Comfort in Chaos

Working in 911 isn’t just a job—it’s a constant mix of emotions, pressure, and responsibility. Some days, the calls hit harder than others. The voices, the outcomes, the what-ifs—they stay with you long after you hang up the headset. That’s where Nugget the skunk came in.

Nugget wasn’t just a pet. He was comfort in the middle of chaos, emotional support with a stripe. During tough calls or moments when life outside of work felt overwhelming, having him nearby made everything a little lighter. He somehow always knew when to nudge closer, when to stay still, and when to just look at me like he understood it all.

One of my coworkers knew how much Nugget helped and would let him stay at work when I needed him most. That kind of understanding meant the world in a profession where you rarely get the chance to decompress between one emergency and the next.

Emotional support animals like Nugget are so important in the 911 world. They remind us to pause, breathe, and reconnect with something calm and grounding. When your job is to be strong for everyone else, sometimes that quiet, gentle presence is exactly what keeps you going.

And Nugget’s impact didn’t stop at the dispatch center. At community events, he was an instant magnet for kids. They’d come running over, curious and smiling, wanting to meet the friendly skunk. While they were petting him, we had the perfect chance to teach them about 911—how it works, when to call, and what to do in emergencies. Nugget made learning about dispatch fun and approachable.

He may have been small, but Nugget the skunk made a big difference—for me, for my coworkers, and for every kid who met him. Sometimes, the best kind of support doesn’t come from words at all—it comes with soft fur, tiny paws, and a quiet reminder that you’re not alone.