Operations
The Great Migration to Plain Talk
August 25, 2011Dear Radiohead: There’s been some talk around here about using common language instead of 10 codes. One of the most heated discussions — really I should say arguments — has been on traffic accidents. The powers that be can’t decide if they should call it a “motor vehicle accident” or a “motor vehicle collision.” I vote we stay with the 10 code, 10-50. What do you think? — 10-4, Good Buddy
Read full articleUs vs. Them
August 25, 2011I like to compare the love-hate relationship we have with our families to the relationship between telecommunicators and police officers. We are the only ones who can make fun of, tease or curse our counterparts. And heaven help the one who ever tries to harm them. Just like all families, we can be a little dysfunctional. Here are some tips for getting past the us-vs.-them mentality.
Read full articlePa. Dispatcher Coaches Man as Wife Gives Birth in Parking Lot
August 11, 2011GREENSBURG, Pa. — Bill Hazlett, an emergency services dispatcher for 14 years, received the call at about 6:15 a.m. from a “frantic” Rick Harmon. “He was very excited,” Hazlett said. “The baby was already on its way out.”
Read full articleKanawha (W.Va.) 9-1-1 Dispatcher Marks 30 Years on Call
August 10, 2011KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. — Kanawha County’s emergency dispatch system has undergone many changes over the past three decades, but one thing has remained the same. Toni Wallace has been at her station. Wallace, 53, of South Charleston began her career with the Montgomery Police Department in 1977. But in 1981 she moved to the Kanawha County Emergency Dispatch Center in the courthouse.
Read full articleSuccession Management for the Comm Center Manager
August 4, 2011If you are to pass on the mantle of leadership and ensure your comm center continues to move in a forward direction, you need to understand the concepts of succession management. Traditionally, comm centers have had to focus on the here and now, sometimes thinking about the next issue or problem looming on the horizon, but almost never truly thinking five to 10 years down the road.
Read full articleAlan Etter in the Spotlight
August 3, 2011When it comes to public information and public safety, Alan Etter is a familiar face in and around Washington, D.C.,…
Read full articleNG9-1-1: Incident Information Sharing & Standardized Type Codes
August 2, 2011APCO International and NENA continue working together to develop an XML standard for incident information sharing in a Next Generation 9-1-1 environment. The product of this effort will be called the Emergency Incident Data Document (EIDD). During EIDD discussions, members of the workgroup realized that to efficiently share incident information, the receiving agency must be able to easily understand the type of incident being shared.
Read full articleAutomated Secure Alarm Protocol Reduces 9-1-1 Processing & Responses Times
August 2, 2011Notable things are taking place this year surrounding the use of an ANSI-approved APCO International American National Standard (ANS) that streamlines the delivery of alarm notifications between alarm monitoring companies, also-known-as central stations, and 9-1-1 PSAPs. The official title of this standard, approved by ANSI on Jan. 15, 2009, is the Alarm Monitoring Company to Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Computer-aided Dispatch (CAD) External Alarm Interface Exchange — APCO/CSAA 2.101.1-2008, abbreviated the “External Alarm Interface Exchange.”
Read full articleLESA’s Allen Fenner: The Personal Side
July 28, 2011In its monthly director’s report, LESA (Law Enforcement Support Agency) in Tacoma, Wash., recently profiled Allen Fenner, a LARIAT tactical analysis coordinator (TAC), who is a former police officer of 29 years. In his current position, he monitors incoming 9-1-1 calls and quickly coordinates background data on the response area, information given by calltakers, suspect identifications, aliases and their associations.
Read full articlePolice Dispatching Tips & Tools
July 14, 2011A 9-1-1 telecommunicator listens to the radio, calls for a wrecker, runs warrants and dispatches officers on calls for service, all while providing customer service to the multitude of everyday callers. Telecommunicators possess the innate ability to complete several tasks — such as hearing multiple conversations and obtaining additional information for officers — at the same time without missing a beat. But sometimes, callers are less than cooperative or unable to give the necessary information. For every call received, telecommunicators need to use various tools to obtain additional information for responding units.
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