PRESENTED BY JEFF STEINGART, CHIEF COUNTRYSIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

Our Dispatch Story…

CALLERS NOT Complainants!

“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” ~William James~ pioneering American psychologist and philosopher

Dispatchers Communicate – Effectively What does that mean? – Talk – Listen – Etc…

Dispatchers must be… Professional Competent Dedicated Committed Patient Empathetic

Dispatchers must… Be a person who can enjoy serving others for 30+ years and care. – Not every call is dramatic – Burnout EAP – Our role in a callers life is more than just a moment

Dispatcher must… Take Pride Be Lawful, Ethical and Moral Be Safe and Healthy Know your jurisdiction – and your neighbors Automatic & Mutual Aid

Dispatchers must… Know your policies Know your systems – Technology Perform mega-multitasking Know and practice the back-up plan – Pencil & Paper

Dispatchers must… Have a natural ability to like people Understand we encounter people at their worst Want to be there and take care of all of our callers; if you don’t want to…

Our customers usually…. Call 3 numbers – Easy to remember No voice mail Get an instant response – Emergency – Non-emergency And it’s free service – Tax supported

Care for Callers When the call is dramatic – Maintain your composure We’re here to help – We did not cause the emergency » Stay focused on the solutions

Care for Callers When callers are nice… – It’s easy When they are nasty… – Be professional & respectful – Don’t lower yourself to match their behavior

Care for Callers Maintain a balanced perspective toward our work and the people we serve People will Thank You And people will tell you F-U

For all of our customers – Don’t Judge – Don’t Stereotype – Don’t underestimate the caller If you do, you might miss vital information

Care for Callers An emergency is defined by its owner – not by us. – People are easily overwhelmed They don’t know where to turn, so they turn to us – It does not make them stupid – It is not a waste of our time…

When we encounter our customer, we view 1 slide in the slide show of their lives.

Realistic Expectations Come to work Be there Choose your attitude Situational awareness Make decisions – Follow SOP’s Be part of the solution, not the problem Add value to the service

Mistakes We make ‘em – If you do Own up – Learn – Share – Move on

How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours. ~Wayne Dyer~ renowned author and speaker in the field of self-development. Karma- (Encarta Dictionary) Hindu and Buddhist philosophy …the quality of somebody's current and future lives as determined by that person's behavior in this and in previous lives; the atmosphere radiated by a place, situation, person, or object.

Standards Chapter 7 Operations 7.3 Staffing * The AHJ shall ensure that there are sufficient telecommunicators available to effect the prompt receipt and processing of alarms needed to meet the requirements of Section * Where communications systems, computer systems, staff, or facilities are used for both emergency and nonemergency functions, the nonemergency use shall not degrade or delay emergency use of those resources A communications center shall handle emergency calls for service and dispatching in preference to nonemergency activities. NFPA® 1221: Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems (2010 Edition)

Standards 7.4 Operating Procedures * Ninety-five percent of alarms received on emergency lines shall be answered within 15 seconds, and 99 percent of alarms shall be answered within 40 seconds Compliance with shall be evaluated monthly using data from the previous month * Ninety percent of emergency alarm processing shall be completed within 60 seconds, and 99 percent of alarm processing shall be completed within 90 seconds

Standards * Compliance with shall be evaluated monthly using data from the previous month * For law enforcement purposes, the AHJ shall determine time frames allowed for completion of dispatch * Where alarms are transferred from the primary public safety answering point (PSAP) to a secondary answering point, the transfer procedure shall not exceed 30 seconds for 95 percent of all alarms processed The PSAP shall transfer alarms as follows: (1) The alarm shall be transferred directly to the telecommunicator. (2) The answering transferring agency shall remain on the line until it is certain that the transfer is effected. (3) The transfer procedure shall be used on emergency calls.

NFPA® 1221: Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems (2010 Edition)

NFPA 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments (2010 Edition)

6.4 Communications Systems The fire department shall have a reliable communications system to facilitate prompt delivery of public fire suppression, EMS, and special operations All communications facilities, equipment, staffing, operating procedures, performance objectives, and reporting shall comply with NFPA Operating procedures for radio communications shall provide for the use of standard protocols and terminology at all types of incidents Standard terminology, in compliance with NFPA 1561, shall be established to transmit information, including strategic modes of operation, situation reports, and emergency notifications of imminent hazards. NFPA 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments (2010 Edition)

5.4* Communications System * The fire department shall have a reliable communications system to facilitate prompt delivery of public fire suppression, EMS, and special operations All communications facilities, equipment, staffing, and operating procedures shall comply with NFPA Operating procedures for radio communications shall provide for the use of standard protocols and terminology at all types of incidents Standard terminology, in compliance with NFPA 1561, shall be established to transmit information, including strategic modes of operation, situation reports, and emergency notifications of imminent hazards. NFPA® 1720: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments (2010 Edition)

NFPA® 1720: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire Departments (2010 Edition)

Insurance Services Organization Fire alarms 10% of a community's overall score is based on how well the fire department receives and dispatches fire alarms. Our field representatives evaluate: the communications center, including the number of operators at the center. the telephone service, including the number of telephone lines coming into the center. the listing of emergency numbers in the telephone book. the dispatch circuits and how the center notifies firefighters about the location of the emergency.

Receiving and Handling Fire Alarms Area Description Credit Maximum Telephone Service Operators Dispatch Circuits Total

Receiving and Handling of Alarms

COMMISSION ON FIRE ACCREDITATION INTERNATIONAL FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES SELF ASSESSMENT MANUAL 7TH EDITION Criterion 9B - Communication Systems The public and the agency have an adequate, effective, and efficient emergency communications system. The system is reliable and able to meet the demands of major operations, including command and control within fire/rescue services during emergency operations, and meets the needs of other public safety agencies having the need for distribution of information.

9B.1 CC There is a system of ensuring communication with portable, mobile, and fixed communications systems in the field. 9B.2 The emergency communication system is capable of receiving automatic and manual early warning and emergency reporting signals. 9B.3 The agency’s communication center is adequately equipped and designed, i.e. telephones, radios, equipment status, alarm devices, computers, address files, dispatching circuits, playback devices, recording systems, printers, consoles, desks, chairs, lighting and map displays, etc.

9B.4 The uninterrupted electrical power supply for the communications center is reliable and has automatic backup capability. 9B.5 CC There are standard operating procedures and methods in place for all types of dispatching services provided by the communications center. 9B.6 There are adequate numbers of fire or emergency dispatchers on duty to handle the anticipated call volume. 9B.7 There is an adequate maintenance program with regularly scheduled system tests in place.

9B.8 There is adequate supervision and management of the communications center. 9B.9 There is a communications training program that assures an adequate and reliable emergency response. 9B.10 The interoperability of the communications system has been evaluated and documented, and appropriate procedures have been implemented to provide for communications between the agency and other emergency responders.

EMD

Ask the 3 essential questions… 1.What is the address of the emergency? 2.What's the phone number you’re calling from? 3.What’s the problem, tell me exactly what happen. Then…

…Send the right response – That’s the best we serve our customers

Standards…and there’s more!