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Nothing Good Happens After Midnight: Confessions Of A 911 Dispatcher
After two decades in the corporate world, author Phillip Tomasso found himself tossed into the realm of public safety. He went from handling legal employment issues to working for a busy 911 Center.
In this collection, Tomasso shares impactful stories from thirteen years of dispatching on the overnight shift.
The work is salted and peppered with funny, heartbreaking, quirky and bizarre renditions of actual 911 calls, interactions of dispatchers between calls, as well as life and the attempt to find and sustain balance outside of a 911 Center.
In this collection, Tomasso shares impactful stories from thirteen years of dispatching on the overnight shift.
The work is salted and peppered with funny, heartbreaking, quirky and bizarre renditions of actual 911 calls, interactions of dispatchers between calls, as well as life and the attempt to find and sustain balance outside of a 911 Center.
- GenresMemoirNonfiction
Paperback
Published November 1, 2022
152 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
About the author
Phillip Tomasso III
50 books179 followersPhillip Tomasso III is the award-winning author of many novels, including Before the Sun Sets and Amazon Best Selling memoir, Nothing Good Happens After Midnight.
He lives in Rochester, NY with his 3 kids, works full-time as a Fire Dispatcher for 9-1-1, and is always hard at work on his next story!
He lives in Rochester, NY with his 3 kids, works full-time as a Fire Dispatcher for 9-1-1, and is always hard at work on his next story!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 1, 2022
Stellar read!
As a long time 911 dispatcher this story is spot on. Phil did an amazing job of capturing the day to day, the emotion, and the heartbreak that happens every day.
As a long time 911 dispatcher this story is spot on. Phil did an amazing job of capturing the day to day, the emotion, and the heartbreak that happens every day.
December 6, 2022
This book was written very chaotically (which is acknowledged at the end of the book). With that being said this is the reason I only give a 3. Otherwise the book was good I found it was written as talking to a friend. Also being that I am able to relate to the environment I was super shocked ( I guess I shouldn't have been) that this was very accurate even though I have never been there or experienced those exact things. I was able to relate to the author and I loved that it was written to shine light on things most people are not aware of or don't understand. I would recommend mostly to family and friends of first responders but maybe anyone who has no idea what a 911 dispatcher does.
January 24, 2023
A glimpse about life in a 911 center are detailed in a memoir
After Caroline Burau released Tell Me Exactly What Happened in 2016, the emergency dispatching world was in need of a refresher book aiming to educate the public at large about the 911 industry. Sure there were releases such as The Resilient 911 Professional (2018) or An Honest Conversation With a Real 911 Dispatcher (2021). But those were more educational books for those wanting a career in dispatching.
Fast forward to last year, 2022, and we had Nothing Good Happens After Midnight: Confessions of a 911 Dispatcher, by Phillip Tomasso, released last November. The book’s author explains the roles of a dispatcher in a busy 911 center. Tomasso does a good job breaking down the various jobs a dispatcher can take on for a reader not affiliated with any emergency communication center.
However, I would have liked Tomasso to further explain one aspect of the job: police dispatching. I would have wanted him to further elaborate what was so hard about it compared to fire dispatching which he was already committed to and ended up choosing exclusively after an ordeal on the law enforcement side.
It is still a good book given the fact he touches on real issues affecting first responders, such as stress, loneliness... and being broke!
After Caroline Burau released Tell Me Exactly What Happened in 2016, the emergency dispatching world was in need of a refresher book aiming to educate the public at large about the 911 industry. Sure there were releases such as The Resilient 911 Professional (2018) or An Honest Conversation With a Real 911 Dispatcher (2021). But those were more educational books for those wanting a career in dispatching.
Fast forward to last year, 2022, and we had Nothing Good Happens After Midnight: Confessions of a 911 Dispatcher, by Phillip Tomasso, released last November. The book’s author explains the roles of a dispatcher in a busy 911 center. Tomasso does a good job breaking down the various jobs a dispatcher can take on for a reader not affiliated with any emergency communication center.
However, I would have liked Tomasso to further explain one aspect of the job: police dispatching. I would have wanted him to further elaborate what was so hard about it compared to fire dispatching which he was already committed to and ended up choosing exclusively after an ordeal on the law enforcement side.
It is still a good book given the fact he touches on real issues affecting first responders, such as stress, loneliness... and being broke!
March 16, 2024
I bought this book partially because I frequently tell my driving-age kids that "Nothing good happens after midnight." I thought the phrase was original to me. So when I saw this book title, I had to get it.
Ultimately, I'm not sure what I expected from this book. Maybe something closer to A Thousand Naked Strangers , which I loved. But here's what I didn't realize. A 911 dispatcher never finds out how the story ends! They only find out how it begins. Once the first responders arrive, the dispatcher hangs up and he's left to wonder what the hell happened.
As you can imagine, telling the story of a 911 call doesn't take long because it's not a complete story. Most of the examples shared in this memoir are humorous anecdotes. This is because dispatchers, like firemen, EMTs, and paramedics, suffer from PTSD and they don't want to relive the worst moments they've experienced in the line of duty.
Overall, this book interesting and I learned some things about life as a 911 dispatcher. But it had a lot of typos and wasn't something I loved.
Ultimately, I'm not sure what I expected from this book. Maybe something closer to A Thousand Naked Strangers , which I loved. But here's what I didn't realize. A 911 dispatcher never finds out how the story ends! They only find out how it begins. Once the first responders arrive, the dispatcher hangs up and he's left to wonder what the hell happened.
As you can imagine, telling the story of a 911 call doesn't take long because it's not a complete story. Most of the examples shared in this memoir are humorous anecdotes. This is because dispatchers, like firemen, EMTs, and paramedics, suffer from PTSD and they don't want to relive the worst moments they've experienced in the line of duty.
Overall, this book interesting and I learned some things about life as a 911 dispatcher. But it had a lot of typos and wasn't something I loved.
November 4, 2022
Phillip unleashed my reading capability!!
I had the honor of pre-reading this memoir before it was available. This was the first book I have read for recreational purposes since college(1991). Reading was never a thing for me. When Phillip asked me to pre-read this, I joked that it might take me some time. 2 sittings later, I was on the last page and I joked with my wife, "I read a book!!" She asked, Who are you?? I have never seen you read a book!!
Being a police officer, I not only related to Phillip's thoughts, I can remember him being on the other end of the radio. I now have a better understanding of what it is to be behind the headset!!
Phillip unleased something in me. I bought a kindle and have read 2 books since. I knew I wanted to get a copy of this book as soon as it was available.
Thank you Phillip Tomasso for being the catalyst to my new found hobby!!
I had the honor of pre-reading this memoir before it was available. This was the first book I have read for recreational purposes since college(1991). Reading was never a thing for me. When Phillip asked me to pre-read this, I joked that it might take me some time. 2 sittings later, I was on the last page and I joked with my wife, "I read a book!!" She asked, Who are you?? I have never seen you read a book!!
Being a police officer, I not only related to Phillip's thoughts, I can remember him being on the other end of the radio. I now have a better understanding of what it is to be behind the headset!!
Phillip unleased something in me. I bought a kindle and have read 2 books since. I knew I wanted to get a copy of this book as soon as it was available.
Thank you Phillip Tomasso for being the catalyst to my new found hobby!!
November 3, 2022
Outstanding!
Phillip is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint. This book captures what it must be like as a dispatcher, he told it like it is from his stand-point. The book is enlightening, riveting, well written of course, funny, eye-opening, terminology was explained well, did I mention funny? New respect for all the people in this field. Run... Don't wait to purchase this book.
Phillip is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint. This book captures what it must be like as a dispatcher, he told it like it is from his stand-point. The book is enlightening, riveting, well written of course, funny, eye-opening, terminology was explained well, did I mention funny? New respect for all the people in this field. Run... Don't wait to purchase this book.
November 5, 2022
Tomasso gives an honest glimpse into the chaotic life of a 911 dispatcher. Many emotions run through you as you read about the good days, bad days, and the absolutely tragic days that a dispatcher experiences. This is what it is like to be the very first,first responder. The voice you hear in some of the worst moments of your life. Truly an amazing read for anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of the real 911.
November 13, 2022
Love it!
My husband was a 911 dispatcher for 35+ years so i can totally relate to this book...And all the good, bad and ugliness of the job. This book is so " spot on" and i have recommended it to many of my friends, who already have or are planning to purchase the book.
My husband was a 911 dispatcher for 35+ years so i can totally relate to this book...And all the good, bad and ugliness of the job. This book is so " spot on" and i have recommended it to many of my friends, who already have or are planning to purchase the book.
August 2, 2025
A quick read - interesting to me because my son is a paramedic, whom I am very proud of. This nonfiction account of the author's work as a dispatcher was a window into the author's world, and by extension into my son's world.
November 5, 2022
Enjoyable
I have read many books by this author and have enjoyed each one. This book was not only a look into his career as a dispatcher but who he is as a person. I have much respect for Mr. Tomasso. As a former first responder he made me laugh and he made me cry. He also got me looking inward to learn about myself and for that I thank you.
I have read many books by this author and have enjoyed each one. This book was not only a look into his career as a dispatcher but who he is as a person. I have much respect for Mr. Tomasso. As a former first responder he made me laugh and he made me cry. He also got me looking inward to learn about myself and for that I thank you.
January 26, 2025
Chaotic, and kind of felt like a build up with no juice. I wanted to love it, but was just very bored.
November 9, 2022
This is an absolutely amazing book! I could barely put it down and finished reading it in one day. I had no idea of the complexity of the job of a 911 Dispatcher. Phil provides not only an in-depth accounting of the job itself but also how the job affects him and all Dispatchers.
November 10, 2024
There was so much potential here and yet.. it missed. Heavily.
The author stated that the book was all over the place to help you feel how chaotic being a dispatcher is. But it didn’t read like that to me. Instead it felt messy, with no real purpose?
It’s not a bad book per se… but it did take me forever to read, because it just wasn’t a ✨good✨ book either.
The author stated that the book was all over the place to help you feel how chaotic being a dispatcher is. But it didn’t read like that to me. Instead it felt messy, with no real purpose?
It’s not a bad book per se… but it did take me forever to read, because it just wasn’t a ✨good✨ book either.
Read
December 6, 2022An entertaining and empathetic memoir of a 911 dispatcher.
February 3, 2023
As a 911 dispatcher for over 24yrs this book sheds a light on what the career is like. He was able to put in words things I couldn’t to describe the job. I’m retiring in a few months and am mentally, emotionally and even physically exhausted from the years of rotating 12hr shifts. Sleeping is extremely hard… having to go from call to call (cause phone doesn’t stop ringing) you don’t really get to decompress things you’ve heard til you get home. You replay the radio traffic in your head, the calls you took, the yelling, the screaming, the cries, the violence, should I have done this, did I forget to do that, what REALLY happened. Your train yourself to always be alert for something bad to happen that you just can not relax. I’ve heard horrible things, I can’t see it, sometime my dreaded imagination is worse, sometimes better… but we hardly ever know what really happened. Sure, we ask the units to call in and ask, but after so many years what’s the point… people are incredibly mean to each other. As dispatchers/telecommunicators we’re not even considered “First Responders” even though we are literally the first to respond when you call for help. I have so many funny wtf calls as I do horrible calls. This job feels so thankless and unappreciated, and it takes a certain person to do it, with a very dark sense of humor. I have no idea what I’m going to do when I retire in a few months… hopefully sleep. #kindlebooks #911 #911dispatchers #thingoldline #iam911 #nothinggoodhappensaftermidnight #philliptomasso #philliptomassobook
January 15, 2026
For a memoir by a 911 dispatcher, there was surprisingly little about 911 dispatching.
There was one good section in there where the author described what goes on in a 911 call center during an active structure fire (providing support to the firefighters on scene, sending out police for crowd control, reshuffling other engines to cover the areas where the firefighters are on a call, calling utilities to get gas and electric shut off, finding and notifying property owners, etc.). I would've liked a whole lot more of that and whole lot less of his career at Kodak and his musings on why he can't keep a girlfriend.
There was also this passage:
He literally told the reader what he wasn't going to write about by writing about it.
My dude, either commit to actually writing it, or the backspace key is right there.
There was one good section in there where the author described what goes on in a 911 call center during an active structure fire (providing support to the firefighters on scene, sending out police for crowd control, reshuffling other engines to cover the areas where the firefighters are on a call, calling utilities to get gas and electric shut off, finding and notifying property owners, etc.). I would've liked a whole lot more of that and whole lot less of his career at Kodak and his musings on why he can't keep a girlfriend.
There was also this passage:
I am not going to start with the cliche of having been born in Rochester, New York on June 3, 1970, at St. Mary’s Hospital. No need for mentioning the 3rd had been a Wednesday, and twenty-seven years before St. Mary’s, a Catholic hospital riddled with nuns and brothers and priests as staff, reorganized into primarily a Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit in a partnership with Unity Health Systems. Facts like that bore me to write, and I imagine bore you to read. While completely true and accurate, they are irrelevant. Don’t you think?
He literally told the reader what he wasn't going to write about by writing about it.
My dude, either commit to actually writing it, or the backspace key is right there.
January 19, 2025
If you ever wondered what it is like to be a 911 dispatcher, this book will open your eyes. I don't think I could do that job, and at times the author has his doubts also. There is a lot to it and it can be very stressful. This book mostly looks at the behind the scenes aspect and not a lot of actual calls, although I am sure it is hard to get into specific circumstances when their actual participation is usually only a few minutes and they rarely find out what happens to the victims after the call. Not sure anyone is going to decide they want to go into this line of work from reading this book, but it was interesting to learn about the job. And the author definitely has a rather sarcastic sense of humor.
August 20, 2024
This is such an interesting book about a topic I know almost nothing about - the inner workings of emergency dispatch. It's something we all know exists and can appreciate, but to find out the actual logistics of how it runs, how it effects those who do it for a living, and how it all plays out for the health and safety of the public was fascinating. My favorite parts were the different tales of 911 calls - the painful, the hilarious, and all the ones in between.
Tomasso writes this with the clear audience of fellow dispatchers, and that's something I can appreciate as a non-dispatcher. Despite that, he clearly explains different aspects of the job in such a way that I was able to keep up enough to understand what was going on. Could I walk into a dispatch and know what's going on? Absolutely not! But I was able to read this book without lapsing into confusion.
Tomasso writes this with the clear audience of fellow dispatchers, and that's something I can appreciate as a non-dispatcher. Despite that, he clearly explains different aspects of the job in such a way that I was able to keep up enough to understand what was going on. Could I walk into a dispatch and know what's going on? Absolutely not! But I was able to read this book without lapsing into confusion.
November 21, 2022
Start with this: Phillip Tomasso is a very good writer. He writes in an easy, conversational voice. Coupled with his knowledge of the the environment and job of an emergency dispatcher 'Nothing Good Happens After Midnight' is a compelling personal memoir. The hardships and and humor of daily life on the floor of the City of Rochester's Emergency Communication Department are something for us all to appreciate.
January 27, 2025
I thought this book was going to be like COPS the TV show, just describing emergency stories. There were a bunch, but more importantly, this book describes how hard our first responders and everyone supporting them work and how very well trained they are to protect us. It is a reminder of how much appreciation we owe them.
August 19, 2025
Everyone should read this book
This book was well written. It didn't feel like I was reading for education but at the same time gave me so much information to go off of to be able to make a solid decision on that career field. I think everyone should read this book at least once to better understand some of our unseen heros.
This book was well written. It didn't feel like I was reading for education but at the same time gave me so much information to go off of to be able to make a solid decision on that career field. I think everyone should read this book at least once to better understand some of our unseen heros.
November 17, 2022
A very good story. Gave me a whole new appreciation for the men and women who work in 911, definitely not a job I could do. I would recommend reading this book to any of my friends or family who are first responders.
January 5, 2023
The Truth
This memoir spoke to my soul. I started my own dispatch career in1999 and chose to walk away in 2021. I’ve walked every road he spoke of and still live many of them daily in my head. If you or someone you love works in emergency services, this book is a must read
This memoir spoke to my soul. I started my own dispatch career in1999 and chose to walk away in 2021. I’ve walked every road he spoke of and still live many of them daily in my head. If you or someone you love works in emergency services, this book is a must read
November 19, 2024
This book was portrayed as a collection of stories from 911 dispatchers. Instead, it is a very dry and very dull autobiography. The author has no sense of telling a story from an enticing point of view that draws readers in. Instead, he writes a list of facts that are hard to want to read.
November 8, 2022
Amazing! Everyone should pick up this book for a take at the life of a 911 Dispatcher! People in the field, friends and family of those, and for the curious citizen. You will not be disappointed!
May 7, 2023
Good but chaotic! Im an ems dispatcher and its good to see a lot of centres are the same even in the US.
August 21, 2024
Great to see how it works the other side of the pond .. thin gold line gets thinner sadly
November 21, 2024
Meh I finished it. Its not as great as someone said it out to be and honestly hearing all his screw ups and woe is me just was grating on my interior....
July 5, 2025
Awesome
I absolutely loved this book. It is well written, funny and inspiring. Being a 911 operator is a lot more work than you might think. It is a must read!
I absolutely loved this book. It is well written, funny and inspiring. Being a 911 operator is a lot more work than you might think. It is a must read!
December 31, 2025
This was terrible. I am a dispatcher and this was just, so bad. The author's other books might be good, but this one, just no.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews