College Park Police, Fire, Rescue
911 Dispatchers
About 911
When calling 911, it is absolutely essential that you cooperate with the dispatcher. This means you should listen and answer their questions. Don't argue when they insist that you answer certain questions. They are trained to ask specific questions and to respond in a particular manner. There are reasons. Don't worry if you are upset. 911 dispatchers are experienced and trained to deal with people who are distressed or in a panic.
There are many reasons why you might call 911. The following is a partial list of the primary mental health and psychological emergencies that 911dispatchers handle.
The work of dispatchers can be very hectic when many calls come in at the same time. The job of a public safety dispatcher is particularly stressful because a slow or improper response to a call can result in serious injury or further harm. Also, callers who are anxious or afraid may become excited and be unable to provide needed information; some may even become abusive and hostile. Despite provocations, dispatchers must remain calm, objective, and in control of the situation.
Dispatchers schedule and dispatch police, fire and ems. They keep records, logs, and they maintain information on each call and then prepare a detailed report on all activities occurring during their shifts. Many dispatchers employ computer-aided dispatch systems to accomplish these tasks.
All dispatchers are assigned a specific station and have responsibility for all communications within that area. Many work in teams, especially dispatchers in large jurisdictions. One person usually handles all dispatching calls to the response units or company drivers, while the other members of the team usually receive the incoming calls and deal with the public.
Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers, also called public safety dispatchers, monitor the location of emergency services personnel from any one or all of the jurisdiction’s emergency services departments. These workers dispatch the appropriate type and number of units in response to calls for assistance. Dispatchers, or call takers, often are the first people the public contacts when emergency assistance is required. If certified for emergency medical services, the dispatcher may provide medical instruction to those on the scene of the emergency until the first responding unit arrives.
The College Park Police Department serves as the communications center for all emergency calls that go to the police and fire departments.
When handling calls, dispatchers question each caller carefully to determine the type, seriousness, and location of the emergency. The information obtained is electronically dispatched by computer and by two way radio. The request for help is communicated immediately to uniformed uniformed officers or fire personnel who quickly decide on the priority of the incident, the number of units needed, and the location of the closest and most suitable units available. Typically, an officer answers a call and relays the information to the dispatcher. Responsibility then shifts to the dispatchers, who send other units to the scene and or monitors the activity of the public safety personnel answering the dispatched call. During the course of the shift, dispatchers may rotate these functions.
When appropriate, dispatchers stay in close contact with other service providers—for example, a police dispatcher would monitor the response of the fire department when there is a major fire. In a medical emergency, dispatchers keep in close touch not only with the dispatched units, but also with the caller or other departments requesting assistance. They may give extensive first-aid instructions before the emergency personnel arrive, while the caller is waiting for the ambulance. Dispatchers continuously give updates on the patient’s condition to the ambulance personnel and often serve as a link between the medical staff in a hospital and the emergency medical technicians in the ambulance.
YOU MAY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AND GOD MAY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE,
BUT IF YOUR DISPATCHER DOES NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, YOU AND GOD BETTER BE ON
GOOD TERMS!!!