Results - Topic: Dispatch Center Dynamics & Leadership

091101

The date was supposed to be our celebration, our moment to recognize to the efforts of 9-1-1 and emergency dispatchers across our nation. Instead, it became a day of incomprehensible horror. Most of us, if we weren't in the epicenter of the events, watched our TV screens with growing incredulity as those awful images engraved themselves with bloody clarity permanently upon our collective psyche.

091201+

For many, those events, especially those in Manhattan, seemed insurmountable, incredulous, impossible to respond to with any means other than chaos. But there was order in the midst of calamity, an appropriate response was mounted and managed, and diverse responders from many disciplines came together to aid each other. In this issue we focus on the days that followed, examining the aftermath and recovery that followed the dreadful hours of that unforgettable day.

9-1-1 dispatcher handles call on son's drowning

Surely an emergency dispatcher's worst nightmare is handling a call involving their own family. Illinois 9-1-1 Dispatcher Tracy Wilson experienced just this on June 17th when she took a call for a water rescue at the Rock Cut State Park after a canoe tipped over. After handling the call and getting rescuers on the way, Wilson received a cellphone call informing her that the victim was her son, 17-year old Mitchel Krause. He had been in the canoe when it tipped over on Pierce Lake and was...

9-1-1 Dispatchers Can Save More Lives by Coaching Bystanders in CPR

More people will survive sudden cardiac arrest when 9-1-1 dispatchers help bystanders assess victims and begin CPR immediately, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

9-1-1 Leadership Values

How important is a leader? What is the leader's role with negativity? What are the tools you can use to overcome this problem should it affect your Comm Center? What are the group dynamics of people who have no (or poor) leadership?

APCO International Selects 2011 Horizon Award Winners

The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International has awarded both Salt Lake Valley Emergency Communications Center (VECC) and City of San Luis Obispo Communications Center with the prestigious Horizon Award for their proactive technologic achievements within the communications center and the public safety industry. APCO's Horizon Award recognizes the technological advancements of communications centers across the nation with the enhancement of voice and data...

Aurora, Colorado, 9-1-1 Center Honored as Outstanding Call Center

The E9-1-1 Institute, in conjunction with National Emergency Number Association (NENA), the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO), the National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators (NASNA), the 9-1-1 Industry Alliance ("9IA"), National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED), 9-1-1 For Kids, and the Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus, will present the City of Aurora Public Safety Communications Department of Aurora, Colorado with the Outstanding 9-1-1 Call Center...

Dispatching in Slippers: The Future of Public Safety Communication Centers?

The "Anytown" Police Department took a page from the private sector and had taken advantage of having employees working from home. They realized that the role of the Public Safety Dispatcher has evolved from being just a job for a clerk to answer the phone and radio. Their roles are now that of highly skilled professionals who fill a unique niche that few can replace... But Pat and his fellow Anytown dispatchers had phones routed to their homes, along with all of the computer equipment...

Evaluations: Giving and Getting - A Waste of Time?

Without good evaluation systems your agency has no idea what is happening compared to what is supposed to happen with individuals, shifts and the entire agency. Good evaluation processes and forms provide responsible supervision and direction. Evaluations provide documentation of the agency's accountability to manage the center responsibly.

Former Texas 9-1-1 Emergency Network Deputy Director Joins L.R. Kimball Team

L.R. Kimball, one of the nation's leading providers of architecture, engineering and communications technology services, is pleased to announce that Sharon Counterman, former Deputy Director of the Greater Harris County (GHC) 9-1-1 Emergency Network, has joined its team as Delivery Manager, Texas. Ms. Counterman assumed her new responsibilities on March 28, 2011 and will be based out of L.R. Kimball's Southlake, Texas office.

Hey Everybody - It's Our Week!

Believe it or not, it's that time again; National Public Safety Telecommunicators' Week. Created by an act of Congress during the Clinton administration, it sets aside the second full week of April every year as a time to honor and acknowledge our brothers and sisters who work tirelessly during all fifty-two weeks of every year. As best as I can determine, the good folks in Contra Costa, California (or specifically one good folk at the Sheriff's Office named Patricia Anderson) came up with...

Ick! I Hate Evaluations

How annoying can the evaluation process be? Think back to years of getting and giving evaluations. Are your memories fuzzy recollections of frustration, confusion, apathy, joy or resentment? Or do you recall them as an effective method of valued communications between you and an expert on how well you are keeping the promise of your work and adding to the overall agency goals of excellence?

Leadership and Conflict Resolution in the PSAP

Joy to the world, peace on earth etc etc. Yet what about the ongoing Criticizing, Condemning, Complaining? Natural human behavior - to a point. But when the 3 Cs become epidemic in your Comm Center it's time to take some leadership action.

Leading Public Safety Associations Announce Open Nominations for 9-1-1 Honor Awards

The E9-1-1 Institute, National Emergency Number Association (NENA), Association of Public-Safety Communications-Officials International (APCO), National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators (NASNA), and 9-1-1 Industry Alliance (9IA) have announced the opening of nominations for the 2011 9-1-1 Honor Awards. The organizations, representing 25,000 emergency communications professionals nationwide, bestow the awards each year to honor heroes and leaders in 9-1-1. The 2011 awards ceremony...

Leading Public Safety Coalition Celebrates National 9-1-1 Education Month

"Today the National 9-1-1 Education Coalition announces a new resource for everyone across the nation," stated Gregory Rohde, Executive Director of the E9-1-1 Institute. "We encourage you to visit www.know 911.org for ideas on what you can do for National 9-1-1 Education Month."

Nationwide Moment of Radio Silence Proposed for 9/11/2011

As we approach the 10th anniversary of the attack on America, it occurred to me that some special remembrance was in order. I started the ball rolling on this in NC, but it's something that we can get going nationwide. At 0959 hours - the time most closely associated with the collapse of the first tower at the WTC - I am asking that all public safety agencies sound an alert tone and request a moment of silence in memory of the brave Americans who lost their lives that day.

New TV Show takes a close look at strangest non-emergency 9-1-1 calls

If you are an emergency Dispatcher, we know you've heard some crazy calls and we want to hear about them! WORLD'S MOST RIDICULOUS 911 CALLS is a new TV show that dissects one of a million crazy, non-emergency 9-1-1 every week and asks the question everyone wants the answer to: WHAT were these callers thinking?!

NICE Honors 2011 PSAPs' Finest Award Winners at National APCO Conference

NICE Systems honored the winners of its 2011 PSAPs' Finest Awards in a special presentation at the 77th Annual APCO Conference and Expo in Philadelphia, PA. Now in its sixth year, NICE’s PSAPs' Finest Awards recognize individuals for their exceptional performance and contributions to public safety communications. Each year, winners are selected in four PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) categories: Director, Line Supervisor, Technician, and Telecommunicator of the Year.

NICE Opens Nominations for 2011 PSAPs' Finest Awards

NICE Systems, a worldwide leader of intent-based solutions that extract insight to impact business performance, reduce financial risk and ensure safety and security, today announced that nominations are now open for the 2011 PSAPs' Finest Awards. Sponsored by NICE, the Awards recognize individuals for their exceptional performance and contributions to the field of Public Safety communications. Each year, winners are selected in four PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) categories: Director,...

Nor Cal Propane Railcar Incident Handled by Lone Dispatcher

The Northern California city of Lincoln (pop. 42,819, in Placer County) only has a budget to staff a single on-duty dispatcher at all times. It was up to that dispatcher - veteran telecommunicator Teri Leedy - to handle a major emergency last month when a leaking propane railcar caught fire. In addition to handling all of the incoming 9-1-1 calls, Leedy quickly notified the city’s police and fire departments, coordinated the response of surrounding agencies, and sent EMS units to treat a...

Notes from Navigator - 9-1-1 Lessons from Las Vegas

Maybe you look at Navigator as the place to learn a lot about emergency communication, the ability to pick up free advice from fellow professionals, and - at the conference held this past April in Las Vegas - the chance to walk away a millionaire. The National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED) sponsored Navigator is all that and more. The six days traditionally divided between workshops and classroom sessions also leaves attendees with a lot to chew on for discussion when the next...

NY town fires all 4 PD dispatchers without warning to save $300K

Fallsburg (NY) has fired its four civilian police dispatchers in a move that blindsided dispatchers and union representatives but which Supervisor Steve Vegliante said will save the town more than $300,000.

NYC 9-1-1: The Eye Of The Storm

I arrived at the center approximately five minutes after the first plane had struck and at that point there was little credible information regarding the size of the plane or damage estimates from the scene. No matter, our personnel had already sprung into action putting our major incident plan into effect. Administrative and training personnel not normally involved in call taking operations were already on the floor...

Our Week

With National Public Safety Telecommunications Week being celebrated each April, it's worth taking a look at the job we've been doing.

Overcoming Stress: A guide for 9-1-1 dispatchers

Some dispatchers have the amazing ability to go through day after day of hearing the cries for help from their fellow citizens without becoming overwhelmed or completely stressed to their limits. These dispatchers are not superhuman nor are they devoid of feelings. What sets them apart from their more stressed counterparts is the fact that they have been able to establish a positive balance between their work and their lives.

Pants on the Ground::The Joys of Managing an Adult Dress Code

Every season of American Idol comes with its own set of surprises, and this year is no exception. "General" Larry Platt of Atlanta added the catchphrase "pants on the ground" to the American lexicon with his homemade ditty to drooping drawers. While his somewhat tongue-in-cheek composition focused on a particular dress style of the young, communications center managers can experience similar displays every day. If you are lucky enough to supervise a uniformed facility, then the remainder of...

PSAPs' Finest Awards Nominations Close June 1st

Don't miss out on an opportunity to nominate someone for a PSAPs' Finest Award. Nominations close on June 1st and can be submitted online... In its sixth year, PSAPs' Finest is an annual Public Safety awards program that recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions to public safety communications. Awards are presented for Telecommunicator, Line Supervisor, Technician, and Communications Center Director of the Year.

PSAPs: Introduction to Emotional Intelligence Workshop

911Lifeline, in partnership with Dr. Lora Reed, announces the first of a series of workshops on leadership and organizational behavior in the PSAP.

Q&A: 9-1-1 Industry Alliance Faces 9-1-1 Overload Challenges & More

Redefining the Human Machine Interface

Simultaneous auditory stimuli (e.g., radio and telephone transmissions) is a common occurrence within in the 9-1-1 communication center. Competition for the telecommunicator's attention and comprehension with receipt of two simultaneous verbal transmissions may result in critical information being missed or lost when switching between tasks. To better manage competing auditory activity, the telecommunicator needs a process to receive, analyze, and organize this activity in such a way that...

Spouse of Paramedic Wins Scholarship Honoring Hero Behind Hero

Tara Rolan, of Angleton, Texas, sees her recent win of the Hero Behind the Hero Scholarship presented by Columbia Southern University as a “life changer.” The Hero Behind the Hero Scholarship, which honors the spouses and children of active-duty public safety personnel (firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMTs and dispatchers) and military men and women, covers tuition for up to 24 months for one specific degree program with CSU.

Terrorism Preparedness: PSAPs Get Ready for the Future

"We need to ask questions and get a good understanding of what the (situation) is," said Hollman. "Each caller is different, some may be aware of something unusual and some may be very hysterical. But the basics are still the where's and what's. That's what a dispatcher needs to find out."

The Blame Game

...in a profession that has historically been viewed as a gathering of redheaded stepchildren, taking potshots at the PSAP is nothing new. What is new, however, is the scope of these collective allegations and insinuations. While I'll paraphrase for the sake of brevity, the intent is clear: whatever it is, it's the dispatcher's fault. This thinking dovetails nicely with my favorite analogy: 9-1-1 is like a submarine. Nobody sees us or hears us until something blows up. Then they blame us for...

The Changing Communications Patterns of Citizens

PSAPs everywhere are witnessing a fundamental shift in the communications patterns of their citizens. With the growing number of wireless households it is essential that our public safety networks accommodate our mobile citizens. Rave Mobile Safety's Smart911 service has created this free infographic showcasing the ever-changing 9-1-1 communications patterns of citizens. The graphic can be downloaded as a PDF file for display or use by 9-1-1 administrators...

The Dragon that Lurks in Shadows

This is by far the weirdest editorial I wrote for 9-1-1 magazine. A longtime aficionado of the writing of H.P. Lovecraft (and an occasional writer of that type of weird fantasy fiction), I borrowed some ideas from one of his stories to make an oblique comment on negativity and cynicism in the 9-1-1 Center... I thought it would be interesting to revisit it here, as its perspective is still relevant and its narrative style even more regarded in literary circles.

The Ghosts of Christmases Past

There will always be a select number of calls whose memory will follow each and every one of us throughout our careers and become indelibly imprinted as part of the holiday season... Despite the severity of these events and others like them, the names of those involved have dimmed over the years. While the streets and neighborhoods involved are often associated with these recollections, the most common denominator is the deep seated sorrow that "something like this could happen near the...

The House is Falling: Suffering the Consequences of Neglect

There is not just ONE problem that is easy to solve in the 9-1-1 industry. There are many areas in need of repair, here are some thoughts: It is NO mystery that the pay is at times inadequate. Inadequate to attract good candidates, inadequate to keep good employees, inadequate to enable workers to feel valued or heard. They (whoever they are) claim pay isn't what matters, just like other human services jobs such as counseling, caring for the mentally ill. True maybe - the pay IN ITSELF...

The Online Manager: Challenges of the Digital Age

Having written the Communication Manager's column for 9-1-1 Magazine for the past 15 years, I now look forward to making the transition to the web from print. While I have already had a few columns posted here, these were actually leftovers that had been waiting publication. So, from this month forward I'll be able to take advantage of the immediacy of the web and post content that is truly fresh.

Today is the 44th Anniversary of 9-1-1 in the USA

The first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system in the USA went into service on this date in 1968 — in Haleyville, Alabama.

via NY1: Bronx Street Renamed After Longtime FDNY Dispatcher

What is complacency anyway?

In the 9-1-1-world complacency is a bad, bad word. Self-satisfied, on the other hand, is the actual dictionary definition and not a bad, bad thing - right? However, the dictionary goes further to say complacency is satisfaction to the degree that the complacent person becomes unaware of "potential dangers." The Call Taker may dull their sense of intuition. The Radio Dispatcher may be less inclined to do a status check. A Supervisor may procrastinate on a complaint. A Trainer may give...