know this from personal experience as my mother could never use a mobile phone. She found it quite tricky. So she had a personal alarm and could press the button in times of need, and we were always there. 

What special training do you receive as part of your role?

 I have gained a lot of training by being here for many years. But we do have ongoing training all the time. Moreover, you can always ask for anything specific you want to be trained on, and it's there. You can do it online or in person; it's always valuable training.

No, we are a bit more than a call centre. We genuinely care for our customers, and it shows from the kind of calls we have. We have the best technology and resources available. 

Do you remember your first day at Taking Care? 

My first day was a long time ago. Obviously, I was a bit nervous, but the training was excellent and as soon as you start answering the calls you can deal with them and help people. So it all comes together, and it's all positive.

Can you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?

I do many different crafts, and I can't decide which one I like the best. So I pick them up and do different ones all the time. So, as a result, I have a room full of crafts.