Being a Dispatcher

Taken from 911 Magazine, April/May 2009
Written by Laura Vigor, dispatcher with the Henry County Sheriff's Office (Cambridge IL)


Being a dispatcher is not an easy job and sometimes not a very rewarding one. Every day brings new things. The simplest of tasks becomes a lifesaving adventure. The hardest of tasks becomes routine. And most of the time, good things go unnoticed. But as dispatchers, we continue on each day, being the best that we can.

Being a dispatcher involves dedication. Dedication means many things to a dispatcher. It is coming to work when you are so sick all you want to do is curl up in a corner and sleep. It is working on your day off for a co-worker who needs time to be with family or friends. It means working holidays and third shift, during tornadoes and snow storms.

Being a dispatcher involvs patience. Being patient when you are training a new co-worker who is just starting out and being patient with your patrolmen when they obvioulsy have no idea that they are not the only one who needs you. Being patient with callers who give you lines such as, "I know this is not an emergency, but...," "What is the phone number for ..." or, my personal favorite, "Do I have enough time to go to the bathroom before the tornado hits?"

Being a dispatcher involves giving a little or a lot of yourself. It means staying on the phone with your caller until help arrives, or crying alongside your caller, knowing a loved one isn't going to make it. It means being there for that caller who just needs someone to talk to, supporting a co-worker who has just taken the worst call of the day, or just giving hope to people who don't seem to have any.

Being a dispatcher presents opportunities -- to help others, to make a difference, and to feel good because you have just saved another life. And, of course, there is the opportunity to work with a group of the most special and talented people you may ever meet.

As a dispatcher of 13 years, I often go home feeling as though I haven't made a difference, wishing I could have done more. I go home feeling frustrated, stressed, and upset. Then I start thinking to myself, What about the baby I helped deliver in the back seat of a sport utility vehicle? What about the man that I kept alive who was all alone during a heart attack? What about that suicidal person who called me for help and is alive today? I then step back and take a look at myself and realize, "Hey, I did do all that, didn't I?" And I start feeling better; realizing how important my job is and all the good that I do.

A dispatcher's life isn't easy. We get yelled at because the neighbor's dog is in someone's yard and, of course, that's our fault. We often are told by the public, "I pay your salary," (and we just want to ask them for a raise). And let's not forget that when everything is "hitting the fan," it all comes back to us...the dispatchers.

I am a 911/police/fire/EMS dispatcher! And I am very proud of it.

Active Shooting Response: The Call Taker's Role

Exerpts taken from 911 Magazine, April/May 2009
Written by Capt. George Deuchar (Ret.), Director of training, PowerPhone Inc.


In every class I teach, I drive home the point that the first person on the scene of every crime, fire and medical emergency is the initial call taker. It's no different when the call for help involves an active shooting incident. When a frightened voice on the other end of the phone is looking for help, you are right on the scene. When the phones start to light up, will you be prepared?

What Constitutes an Active Shooting Incident?

An active shooting in an intense, uncontained incident involving one or more assailants who engage in a shooting spree with demonstrated intent to continuously harm multiple victims. Active shootings generally take place in populated areas--including schools, malls, churches, hospitals, and government buildings.

The active shooter has a desire to kill and injure as many as possible, often without concern for his or her own safety or possible escape. The shooter may have intended victims, but will accept other targets as these opportunities arise, continuing to move throughout the chosen area until he or she is either stopped by law enforcement or commits suicide.

Some notable examples of active shootings that you may recall from media reports:

• Newington, Connecticut, March 6, 1998. A disgruntled accountant at the Connecticut State Lottery Headquarters killed four co-workers before turning the gun on himself.
• Littleton, Colorado, April 20, 1999. Two students at Columbine High School killed 13 and injured 24 before taking their own lives.
• Blacksburg, Virginia, April 16, 2007. In the deadliest incident involving a single gunman in United States history, a Virginia Tech undergraduate kills 32 and injures 23 before committing suicide.
• Omaha, Nebraska, December 5, 2007. A 19-year-old man kills eight and injures four at the Westroads Mall before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

As you can see from the above examples, there is an important point to remember: the active shooter, in most cases, is willing to die for the purpose of his or her mission.

As a telecommunicator, you play a vital role in these incidents. The questions you ask of callers, the decisions you make and the actions you take will help determine the safest and most productive route of entry for officers, aid in the survival of the injured, and can help minimize casualties.

Immediate Action Rapid Deployment Tactics

The Columbine High School shootings taught us that the response of police officers to active shootings had to change. No longer could officers respond, set up a perimeter, and wait for specially trained tactical units to arrive. To save lives and minimize casualties, the concept of Immediate Action Rapid Deployment (IARD) has become the prescribed method for present day law enforcement response to an active shooting.

IARD works in the following manner: first, arriving officers will set up a quick perimeter, assess the situation, and determine the safest entry point. Officers will likely make this decision using information provided by telecommunicators. Officers on the scene will then take immediate action to stop the active shooter and prevent further loss of life--by going directly to the sound of gunfire. To assist and protect these officers, you must attempt to get vital information from callers regarding the sound and location of gunfire, a description of the shooter (or shooters) and the potential presence of other hazards, such as explosives.

During the Westroads Mall shooting in Omaha, 911 call takers repeatedly asked each caller, "Do you know where the shooter is?" In an active shooting, each 911 caller is a new witness with potentially new and better information that can assist responders. Responders should be updated as you receive location and description information. Whenever possible, gather information from callers regarding all possible points of entrance and exit to the target location. This includes the location of elevators, stairwells, and the discovery of intentionally locked (or chained) exits. In the Virginia Tech shootings, for example, the shooter chained the three main entrance doors of an academic building shut prior to his rampage.

Protecting Responders

In addition to those tactics mentioned above, to best protect all responders the call taker's checklist should also include the following:

• Obtain specific intelligence as it pertains to the exact location of the active shooter.
• Keep responders updated and eliminate surprises.
• Think in terms of potential multiples (multiple shooters, multiple victims, multiple responders, multiple responding agencies, etc).
• Initiate integrated communications under your agency's Incident Command System.

Protecting Victims

Protecting responders is only one portion of your responsibilities. The survival of victims and potential victims can be enhanced by giving critical pre-arrival instructions.

When speaking with callers, first determine whether they can talk without being exposed to danger. Callers should never be encouraged to interfere with or neutralize the shooter; rather, they should be instructed to get to safety as quickly as possible.

As with all incidents in progress, the caller should be kept on the phone only if it is the safest environment. If you determine that the environment is not the safest, your priority is to work with the caller to make it safer. For example, if the caller is in an open area, tell them to seek immediate shelter where they will not be visible to the shooter.

Remember, when citizens call 911 they are looking for assistance at the scene and on the phone. You should always consider ways to deter, delay or deny the shooter from gaining physical access to the caller.

Pre-Arrival Instructions For Callers In Danger

The following instructions can help protect callers caught in the middle of an active shooting incident:

• Secure the immediate area--classroom, bathroom, office, etc.
• Lock the door, if possible.
• Many doors in public buildings are solid core, and many walls are block and brick, which may provide some protection form bullets.
• Whether the door is locked or unlocked, block it using whatever is available--desks, file cabinets, boxes, or other furniture.
• If the shooter enters the room a caller is in and leaves, lock and barricade the door after the shooter exits.
• If safe, the caller may allow others to seek refuge with him or her.
• When secure inside a room, the caller should:
• Close blinds.
• Block windows.
• Turn off radios, televisions and computer monitors, if necessary.
• Silence cell phones.
• Seek protection behind walls, desks, file cabinets, etc.
• Place signs in exterior windows to identify the location of injured persons.
• Keep occupants calm and quiet.

The Aftermath: Critical Incident Stress

As a telecommunicator, you work feverishly to protect responders without compromising the safety of callers and victims. Active shootings are obviously an extremely stressful event to deal with. Your role is often overlooked because of the danger faced by on-scene responders. Communications personnel must be included in a mandatory critical incident stress debriefing conducted after the event.

According to recommendations from the United States Fire Administration in their technical report on the Columbine High School shooting (USFA-TR-129/April 1999), the following issues should be taken into consideration after an active shooting:

• Following an incident, there is an immediate need for affected personnel to have an outlet for understanding and processing their reactions.
• Many public safety personnel may refuse to leave after they are relieved.
• Most are emotionally and physically exhausted.
• Families and friends of personnel will need reassurance that these individuals are alright.
• Personnel released from duty after a major incident should not be left alone.
• If necessary, allow those alone to meet with others and seek support.
• Agency personnel should be alert to co-workers "distancing themselves" from the group.
• A critical incident stress debriefing should be scheduled for all personnel.

Establishing Your Own Active Shooting Plan

As I mentioned, my community didn't realize almost until the end of building our active shooting plan that we had not sought enough input from our telecommunicators. You and your fellow telecommunicators should commit to taking an active role in helping your department and community plan and prepare for possible active shooting incidents.

You can take the following steps in helping to plan for active shootings:

• Identify likely targets in your community. With the prevalence of school violence, special attention must be paid to all schools in your community. Analyze the floor plans of these schools and determine how responders will approach and intervene in an active shooting. Also identify any other targets where a large number of people will be gathered (shopping malls, sports arenas, office parks, etc). Many of you have participated in ride-along programs; you should also request a walk-along to discover those potential targets first-hand.
• Review your internal communications procedures. Ensure that you and your responders can communicate efficiently through an incident command system. Establish procedures for using common terminology and ensure clear understanding so that seconds can be saved in a crisis.
• Make sure your team is adequately trained. Just as police officers must continually refine their skills, so must telecommunicators. Make sure you and your fellow telecommunicators receive regular training in police-related communications and pre-arrival instructions, plus specialized training in areas such as hostage negotiations, suicide intervention and active shooting response.

Remember, planning and preparation are the only things that can help us minimize the fear, panic and chaos that accompany active shooting incidents. Your contribution is vital, so insist on being part of the process from day one.

Make the Right Call with Advanced Weather Technology

Taken from Emergency Number Professional Magazine May/June 2009
Written by Dan Buck, director at DTN/Meteorlogix (Minneapolis, MN). He has more than 20 years of experience consulting with businesses on how to best mitigate weather related risks. He provides public safety organizations with the resources they need to keep the public and responders safe.

When handling an emergency, responders need to be aware of inclement weather conditions to ensure their own safety and keep the public out of harm's way. By using advanced technology and proactively monitoring weather, emergency professionals will always be able to make the right call.


Public safety officials and EMS responders spend a lot of time training and planning for how to react when an emergency call comes into a 911 dispatch center. Each emergency presents different circumstances that public safety professionals need to be prepared for. Dispatchers and EMS responders go through checklists to ensure proper steps are taken to ensure the safety of community members and the responders themselves.

Although precautionary measures are taken to ensure safety, one variable that can throw a wrench into emergency planning is severe weather. Bad weather can throw off a well-planned rescue if it has not been closely monitored. Weather conditions need to be factored into the decisions that public safety officials make. Having accurate, up-to-the-minute weather information allows responders to adjust their plans accordingly to account for precipitation, wind, changing temperatures and other weather related incidents that impact rescue efforts.

Communications centers are constantly expanding on their technologies and many have implemented the use of voice broadcasting, a system that allows numerous voice messages to be sent to large volumes of phone numbers that go directly to first responders and the public. In the case of approaching weather hazards and even chemical spills, this improves the ability to move people and objects out of harm's way, saving lives and reducing damage to property.

An accurate and convenient way to monitor weather conditions is to implement real-time, location specific weather information from a weather service. Receiving updates based on expert insight from meterologists gives public safety officials advanced knowledge to take proactive, not reactive measures.

Keeping on top of severe weather and establishing alert parameters to monitor conditions that affect safety is important. Weather information providers have simplified the process for monitoring incoming storms, and have developed systems that allow users to look at weather for specific locations, not just by county. Public safety officials can easily set alerts that give them a tap on the shoulder when severe weather is moving into their area. This is a safer alternative than having responders try to figure out what the weather is going to do. This timely shoulder tap allows EMS responders to more closely observe weather activity to determine exact dangers contained within a storm, when it is expected to hit, direction that it is heading and its anticipated duration.

With advanced weather information only a click away, EMS teams can rapidly respond to any emergency situation. Responders can use the weather information to navigate icy roads and choose the route that will get them to the scene in the safest and quickest manner. Emergency responders cannot wait until an emergency occurs to check the weather; instead they need advanced foresight on how conditions are expected to change while they're responding to an emergency.

Mobile Weather Alerts

On occasion, emergency responders spend hours at the scene of an emergency. Considering the amount of time that passes from arrival to clean up, responders need to constantly stay in tune with changing weather conditions in order to keep people on the scene out of harm's way. An effective way to monitor weather conditions is to receive mobile updates directly on a cell phone. This technology provides EMS responders and public safety officials with mobile alerts that are sent directly to their cell phones and e-mail, allowing emergency crews to make decisions at a crisis site that accurately account for incoming weather.

Considering that advanced notice of approaching severe weather is essential for making safe decisions, another notification that allows emergency personnel to gauge severe weather threats is all clear alerts. These alerts give public safety professionals a sign that it's okay to resume activity, particularly following an incident where lighting was in the area. Resuming activity obviously takes a backseat to safety on the list of priorities, but all clear alerts have proven to be especially helpful for large events.

Tornadoes

When monitoring severe weather activity at an emergency site or in the dispatch center, one of the most important elements is activity taking place within storm corridors. Storm corridors are particularly important for spotting tornadic activity and mesocyclones--small cyclones that arise near thunderstorms which sometimes are associated with the occurrence of tornadoes. If a mesocyclone is located in a nearby storm corridor, responders need to be aware that there is an increased risk for tornadoes to develop. Storm corridor updates allow public safety officials to see where there is the greatest chance for a tornado and pinpoint where there may be a potential touch down. In larger cities, emergency management agencies use this information to put certain teams on "high" or "critical" alert. Tornadoes are known to cause a lot of damage, but early warning and awareness of possible tornado activity can help emergency management professionals mitigate risks.

Lightning

Although tornadoes pose a deadly problem, emergency professionals are much more likely to encounter lightning storms. Emergency management agencies that receive real-time lightning information have the ability to examine lightning stroke data that is critical to the safety of the responders. Advanced lightning data helps agencies see exact locations and times of lightning strokes that have occurred, and predicts where lightning is striking relative to storm corridors.

In addition to capturing detailed lightning stroke data, it is also imperative to monitor potential lightning storms that are approaching. Emergency agencies monitor lightning activity within a 30 or 90 mile radius and set perimeters to receive lightning advisories and warnings. A common distance to set for receiving advisories is 15 miles, and most agencies receive alerts when lightning is anywhere from three to five miles away. The difference between an advisory and an alert is the call to action. An advisory is more of a tap on the shoulder to pay close attention to dangerous weather conditions nearby, whereas an alert is a signal to take precautionary safety measures such as clearing crowded public places and getting people to an enclosed structure.

While receiving advanced lightning information is important for public safety professionals, it is also important to understand how lightning works because some of the advice people receive is inaccurate. Contrary to popular belief, lightning does not seek out metal objects; instead it seeks out the highest point to connect with. So, if a worker in a metal cherry picker gets struck by lightning, it's not because the bucket is made of metal, it's because that was the highest point for lightning to strike. Getting to the lowest point possible is the safest option if you're unable to take cover in an enclosed area during a lightning storm. Like other forms of severe weather, lightning forces public safety officials to make a lot of decisions on the fly that directly impact community safety.

Flooding

When thinking about weather and the hazards is presents, we tend to think about the immediate risks and the associated effects. However, with advanced weather forecasting technologies, having foresight into probable flooding becomes not only possible, but much less painful. Weather watches, warnings and advisories are a necessary percursor to the imminent danger of flash floods or severe flooding, but rainfall estimates also play a vital role in knowing what to expect and how to best prepare. It is best to have a holistic overview of all conditions that will directly impact the probability of flooding and areas most likely to be affected.

The Dangers of Winter

Oftentimes winter weather is not placed in the same category as tornadoes, floods or other severe weather risks. However, recent Federal Highway Administration data shows that annually there are more than 10 times as many weather-related road fatalities than non-driving weather fatalities (7,400 annually versus 650 annually). A closer look at the statistics would reveal that many of the deaths are winter related, while some are caused by fog and rain.

Winter driving fatalities have become more preventable, thanks to the development of pavement forecasts. Now, advanced weather technology can anticipate frost on overpasses and ice build-up on roads, so proactive measures can be taken to make roads less hazardous during the winter. This is where communicating with the public works department or department of transportation is crucial, as they are responsible for salting, sanding and other winter road maintenance. Obtaining pavement temperatures, helps transportation and public safety officials gauge the risk of not just ice build-up, but also the possibility of overnight re-freeze situations. By using pavement temperatures and not relying on air temperatures, today's emergency responders can do a better job scheduling staff for impending severe weather, which reduces costs and increases safety.

Chemical Spills

In addition to precipitation, high wind speeds can create havoc for emergency responders. Wind is especially dangerous when combined with a hazardous material spill. EMS personnel need the ability to view a quick plume model, which takes into account wind speed and direction to determine the safest entrance point to an emergency scene and what areas need to be blocked off.

Expert Advice

Being able to access real-time weather information and receive timely alerts gives public safety officials the tools they need to keep emergency crews and civilians safe. However, sometimes it can be overbearing or confusing. Receiving direct insight from a meterologist on expected weather conditions can also help agencies prepare for the precise weather hazards they are likely to encounter. Advanced notice allows time to alert crews to be on standby and ready to react based on the impending conditions.

Some professional weather packages give public safety professionals the opportunity to ask specific questions to experienced meterologists. Officials can ask questions through an online forum or set up conference calls to speak with meterologists directly. A quick call can help public safety professionals understand exactly what the forecast means for their specific area.

Real-time, location specific weather is critical for public safety departments in order to carry out proper precautionary measures. Having advanced weather information allows emergency professionals to place storm trackers, crews and other personnel in position to react quickly to an emergency created by weather or an unrelated incident that may be affected by weather. When handling an emergency, responders need to be aware of inclement weather conditions to ensure their own safety and keep the public out of harm's way. By using advanced technology and proactively monitoring weather, emergency professionals will always be able to make the right call.

Communications Supervisors - You Can Make a Difference!

Taken from Emergency Number Professional Magazine, September 2007
Written by Kathleen Jameson, retired from Colorado State Patrol as the Communications Director. In 2007 she was director of Public Safety Communication Management Services in Littleton, CO and provided training and consulting services for public safety.


Since retiring as the communications director from the Colorado State Patrol after a 25 year career, I've had plenty of time to reflect back on the many lessons I learned during my time in public safety communications. Some lessons were easily learned while the most difficult ones often centered on how to effectively deal with people. This was especially true after I was first promoted to communications supervisor. Back then, there wasn't any training offered that was specific to communications supervisors, and you all know how some dispatchers can come up with creative and unique issues to solve. In addition, due to budget constraints, most of the funding for training was reserved for uniformed personnel. Thankfully, that changed significantly as the years passsed.

To say I was not adequately prepared to be a supervisor would be an understatement. Like many other young, new supervisors, the fact that I thought I knew all there was to know about absolutely everything only compounded the situation. It wasn't until I was promoted up through the ranks and had grown up a little bit, that I came to the realization that I had made plenty of mistakes when I was newly promoted. If I were to list everything I learned over the years, it would have to be published in separate volumes. One thing is for certain: you can make a difference and it is my hope that you can benefit from the lessons I've learned in order to be the best supervisor you can be.

You Have the Power

In order for any communications center to be successful, it is absolutely vital to have an excellent first-line supervisory staff. Although upper management is responsible for overseeing operations, it is the communications supervisors who are the most critical level in the management hierarchy. The reason is very simple. You set the example for what is expected from communications personnel through your daily contact with them. By virtue of your position, you have a vast amount of responsibility and power. Your team looks to you to set the example, encourage, teach, reward, support and yes, even hold accountable. Both your team and your supervisors hold you to a higher standard and you have an obligation to achieve that standard. Remember, if your team shines, you shine, as they are a direct reflection of your abilities. Whether you realize it or not, your team will be watching you and imitating your actions. "Do as I say and not as I do" doesn't cut it.

The stakes are higher now. You wouldn't have been promoted if you hadn't already been setting an excellent example. Kind of scary, isn't it? If you accept and acknowledge the opportunities you have to make a positive impact on your center and then follow through, you will be an efficient, effective and well-respected supervisor. Just remember that you have the power to set the example to be followed by communications personnel.

All for One and One for All

As supervisors, we show commitment and reliability to our agency by being supportive and dependable. While we may not always agree with decisions made by our agencies, it is imperative that supervisors outwardly show support when communicating with our team members. What happens if we don't? It undermines the agency and creates fear, confusion and turmoil among personnel. Remember, you are on a different level now; you are not "one of the gang" anymore. There will be times when you have to take the unpopular stand, but it is imperative for all supervisors to display a unified front -- regardless of your personal beliefs. This is one of the most difficult parts of the job, but also one of the most important.

Being reliable means you fulfill your responsibilities to the best of your ability and are available when needed. If that means setting aside your paperwork to help in the center during periods of high activity or working the overtime that no one else will take, do it. And, of course, do so without fussing...at least out loud.

As supervisors we must also encourage our teams to demonstrate the same level of support, not only to our agency, but to each other. That means assisting others when needed and not waiting to be asked, helping and encouraging those in training and not participating in derogatory discussions about team members.

If you show commitment and support to your agency, chances are your team will do the same. While there will always be those few who won't, do it for the majority.

Be the Best You Can Be

What better way to set the example than to demonstrate top-notch skills? For those times when we have to counsel team members on performance issues, they will accept correction much easier when they know you meet or exceed expected standards of performance. While it is natural that our skills lessen if we don't routinely work a position, our skills shouldn't lessen to the degree that we're unable to perform up to the same expectations we place on our team. How can this be accomplished? Just like you schedule meetings, schedule yourself to work in the center. Take the most difficult work station. Be the first one to answer the phone. Exhibit a positive attitude and never demonstrate annoyance or irritation with citizens or public safety users (either on the phone/radio or after you hang up or end the radio transmission). Set the example by performing the dispatch functions as you want your team members to perform.

You Want Me To Do What?

Most people come to work every day with full intentions of doing a good job. But, if they don't know what is expected, how do they know how to do a good job? More importantly, how can we hold them accountable if they don't perform up to expectations? It is up to us to provide written policies, rules and procedures. Giving verbal instructions or directives just doesn't cut it. They also need to know what will happen if expectations are not met and then we must be consistent in applying our own rules. Expectations for both performance and conduct must be in place. Do you have an ace dispatcher who performs well above expectations but causes hate and discontent because he or she can't get along with anyone? Wouldn't you prefer to have a center full of dispatchers who simply meet standards and get along well rather than a room full of A+ dispatchers who fight the whole shift, or just as bad, give each other the silent treatment? Establishing a Code of Conduct is paramount to having an efficient center. Establish expectations, communicate results if not met and follow through.

You're a Supervisor and You're There to Help

The most important responsibility of being a supervisor is supervising personnel. Too often, other things interfere with this basic function of supervision such as special projects, never ending meetings, etc. It is common practice to load up communications supervisors with special tasks and you may have no choice in the matter. Sometimes management needs to be reminded that your first priority and responsibility is to the center and special projects may need to be assigned elsewhere, if possible. This is easier said than done, but you might be surprised by management's reaction when you recommend that priorities be adjusted for the good of the center.

Monitoring activity in the center doesn't mean hovering or hanging over a dispatcher's shoulder and watching his or her every move. It does mean being aware of what is going on in order to determine if a dispatcher needs assistance, is performing as expected or even needs a break. It's called MBWA (Management by Walking Around). Be diligent in knowing if the center if functioning in an efficient manner. Be aware. Be available.

It's a Dirty Job but Someone's Gotta Do It

Some supervisors absolutely hate paperwork; others despise coaching or counseling their people. What part of the job do you dislike and how do you avoid it? Some supervisors go out of their way to find things to do on their own to avoid supervising. They'll hole up in their offices doing schedules or other paperwork and the center is lucky to see them. Or, they'll wear ear plugs and blinders and pretend they didn't just hear that dispatcher be rude on the phone or see that dispatcher arrive late to work. If you don't handle performance issues, who will? Supervisors who avoid their basic responsibilities appear weak and ineffective. Worse than that, your team members will not respect you. Period.

When you are first promoted, it is natural to dread having to counsel employees which is made worse by the fact that not long before, you were peers. It's a difficult transition, isn't it? An important point to remember is counseling does not have to be confrontational or adversarial. By simply treating them respectfully, controlling your emotions and focusing on the issue at hand, counseling an employee can be very productive. Every effort should be made to end on a positive note to ensure when they walk out the door they still feel good about themselves, in spite of the faux pau they committed.

Mistakes are to be expected. After all, dispatchers (at least most of them) are human, too. If our goal is to provide excellent customer service, we must have good performers. To have good performers, we must coach and counsel. We owe it to them, our agency and the public.

Go, Team!

How do you develop a cohesive team that is working towards the same goal? The same way a sports team does it -- by having routine team meetings. I can hear it now, "We don't have the staff to cover," "I'm too busy with other things," "She's delirious," or perhaps more harsh thoughts are going through your head. We cannot expect to nurture a group of people to work towards the same goals if we do not bring them together on a routine basis. The purpose of team meetings should not be to go down a laundry list of do's and don'ts. After all, expectations are already written, or should be in the process of being written. Focus on working together as a group to enhance the level of service provided by the center, identify and resolve any issues facing the center, or any number of things that would benefit from the participation of all team members. A variety of topics could be addressed:

• How do we improve the time it takes to answer the phone?
• How do we improve the training program for a higher success rate?
• What should we do about the increased use of sick leave?
• How do we improve our relations with public safety users of our center?
• As a team, what should be included in our own Code of Conduct?

The more you establish a collaborative atmosphere and involve dispatch personnel in the operation of your center, the more cooperation and ownership you will get.

Because I Said So!

Have you ever had a supervisor that walks around like Attila the Hun? Controlling the masses through either spoken or unspoken threats? The result is fear, contempt and lack of respect. Even worse, there is resistance to whatever Attila is trying to accomplish, be it good or bad. One of the most important lessons to learn is to treat your team members as professional equals with respect and courtesy; you will be much more successful in accomplishing whatever endeavor comes your way. Attila should be killed and left outside. Everyone knows you're the supervisor; you don't need to remind them. By the mere fact that you treat your team with respect and courtesy, are interested in them and make yourself available, they will willingly follow your lead.

What Aretha Wants

Just because you're a supervisor doesn't mean everyone will automatically respect you. As they say, you can't demand respect. If you're a good supervisor, you will command respect. Respect must be earned by conducting yourself professionally, treating others professionally, demonstrating good character, and being fair and consistent. It is difficult for employees to respect someone who engages in unacceptable behavior such as making derogatory remarks about the agency or other employees, talking "down" to people, showing favoritism or even suffering from mood swings. If you create a respectful and professional atmosphere, employees will respond accordingly.

Just Be Nice

Have you found that common courtesy is becoming a lost art, not only at work but in general society? The more courteous we are, the more we will get what we want, whether you're dealing with a store clerk or a dispatcher. Sometimes we lose sight that it's just as important to be courteous to our team members as it is to be courteous to our superiors. Showing courtesy is as easy as greeting your team as they arrive to work, asking how they are, saying "Please" and "Thank you," and bidding them farewell for the day. How many times have you witnessed a shift change when no one says a word to each other? Not a very welcoming and relaxed atmosphere, is it? You can set the tone by having an interaction with each member every day and by simply displaying basic common courtesy. Just watch as it rubs off and your team starts doing the exact same thing.

Say What?

Do you ever feel like someone just isn't listening to you? Remember what it felt like and then fine-tune your own listening skills. Effective listening takes a lot of energy and practice. In a nutshell, the rules of being a good listener are the same whether you're in a counseling session or during idle conversation. It consists of demonstrating interest, giving your full attention, acknowledging you understand what is being said through body language or words (acknowledgement doesn't mean agreement) and not interrupting to give your own point of view.

When counseling, some supervisors do most of the talking when it should actually be the employee. A counseling session should consist of the supervisor briefly presenting the issue at hand (just the facts and no commentary) and the employee then giving his or her perspective, be it explaining, justifying or admitting fault. The employee will be much more accepting of your decision, whether in their favor or not, if he or she feels you have really listened and considered his or her viewpoint.

When a employee, or anyone for that matter, wants to talk to you about a topic you are not interested in, keep in mind that the topic is important to them, and more than that, they want to share it with you. Put everything else out of your mind, focus on them, show interest and give feedback such as, "That's very interesting, tell me more" or "It sounds like you really had a good time," etc.

What are the results of having good listening skills? Your team will see how much you care, know that you hear what they are saying, and feel like they can talk to you about anything and you will truly listen.

Just Do It

Henry Ford once said, "You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do." Think about it. How many people promise you the world, but never deliver? How many times has someone said, "I'll get back to you on that" and then you never hear from them again? If you say you are going to do something, then do it! But if you can't complete the task, do the right thing and tell the person the reason. Good supervisors will follow through and do what they say they will do.

Ya' Done Good

Mary Kay Ash of Mary Kay Cosmetics once said, "There are two things people want more than sex and money...and that is recognition and praise." Recognition and praise are very important! Take every opportunity to acknowledge a job well done. It can be either formal or informal recognition. We handle critical incidents just about every day from pursuits to disturbances to natural disasters, so there are more than enough opportunities to present team members with high achievement awards, official commendations or whatever award process is used by your agency. If your agency does not have any official awards and commendations, make a difference and create some!

Recognizing employees doesn't have to be the result of a significant incident. We handle "routine" calls every day that dispatchers go above and beyond what may be expected. Sometimes it is enough just to say, "You handled that call extremely well," "You really maintained your composure," or even "Thank you for coming in at the last moment" -- whatever the circumstances may be. Just remember this basic rule: Praise in Public; Counsel in Private. Even those team members who shirk recognition by saying, "That's my job," will feel appreciated and valued. More importantly, they will remember what you said or did for them.

Go Forth and Prosper

Just think about the role we play in public safety. We're the first contact with the public; we gather and disseminate crucial information; and what we do or don't do has a huge impact on the safety of both the public and response personnel. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves, and our agencies, of the absolutely critical and vital role that each communications center plays in public safety. That's where you come in. You are the leader, the advocate and the cheerleader for communications. Awesome responsibility, isn't it? Will you make mistakes? Of course, but that's how we learn, grow and become better at anything we do. Just remember that you have the power, and if used correctly, you will make a difference in your center.

Police Telecommunications

Taken from book of same name, written by Alan Burton who was a Captain at Contra Costa County California Sheriff's Department

Following are excerpts from the Foreword written by George K. Burton, retired Captain from the same Sheriff's Department


In many law enforcement departments, the communications center is considered a "step-child," unwanted by records, patrol or services divisions. However, this all-important function of modern police activity is vital to successful operation of the above listed divisions along with the entire law enforcement management.

Law enforcement communications now include many things -- base station transmitters, patrol car mobile radios, mountaintop repeaters, mobile radio systems, car-to-car radio traffic, handie-talkies, pocket receivers, tape recorders, communication traffic handling, communications records and personnel examination and selection.

Excerpts from Chapter 1: Essentials and Organization, Importance of Dispatching

The purpose of a modern police communications system is to allow centralized control of police personnel who are dispersed over an area of operation. To accomplish this purpose there must be a two-way flow of information, as no intelligent control can be exercised without information from the area of operation. In addition to this primary purpose, there is the invaluable asset to the officer of having available to him those support services which are essential to an efficient execution of his tasks.

As the area of operation expands, the need for communication increases. It makes possible the rapid dissemination of the critical information needed for apprehending criminals. The wealth of knowledge stored in the department's records, as well as in other agencies, is only a request away. It provides communications to remote areas where telephones are not available. A network of radio and teletype communication keeps the patrol force mobile while controlling a fluid traffic movement. The dispatcher and field officer must know all the fundamentals of radio operating procedures in order to cope with any type of incident and to be able to operate as a team when human life is endangered or other emergency arises.

Telecommunications facilitate nearly every police operation, both in the field and at the headquarters. Rapid communication enables the immediate redeployment of the force to meet diverse situations, promoting the safety of the individual officer.

One needs only to recall the history of the police service prior to 1930 to realize the importance of telecommunications. The field officer ventured out into the world, fortunate indeed if he had an adequate call box or signal-light system. Runners frequently had to be sent searching for a patrolman to tell him of any crime or incident. Today, with an average of half the field force away from the headquarters, these men would be considered as lost to the command, except through whatever means of communication exists.

Dispatchers are important, too. Today, many dispatchers are sent to school to learn the most efficient and proven operating procedures and techniques. This was virtually unheard of in the recent past.

What has made police telecommunications so important so recently? In part, this is the result of taking the service for granted. The general thought was to leave the "radio people" alone; throw them a few dollars every year, the fewer the better; send them the typewriters after the repairmen condemns the machine; give them the sick, lame and lazy to work the desk; and have faith that everything will work out alright. This, however, is no longer the custom, thanks to many dedicated people. An awareness of telecommunications has been expounded in magazines, in newspapers, and even through the medium of television adventures. Behind the scenes, quietly but objectively and successfully, has worked the police dispatcher's best friend: APCO.

Telecommunications facilities are no less expensive now than they were a decade or so ago. Keepers of the budget seldom approve appropriations without severe scrutiny. The point is, money is being spent. People are interested. The realization is at hand: police communications is indeed here to stay.

The police communications system is charged with the responsibility of certain basic tasks, among which are the receipt and transmission of police information and orders, using the telephone, radio, teletypewriter and/or other communication devices. In most cases these facilities are locally controlled and operated; in others the headquarters equipment is owned and operated by adjacent or nearby jurisdictions. Whether locally operated or not, the essentials must nevertheless be provided.

Responsibilities of the Dispatcher

The communications operation of a police agency is said to be the nerve center, for through this facility flows virtually a myriad of calls, requests, and bits of knowledge. If this then is true, it can be stated with the utmost certainty that the dispatcher is the kingpin, the conductor, a guide, a pilot, and a director. Conversely, the dispatcher may be none of these, for without proper selection and proper training the dispatcher can be the scourge of the field officer.

The term "dispatcher" is not universally used among American police agencies, although it seemingly is used more than any other term. Depending upon local custom, such designations include the following: radio dispatcher, radio officer, communications officer, radio clerk, communications clerk, dispatcher-clerk, communicator and many more. The title, it is felt, should be descriptive of the duties performed. For this reason, references to "operator" or "dispatcher" would be preferable to "clerk" since telecommunication devices are "operated" and "dispatched" over, not "clerked."

Any person operating radio equipment, regardless of rank or position, is the voice and reputation of his department. The dispatcher is part of a weapon which can be a deadly hindrance, or an efficient furtherance; the operation of which is within his power to render effective or useless.

The dispatcher in one area may not perform the same duties as the dispatcher in an adjacent jurisdiction. While the position unquestionably demands skills not possessed by every member of the department, there is not always a demonstrable need for supervisory or command rank. The dispatcher, regardless of rank or status, must act as the "voice" of the commander in that his orders are so recognized by department regulation.

The dispatcher must have a wealth of the most desirable traits. The quality of rapid and accurate thinking, reasoning, and judgment is a necessity. The highest degree of intelligence available is none too good for such a trying position. Visual and auditory memory proficiency are indispensable. The dispatcher must be capable of working at traffic peaks with a cool mind, possessing the ability to make decisive judgments that are correct. Operators must have good radio voices, be alert and conscientious in their duties, and know the operation and use of each piece of equipment in the radio control room. The dispatcher must be able to determine the amount of manpower needed, select field units for assignments, direct them to take action, and follow up the assignments to assure proper completion. Decision-making is necessary, relative to out of service units, one-man units, overdue units, and scores of major and minor crises that arise daily.

Dispatchers must be trained in correct radio procedure and be required to follow the guide at all times. The dispatcher's position is one of control and responsibility.

What is the job of the dispatcher? Primarily, it is to serve as the link in the line between the caller and the field officer. If the only motive for employing a dispatcher is to mechanically parrot the words of others without understanding or realizing what is being said, then radiotelephones should be placed in the patrol cars connecting them through the telephone exchange with telephones in the homes and businesses in the community. This service is available. It will soon be discovered, however, that the dispatcher is much more than a mere link in the telephone line.

Of all the descriptions of the dispatcher, what constitutes one, or how important they are or should be, the following sums up the whole idea.

Policemen tend to take a good dispatcher for granted, and to curse the poor dispatcher. The good, accomplished dispatcher looks after the officers like an old mother hen after her chicks.

The patrol officer has an advantageous approach to the position that a fledgling civilian dispatcher does not have. A good dispatcher gains this knowledge, but he lacks at the start what a policeman has from personal experience. This is the first-hand knowledge of the street and the people. The civilian dispatcher gains this knowledge through experience only.

The dispatcher, if he is efficient at his duty, is the most valuable man on the watch. He most certainly has a prime position of responsibility.

The dispatcher dwells among docket books and telephones, report forms and cases, disembodied telephonic citizen voices, and disembodied officers' radio voices. He controls each radio car and is responsible for knowing the disposition of the men on patrol.

The Lieutenant and Sergeant are responsible for their men, but the dispatcher must know their area disposition and their availability at each moment. He must analyze each complaint and assign the patrolmen accordingly. He assigns the calls according to the beat boundaries, with the more serious calls having priority, and he must determine when to ignore beat boundaries. As he assigns the men to the most serious complaints he must take up the seemingly routine complaints in chronological order, to be handled as he can get to them (or as the men become free to be dispatched to handle them.)

Telephones and trunk lines abound in the station. The switchboard is a many-eyed monster with the individual eyes alternately, continually lighting. Often the dispatcher is harried as he works his phones, attempting to find a common denominator for speed, efficiency and politeness.

The result is reduced to a few lines typed upon the Police Bulletin and an appropriate radio dispatch. A few words from this man then sends a police unit to a troubled destination, perhaps across town, to investigate a shooting, barking dogs, noisy party.

In the repository of his memory, the dispatcher has flagged certain thoughts. When it seems that an officer has been out overlong on a call, the dispatcher will send another unit to the location to see if the first man is all right and has control of the situation. If the call had seemed to be of serious proportions at the beginning, the dispatcher would have sent two units, if he had them available, to the scene. There does exist those "sleepers" however, whose true dimensions are not known until the officer arrives. It is such a situation that the dispatcher is envisioning when he has another unit check the originally assigned radio officer.

The dispatcher is a chess-player, and the city is his board. He receives notifications of the opponent's moves by telephone. When his king (life, property and the peace) is in check, he must counter-move. He can move his pawns (foot patrolmen, when he has them) and his knights (traffic units, when he has them). These are somewhat restricted because of the specialty of their assignments. His radio cars are his rooks and bishops, which he will move across beat and across town to achieve his objective. The queen might be represented by his roving car, or crime prevention car, where he has them, or more likely, by the patrol sergeant. This unit will move anywhere, when needed to support the other pieces, or units.

This chess player moves his men among the welter of noise and seeming confusion, often in a complaining, urgent atmosphere. If, occasionally, he is unable to get his king out of check, then the checkmate results in death, or grief, or great financial loss. And this chess player may not deliberate over his next move; these moves must be made immediately, and they had better be correct.

Brain Attack: The EMD's Role in Recognizing Stroke & Ensuring a Timely Response

Taken from Public Safety Communications Magazine, May 2009
Written by Steven McDade, REMT-P, RPL, CHS, is the director of the Abbeville Co. Office of Emergency Management.


The telecommunicator answers a 911 call. A female voice starts frantically describing her husband's symptoms. Through proper use of the All Callers Interrogation EMD Guidecard, she determines the male is possibly suffering from a stroke. The last time he presented with normal signs and symptoms was 45 minutes prior to the 911 call. An advanced life support ambulance (ALS) is dispatched within one minute and enroute within two minutes. The EMS providers arrive on scene within eight minutes of the initial 911 call. The responders know it takes 30 minutes to get to the nearest Stroke Center from this location by ground or eight minutes by air.

Are these times important to the 911 telecommunicator? Is there a difference between the local emerency department (ED) and an ED that's also designated as a Stroke Center? What importance does time have in the event of a stroke?

Years ago we were introduced to the term heart attack for the description of someone experiencing a myocardial infarction. Through public education and extensive training, emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs) and field personnel learned to recognize and treat the signs and symptoms of a heart attack. More important, we came to understand that time wasted is in fact tissue damage and means death for the heart muscle. The same principle holds true for stroke victims. Time = Brain Function. We must treat stroke-like symptoms as a brain attack.

Several recent studies have demonstrated that the majority of strokes, or brain attacks, should be treated with the same urgency as if the patient is having a heart attack. Getting to the right hospital in the right time frame - within three hours of onset - can greatly minimize the long-term disability a stroke can cause.

The Stats

Each year, nearly 800,000 people suffer a stroke. And brain attack is the third leading cause of deaths and the most common cause of disability in the United States. Stroke can cause significant disability, including paralysis, speech and emotional problems. Among stroke patients, one-third will die, one-third will be disabled and one-third will experience little or no disability. Approximately 25% of those who recover from a stroke will have another stroke within five years. New treatments are available that can reduce the damage caused by a stroke for some victims, but these treatments need to be given soon after symptoms start.

The direct and indirect medical costs associated with a stroke will reach almost $69 billion in 2009, according to the American Heart Association. The average cost per patient for the first 90 days after a stroke is $15,000, although 10% of those cases exceed $35,000.

Signs, Symptoms & Treatment

A stroke occurs when the blood supply is suddenly cut off to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and blood spills out around the brain cells. Thus, patients may present with either an ischemic or a hemorrhagic stroke, respectively. Ischemic strokes account for approximately 80% of all brain attacks, with hemorrhagic strokes accounting for the remaining 20%. Hemorrhagic strokes can further be classified as intracerebral (12%) and subarachnoid (8%).

The most common cause of an ischemic stroke is a blood clot that forms in the vascular system. A clot can form anywhere in the body; if it travels up and plugs a cerebral artery, it's called a thromboembolism. Possible origins of the clot are the heart, the large artery that supplies blood to the brain, a small artery or the blood itself crossing the blood-brain barrier.

The most common cause of an intracerebral hemorrhage is chronic hypertension, while the most common cause for a subarachnoid hemorrhage is an aneurysm rupture.

Callers may describe several signs and symptoms that indicate stroke. These include sudden numbness or weakness of their face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body; sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding; sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes; sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance or coordination; and sudden severe headache with no known cause. Other warning signs are double vision, drowsiness, and nausea or vomiting.

For treatment purposes, the remainder of this discussion will focus on the ischemic stroke. It is the most common, associated with 80% of all brain attacks, and is the one we can treat more successfully.

There are many risk factors associated with brain attacks, some are modifiable and some are not. Risk factors that are not modifiable include advanced age, male gender and family history of myocardial infarction or early stroke. Those risk factors that are modifiable include hypertension (systolic and diastolic), diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, cigarette smoking, prior stroke/transient ischemic attacks (TIAs or mini strokes), carotid disease, heart disease (especially atrial fibrillation), hypercoagulable states and drug/alcohol abuse.

Where should treatment be centered? On the penumbra, a zone of reversible ischemia around the core of irreversible infarction. The penumbra is salvageable in the first few hours after the onset of an ischemic stroke. Because you can't determine by exam how much of the brain can still be saved, treatment should be centered on a common chain of survival. That chain of survival comprises the seven Ds.

1. Detection: Stroke onset.
2. Dispatch: EMS activation and response.
3. Delivery: Prehospital care to hospital (exam should include the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and/or the Miami Emergency Neurologic Deficit (MEND) Prehospital Checklist).
4. Door: ED triage.
5. Data: ED evaluation; CT scan.
6. Decision: If the patient is a candidate and it's less than three hours from symptom onset, consider thromboytic therapy.
7. Drug: Thrombolytic therapy can reduce the risk of disability by 30% but must be given within three hours of symptom onset.

The EMDs Responsibilities

What's the 911 telecommunicator's role in a brain attack? Our role should be centered on the first three Ds. To assist with detection, we need to ensure telecommunicators are trained and certified in EMD. Nothing can take the place of training. A key to minimizing long-term disabilities and even death is getting the patient to an appropriate care facility within three hours of the onset of signs and symptoms. The EMD must ask the proper vital point questions to determine the true medical emergency and its onset.

We need to know when the patient last presented without signs and symptoms. Utilizing this method helps minimize confusion about the timing of the stroke's onset, and it's the best way to determine if the patient is within the targeted three-hour window for drug therapy. It's vital to remember that the caller may have difficutly focusing because of the telescoping of time and the emotions involved, but we (911, EMS and hospital) need that critical information to be most effective in detection.

Obviously, if our 911 telecommunicators are trained properly as EMDs and can detect that the patient or caller may be experiencing a brain attack, the telecommunicator will take the next critical step: dispatching the proper EMS unit(s).

Through proper pre-arrival instructions and assessment of the patient by field personnel the delivery section of the seven Ds is initiated. From this point, delivery includes making sure that we know where the patient should go.

What is the most appropriate facility for our patient? Similar to the classification of Trauma Centers and Heart Centers, hospitals can also be classified as Stroke Centers. This step is a critical piece of the puzzle because it ensures the patient receives the most appropriate care. The locations of and travel time to these specialty centers must be included in EMD training. This is also important because if we identify the best receiving destination for the patient, we will be able to determine where they should be transported and if it should be by ground or air.

The need for a speedy response is dictated by the drug used to treat ischemic strokes: t-PA. According to the NINDS Web site, "The window of opportunity to use t-PA to treat stroke patients is three hours, but to be evaluated and receive treatment, patients need to get to the hospital within 60 minutes. A five-year clinical trial conducted by NINDS found that selected stroke patients who received t-PA within three hours of the onset of stroke symptoms were at least 30% more likely than placebo patients to recover from their stroke with little or no disability after three months."

Conclusion

In the past, we may not have given much thought to our role as it relates to the patient suffering a brain attack, but as research and science continue to develop, it's evident that as 911 health-care professionals and "the first of first responders" we are the first link in the chain of survival. We must stay abreast of current information to ensure we stay a strong link to the survival of the patient, all the while doing our best to minimize long-term disabilities and possibly prevent death.

So, what about the 911 call for the husband who was experiencing a brain attack? At the end of the day, time was a critical factor in the treatment and outcome of this patient. Thanks to proper questioning and appropriate dispatch procedures, our patient reached a Stroke Center within the three-hour window and was administered thrombolytic therapy following a CT scan and the ruling out of any contraindications. As a result, he was discharged four days later without any disability.

Think about how the outcome could have been different. If the 911 telecommunicator had not been trained in EMD or had not followed the correct procedures, what would have happened?

Dispatchers = Compassion: How to Recognize & Prevent Compassion Fatigue

Taken from Public Safety Communications Magazine, May 2009
Written by Debra Peterson, communications supervisor with Salt Lake City (UT) Fire Dept. serving as training coordinator. She has worked in public safety since 1977 and in communications since 1980.


Ask any dispatcher what traits they deem necessary to be an effective public safety telecommunicator and somewhere in that long list of attributes you'll inevitably find the word compassion. No one can disagree with that. If you ask yourself or a co-worker why they wanted to become a dispatcher in the first place, you'll most likely hear such comments as "I wanted to help people" or "I wanted to make a difference."

Hopefully, they (and you) still have that same optimism and enthusiasm today. But what if you don't? What if you hear yourself saying: "I can't do this anymore." "What's the use?" or even "Why do we keep going there?" If you've said or thought something along these lines recently, you may be suffering from compassion fatigue.

Burnout

First used by the U.S. Army Nurses Corps in the early 1950s, the term compassion fatigue is now a psychological condition recognized in numerous professions, such as animal shelter workers, clergy and psychologists. During the past 20 years, the public safety communications profession has focused on Critical Incident Stress (i.e., what it is and how to identify and manage it). Although not formally recognized until recently, compassion fatigue has probably always occurred in the dispatch profession, but it's just now being considered a professional hazard. Also known as burnout, it's at the far end of the stress spectrum.

Stress is experienced through all five senses - taste, sound, sight, touch and smell. Memories are also formed using all five senses and stored in different parts of the brain. Example: Imagine for a moment a loaf of freshly baked bread. See it all nice and browned on top. Smell the aroma as it fills the house. Hear your knife cutting through the crust. Feel the warmth as you pick up that first slice. Taste the different textures of crust, inner bread and warm melted butter. Your mind has just pulled stored memories from different areas of your brain to make one complete picture - a memory - of an incident.

Now, let's switch to the dispatch world. You answer a phone and hear a mother screaming that her baby is choking. You calmly go through the steps you've been trained to perform, get proper incident information; send help; and give pre-arrival instructions. When help arrives, you hang up the phone, but then what?

If the phone isn't obsessively ringing and demanding our immediate attention, most telecommunicators replay the event again and again and again in their minds. First, you hear the phone ringing. Then you hear the mother screaming. You see the address on the ANI/ALI screen. You feel your fingers on the keyboard making the log and hear your co-worker dispatch the call while you turn your attention back to the caller and give pre-arrival instructions. You have used three out of the five senses to make one memory.

Two days later, you answer another call that turns out to be very similar, a screaming mother with a choking baby. You go through the same steps to process that call but something else happens. In a split second, you remember the previous call, that you were eating (taste) a healthy green salad just as you are now during this call and that your co-worker is again wearing the same ghastly perfume (smell) she was wearing two days ago. Your subconscious recorded everything from the call two days ago and is now involuntarily bringing it back to you. The current call will be added to your memory storage banks as a new incident and can be recalled when you least expect it. Imagine this cycle happening over and over. It can cause compassion overload.

Although the event hasn't happened to you, all of its emotion has been shared and transferred to you. You experience it through someone else's eyes, making it the "secondary circle of trauma." Because telecommunicators don't get the satisfaction of delivering hands-on treatment and because conforming to new HIPAA laws means it's virtually impossible to call a hospital and find out patient disposition, telecommunicators are left imagining outcomes or scouring obituaries for several days after an incident.

Unlike Critical Incident Stress, which is incident driven, compassion fatigue is cumulative and forms over time. Many would expect the 20-year veteran telecommunicator to be more susceptible than a three-year veteran. Not so. Just as everyone handles and manages stress differently, everyone's capacity for compassion is also different. The key is prevention, and the first step is recognition.

Recognize the Condition

Symptoms of compassion fatigue closely resemble those of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Just like burnout, compassion fatigue is an exhaustion that not only refers to emotional fatigue, but also physical and spiritual fatigue. You may have a diminished ability to experience joy or care for others, or you may begin to doubt your lifelong belief system. You're irritable at home and work, you experience sleep disorders, feel helpless and inadequate, and try to avoid tasks that typically would cause you more discomfort. You feel that you don't do anything right, and you've alienated yourself from friends and family. No matter what you say to yourself to talk your way out of the dumps, you still compare yourself to the mouse in a cage, running circles on a very, very small exercise wheel with no escape from the human suffering you're exposed to daily.

Take Care of You

Firefighters are taught to first care for their own safety, then their partner's and then the public they serve. Although that order goes against their human and moral instincts of wanting to help, the reality is they cannot help anyone else if they're incapacitated. There are numerous safety rules in place they must follow. Example: No one goes into a burning building without their personal protective equipment (Hollywood got it wrong in Backdraft), nor would they climb the stairs to fight a high-rise fire without their high-rise pack. Police officers also have safety rules to follow. Rather than jump into the middle of a group of five people fighting with knives slashing, officers wait for backup. Again, you can't help someone else if you're incapacitated.

Telecommunicators' jobs differ from those of our first responder counterparts because we handle all calls while they handle one at a time to completion. We are in information overload. So where's our safety net?

To avoid or conquer compassion fatigue, your life has to be balanced. Forty hours each week you're giving compassion, expending energy and helping people solve their problems, which range from the everyday mundane to life-threatening situations. Then you go home and care for family members or take care of household problems. And just like a battery that needs to be recharged, you run dry to compassion and energy. You need to replenish and receive, or take in, as much as you give out.

During the initial training for Critical Incident Stress Management, potential team members are told, "Stress is our body's normal reaction to abnormal events." So compassion fatigue can be defined as a natural consequence of stress that results from helping traumatized or suffering people. But it's also a preventable consequence, and no one is immune to this condition. It comes back to personal management and your life balance.

Preventetive Steps

The first step in preventing compassion fatigue comes from within. Focus on the positive rather than the negative. You can't control what calls you're going to answer that may put you in touch with a screaming mother and choking baby or other trauma, but you can change your thoughts. Rather than be angry because this mother has unwisely chosen to give a whole hotdog to a nine-month-old child, be positive and focus on the fact that you're doing everything you can to help the baby.

Whenever I hear someone in our office say, "It's been a bad day. I killed three people," I remind them that they did not kill three people and that we, as a team, used every tool available to us to turn the situation around and make it better. Sometimes life just goes wrong. Try remembering the oft-cited homily, "Look at the glass as half full instead of half empty." This may be difficult at first, just like the safety rules for firefighters and police officers on the street, but it will get easier over time.

Second, keep a healthy skepticism. There's nothing wrong with being angry at the father for abusing his child or the drunk driver who just killed an entire family, but put it in perspective and let it go. Allow yourself to feel sorrow, anger and empathy, and then move on.

The third step, and the most difficult for some, is exercise. If you've ever been in a CISM debriefing, you know that exercise is very important and a main coping and stress relief technique. It's easy to sit on the couch and click through all the TV channels while eating a chocolate bar or bag of potato chips, but exercise gets rid of the harmful hormones released in your body during stressful times. The good thing is that exercise can come in all forms. If you don't like the regimen of a gym workout, look around your house for things to do. As I write this, I know there's a driveway with about six inches of snow that needs to be shoveled, which translates to roughly 30 minutes of exercise for me. When was the last time you cleaned out your kitchen cabinets and put down new shelf liner? Does your shower door have hard water deposits and scum accumulation? As you can tell, I like to exercise and accomplish a task at the same time. It makes my mind more peaceful and allows me to rest easier. The key is to find what works for you and stick to it.

The fourth and final step in a healthy stress-reduction plan is to rest and relax. Find time for yourself, and do things you enjoy. Whether you prefer reading, gardening, playing the piano or soaking in a hot bubble bath complete with candles (yes, guys, you can soak too), it's important to take a vacation from responsibility for at least a few minutes every day.

At Work

Your employer can also help create a healthier work environment. Found at www.compassionfatigue.org, the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project suggests that employers provide a respite for staff following any traumatic event. I know of one dispatch center that has a special room with a big comfy lounge chair, low lighting, a candle and access to soft music where their dispatchers can seek refuge after a difficult situation or call. This center provides a safe haven that encompasses four of the five senses, and dispatchers often provide their own nourishment to complete the circle.

Education is also important. Just knowing what to be aware of is usually all it takes to break the compassion fatigue cycle and keep a healthy perspective on life and the trauma we deal with. Two hours of stress management education is required in the initial Utah State EMD Certification class, as well as two hours for every recertification after that. (One example of how to fill that requirement is reading this article.)

Our biggest asset in creating a healthy work environment is each other. We sometimes spend more time interacting with co-workers than we do with family. This enables us to know each other well enough to recognize possible warning signs of compassion fatigue, such as prolonged grouchiness or a defeatist attitude. If these co-workers are open to dialogue, you can talk to them. If not, refer the situation to your supervisor. You'll be doing them a favor.

Well deserved (not phony) praise goes a long way toward creating a positive, caring environment. Tell the person sitting next to you they did a good job on a call, or tell the radio person they handled "that shooting" well. Allow yourself to feel good about a job well done, even if the ultimate outcome wasn't desirable. James Matthew Barrie (the creator of Peter Pan) said, "Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves."

If you're curious to see how you rate on the compassion scale, log onto www.isu.edu/bhstamm/tests/satfat.htm. This free online test created by B. Hudnall Stamm and Charles R. Figley is not meant to diagnose or confirm one's compassion or lack thereof; it's just a guide to see how you're faring and if there may be cause for concern. I took the test and confirmed what I had already surmised: I'm in the safe and healthy zone for now. I was glad to know that my occasional outbursts against society are normal and healthy. Remember, compassion fatigue is just a term, not a disease. The goal is to turn compassion fatigue into "compassion satisfaction," in which you feel the same rush of adrenaline and eagerness to help people you did during the first week of your career, regardless of how many years ago that was.