Thursday, August 10, 2017

911 Dispatchers Training

How Are 911 Dispatchers Trained?

If there’s something strange in the neighborhood, who you gonna call? It’s definitely not Ghostbusters. Unlike the 1984 movie Ghostbusters, the greatest threats in our society are most definitely not ghosts, but everyday dangers, and circumstances.

In times that we need help, whether for life threatening or stressful situations, there are people we can actually call to help us out, and they’re called emergency dispatch personnel. They are the humble people whose face we cannot see and are hardly recognized for their hard work.

Emergency dispatch personnel save thousands of lives every day by just picking up the phone and doing their best to help the person on the other side of the line. However, the only way they could do this is if they actually know how to do their job.

A rigorous training is necessary for someone to be able to think up the best recourse in dire situations. In life or death situations every second count. Hence, emergency dispatchers are trained to be able to think of a solution in the shortest time possible.

It is also important for a dispatcher to have excellent communication skills because it is their job to communicate critical information and coordinate the emergency personnel.

What are the Requirements Before Training as a 911 Dispatcher?

Listed below are the major requirements before being allowed to go through the 911 dispatcher training program:

Educational Attainment

Most dispatch centers do not require applicants to have a bachelor or associate’s degree. However, this is most definitely a plus since a degree can signify a candidate has undergone previous training in some aspects that may be helpful to them being a 911 dispatcher.

Dispatch centers per state can vary according to their local legislations. But generally, a high school diploma would be sufficient to get accepted. (1)

Criminal History and Background

The requirements for applicants for becoming a 911 dispatcher include having a clean record. This is to assure that there are no conflicts of interest. They are also required to undergo a lie detector test to ensure that the things they are saying are true.

Physical Fitness and Health

To be allowed to undergo training, candidates are required to prove that they are physically able to perform their duties. This includes mental, psychological, and physical fitness. Applicants are required to have a vision and hearing test before their application. They must also have enough physical fortitude to stay calm in emergency situations.

Citizenship Requirements

Only United States Citizens are allowed to apply for 911 Dispatcher training.

Necessary Skills to Become a 911 Dispatcher

Dispatchers get tons of calls every day; it is important that they attain the necessary skills not just to properly address these calls, but also to maintain a healthy mindset and create a healthy working environment.

Some of the skills required of 911 dispatchers include a strong empathy skill. A strong empathy skill will enable a dispatcher to immerse themselves on the situation of the other person on the other end of the line. This makes formulating a proper approach easier and more effectively.

They are also required to have a strong communication skill to avoid miscommunications between them, the victims, and the dispatch team. Two of the most important skills are having good leadership and problem-solving skills. Other important skills are good typing skills and expertise in dispatch computer-aided software.

911 Dispatcher Training

Most states require dispatchers to have a training certificate before they start working. However, even those that do not still require that their dispatchers undergo some kind of training. Dispatchers are trained in two instances, before they start working and during the duration of their employment. (2)

Some of the subjects included in their training are:

  1. 911 Dispatcher Roles and Responsibilities– dispatchers should know where their job begins, and where it ends.
  2. Human Anatomy and Physiology– enables dispatchers to know how to approach various types of bodily injuries.
  3. Stress Management– their job deals in very stressful situations; this is why dispatchers themselves need to be able to handle stress without breaking down in the middle of an emergency.
  4. Obtaining Information from Callers– knowing every detail of an emergency enables a dispatcher to communicate the most effective and efficient approach to a problem.
  5. Resource Allocation
  6. Quality Assurance and Recertification
  7. National and State Standards for EMD
  8. Legal and Liability Issues in EMD

 

Dispatchers are also required to take a 40-hour training course on telecommunications. This includes instructions on how to use communication equipment, verbal training, and actual emergency simulations.

Being a 911 dispatcher is no easy job, but with these training programs, you can rest assured that in the case that you’d need to call them you’re talking to someone who’s well equipped to get you out of trouble.

 

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Saturday, July 29, 2017

What Careers Are There In Emergency Dispatch Programs?

Emergency Dispatch Program Careers

Emergency dispatchers can be considered as everyone’s first life line when unforeseen events happen. Their efficiency and effectiveness can spell the difference between life and death. That is why it is no wonder why many of our heroic fellow men and women choose the noble life of an emergency dispatcher.

“Fire, EMS, police, sheriff, all that is public safety. They’re limbs on the public safety body. 911 is the heart of that body. If it’s messed up the rest of the body doesn’t work good”

-Albany Fire Department Chief Ron Rowe.

The United States’ emergency hotline “9-1-1” was founded in 1957 after the National Association of Fire Chiefs suggested the need of a universal hotline for reporting fires. Since then, the government has adopted the program as a means to improve emergency response nationwide. (1)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 102,000 emergency dispatchers across the U.S. Sadly, due to changing career paths of younger generations, and the stressful nature of the job, fewer people are willing to work in dispatch centers. The same organization expects a 3% drop in employment come 2024, or down to 99,000.  (2)

However, for people who find their calling in helping others reach authorities, this can be seen as a great opportunity. This article aims to introduce you to various career paths in the emergency dispatch industry.

Emergency Dispatch Careers

911 Dispatch Operators

911 Dispatchers, also known as public safety telecommunicators, are the first people that communicate with callers. They are the ones who are responsible for taking calls and assessing what action is best for the situation at hand.

Being the ones who are required to talk to people in distress, 911 dispatchers are required to have sharp memories to be able to accumulate as much data as possible. They possess high analytical prowess which helps them assess and decide which action suits the situation best quickly.

It is also necessary that they train their communication skills so that they can communicate the status of the situation clearly, and so that the caller would be able to understand their instructions better.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the median income of 911 dispatchers to be around $18.69 an hour, or an annual pay of $38,870. The top ten percentile, however, earn as much as $56,580. Most dispatch centers require applicants to have at least a high school diploma. (2)

Dispatch Center Supervisors

The main job description of supervisors is to communicate the objectives of the dispatch center to other members of the organization. They oversee the efficiency of the different members of the team to minimize downtimes.

911 Supervisors are required to have an overall knowledge of various sectors because they are often the ones approached by staff members to ask questions. Lastly, they communicate the status of the dispatch center to superiors on a daily basis.

Supervisors need to have excellent communication skills, both in talking and listening. They need to show objectivity and fairness among his subordinates. The last thing 911 dispatchers would want to feel is that their supervisor prefers another over them. Lastly, they need to be fast and smart decision makers. Every second count when someone’s life is literally on the line. (3)

Supervisor salaries can range widely depending on different states and providers. The average range, however, can be between $40,000- $50,000.

Training Supervisors

Training Supervisors are the ones who help newly recruited dispatchers to help them adjust to the work environment. It is necessary that what they teach is consistent among different recruits to avoid conflicts in the future. They also train dispatchers on how to properly handle various situations and the techniques on how to approach every call.

Training supervisors need to have a high level of patience and communications skills. They need to master how to become a dispatcher themselves to show trainees how to do things properly.  Most training supervisors often start as dispatchers themselves.

Communication Technicians

Technicians are the ones in charge of making sure that every equipment is working and properly maintained. It would be next to impossible for dispatchers to function properly without them. Their technical knowledge is essential for the efficiency of the work place.

Com techs need to have updated knowledge on new equipment that can be used to replace outdated ones in the center. They need to have excellent communication skills for them to teach everyone how to handle various equipment properly. Most communication technicians are graduates of communication engineering.

Every single one of these positions is necessary for a dispatch center to work correctly for citizens. If anyone of them is missing, it would be impossible for dispatchers to cater to the emergencies that are called to them every day.

These jobs may be stressful at sometimes, however, besides the considerable high pay they get, the fulfilling thought of being able to help save someone’s life is something incomparable.

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Saturday, July 1, 2017

Witness account sheds light on fatal police shooting – The Coloradoan



Witness account sheds light on fatal police shooting
The Coloradoan
After several minutes on the phone with an emergency dispatcher, Frasco and the men heard an approaching police siren. “As soon as we heard the siren, the guy (who was later shot) just took off south in the field,” Frasco said. The man who’d been

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Ticonderoga declares state of emergency for flooding – Plattsburgh Press Republican



Ticonderoga declares state of emergency for flooding
Plattsburgh Press Republican
At around 2:50 p.m, a county dispatcher said Sunset Road in Lyon Mountain between Boomhower and Standish along with River Road between Route 3 and Cold Brook Road, and Bowen Road from Route 3 to Hardscrabble Road in the Town of Saranac had …

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Gold Beach, sheriff sign dispatch agreement – Curry Coastal Pilot


Curry Coastal Pilot


Gold Beach, sheriff sign dispatch agreement
Curry Coastal Pilot
The state, through cellphone surcharges, collects and allocates to cities funds for 911 expenses to pay for dispatching emergency calls for police, fire and after-hours public works. But dispatch operators spend most of their time answering radio

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Official issues warning: Avoid suspected powder at all costs – Williamsport Sun-Gazette



Official issues warning: Avoid suspected powder at all costs
Williamsport Sun-Gazette
For the holiday weekend and beyond, if anyone sees an unresponsive individual, he or she needs to contact 911, stay on the line with the dispatcher and report what is happening and wait until emergency services arrive, Yingling said. Often, he said …

and more »

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