The Nerve Center of Communications
Dispatch is the "nerve-center" of department emergency communications and where the communication process usually begins. A person in need of some type of police, fire or medical assistance calls the dispatch center for help.
Dispatchers are specially to answer a wide variety of calls and dealing with people that are potentially in great distress. Some of the training they receive include; suicide intervention, customer service care, crisis intervention and stress management. Since dispatchers often instruct callers to give life saving techniques until help arrives, they may receive training to help callers perform CPR.
The dispatcher must know how to talk to a person in a calm way, trying to keep themselves as calm as possible, while getting the information necessary to send help. Another important part of their job is to get as much accurate information as possible- as quickly as possible and to pass that information on to the emergency personnel as quickly as possible. They must work to provide the police with a clear picture of the situation he/she is about to encounter. The more information the dispatcher is able to obtain, and the more accurate the information is, the better prepared the officer can be. Important details include the location where the incident is taking place, if any weapons are involved or anything else that could jeopardize the office's safety.
Depending on the situation, the dispatcher may either take relevant information from a caller and the number where the person can be reached and hang up, or in more serious situations the caller will be kept on the line until help arrives. The second option is generally used in serious emergencies, which require more accurate and current information as the situation rapidly evolves. If it is not such a situation, the dispatcher may hang up after obtaining the needed information to keep the line clear for other callers.
Once the dispatcher has the information needed, they put the information out to officers assigned to the area in which the problem exists. They provide the officer with the location of the incident and any known facts that exist. They pay particular attention to anything that the officer may need to know to enhance his/her safety. Attitude of the caller, weapons involved, intoxication, number of people involved-these would all be things the dispatcher would want to make the officer aware of. If needed the dispatcher will assign backup officers to assist. It is important for the dispatcher to know where an officer is and what he/she is doing at all times.
The dispatcher plays an integral role in the safety of the police officer and other emergency responders. A mistake made in dispatch can, without a doubt, get emergency personnel seriously hurt, or even killed.
Dispatchers are specially to answer a wide variety of calls and dealing with people that are potentially in great distress. Some of the training they receive include; suicide intervention, customer service care, crisis intervention and stress management. Since dispatchers often instruct callers to give life saving techniques until help arrives, they may receive training to help callers perform CPR.
The dispatcher must know how to talk to a person in a calm way, trying to keep themselves as calm as possible, while getting the information necessary to send help. Another important part of their job is to get as much accurate information as possible- as quickly as possible and to pass that information on to the emergency personnel as quickly as possible. They must work to provide the police with a clear picture of the situation he/she is about to encounter. The more information the dispatcher is able to obtain, and the more accurate the information is, the better prepared the officer can be. Important details include the location where the incident is taking place, if any weapons are involved or anything else that could jeopardize the office's safety.
Depending on the situation, the dispatcher may either take relevant information from a caller and the number where the person can be reached and hang up, or in more serious situations the caller will be kept on the line until help arrives. The second option is generally used in serious emergencies, which require more accurate and current information as the situation rapidly evolves. If it is not such a situation, the dispatcher may hang up after obtaining the needed information to keep the line clear for other callers.
Once the dispatcher has the information needed, they put the information out to officers assigned to the area in which the problem exists. They provide the officer with the location of the incident and any known facts that exist. They pay particular attention to anything that the officer may need to know to enhance his/her safety. Attitude of the caller, weapons involved, intoxication, number of people involved-these would all be things the dispatcher would want to make the officer aware of. If needed the dispatcher will assign backup officers to assist. It is important for the dispatcher to know where an officer is and what he/she is doing at all times.
The dispatcher plays an integral role in the safety of the police officer and other emergency responders. A mistake made in dispatch can, without a doubt, get emergency personnel seriously hurt, or even killed.