Re: 911:: Newbie needs help...+ Protocols

[Guest guest]

>

> I have been lurking on this list for about 6 months. I

> started as a 9-1-1 call taker June 12 and I am still in

> training. I have been trained ...<snip> Last week I took

> the required 9-1-1 class and will be tested on Monday.

> This class basically dealt with the way our equipment works

> on the 9-1-1 calls and the protocol for each type -- meaning

> hang-ups, anonymous, TDD, etc. I will have one more month

> of training and then be cut loose. I am scared that I will

> not be properly prepared to handle the really bad calls.

>

> My dilemma is this: I will have no training on what to say

> if a suicidal person calls or a person who is holding some-

> one hostage calls. I have asked my supervisor and my

> trainer about this and was told it would come with experi-

> ence and I will just know. I know to keep calm but I don't

> know what to say. My question is -- does anyone know of

> any training book that deals with these type of situations?

> I know that there are cities with Hot Lines and I know that

> those people receive training before they are allowed on the

> phones. Am I just worrying unnecessarily or is there a

> book I could read?

, I can't begin to relate to a program like this. Before

I picked up a telephone in my department, I had to study my

department's 'Tactical Dispatching Plans for Crimes in Progress

and Tactical Operations.' It fills a 3 " thick binder. Tabs

for just about every kind of call we might receive and guidance

for 1) How to deal with caller, questions to ask, guidange to

give, whether to hang up or keep caller on the line, etc;

2) How to dispatch the call, minimum and recommended number of

units of what type, what to do if we're short, etc; and,

3) Required follow-ups, e.g., after DWI we have to enter the

towed veh in stored veh file and send TTY to administratively

suspend arrestee's driving privileges until arraingment. After

a bank alarm, if it's an actual robbery, PMARS lookout with

all avail info, TTY to local if unarmed/on-foot VA/DC/MD if

armed or we have vehicle description, notify FBI Field Office

at x100, etc.

Suicide? Got that. Keep caller on the line. Get location.

Determine means of ending life. Weapons? Children? Any

prior attempts? Under physician's care? Simultaneously,

patch call to Suicide Hot Line at the number listed in the

book, pre-alert rescue, dispatch units and supervisor to

scene, .....

The protocols in our TDP binder are based on an old APCO

guide, modified to be specific to Falls Church. PowerPhone

publishes 'The 'Dispatcher's Guide to Crimes/Incidents in

Progress Desk Reference for Police Dispatcher' and

similar guies for Fire and EMS. At $130.00 each, they're

not books for a personal library. My boss got Falls Church

to spend 'leftover end-of-the-fiscal-year money' to purchase

the PowerPhone guides a couple years back. I prefer the

old, home-grown book. Both contain similar information.

Our TDP book is constantly under revision by the pen of

hoever is working when we discover a change. Phone

numbers written in margins, clips from posts to this list

(InterNet service providers, for example), notes on format

numbers for the TTY, you name it. As time goes on, I refer to

the book less and less but it's always there... and now we

have a new dispatcher from State Police who is beginning to

stud. State Police dispatchers just don't have a lot of

experience taking calls of certain types, e.g., bank robbery

in progress. But they'll handle the pursuit that follows as

if it was a routine call... which, I guess, for them, it is.

With a bit of experience, you should be able to ask the

right questions and start the correct units to the scene of

any type of call... but you need a foundation, a starting

place, and a reference, since you can't remember all the

phone numbers, etc. needed to complete a call.. In my

opinion, , you should have a book of protocols (or

cards, for those using event cards) to cover virtually any

situation, whether it's called an SOP or TDP or something

else. Experience is a great teacher... But learning by making

mistakes shouldn't be a standard way of learning public

safety communications.

For now, start your own protocol book in addition to your

training book. It will be useful even if your agency uses

standard books. The PowerPhone Dispatcher's Guide:

Police, for example, has only one tab for robbery. But we

handle lots of different types of robberies. Bank robbery is

the only one that requires immediate FBI notification. Home

invasion robbery is usually gang related and requires special

notifications. Extortion, for us, is 'Robbery by threat of force

or intimidation' and gets its own page, but is quite different

if victim is a business or an individual.

Took a complaint of robbery by intimidation. Description of

suspect could only be Leroy, B M 608 400+ (the scale in the

jail only goes up to 400 and he pins it). But... " So, Leroy.

What happened? " " Well, sah, I wants tah know what time

is it so ah axed dis lil' chink if he hadsa watch. Well, suh,

he chucks dis watch at mah face an' den takes off like some

mof**kah wanted to rip him a new... " " Do you still have the

watch? " " Sure. It's real purty. " Leroy hauls out the Rolex.

" Leroy, do you mind if I give this back to Mr. Tran? " " No,

suh. It won't go round mah arm noways. " Case closed;

unfounded.

But back to protocols. Divide your pages (or cards) into 3

or more areas. 1) Phone w/ RP or victim. 2) Radio to/from

your units. 3) Other (TTY, notifications, mutual aid b'cast,

tertiary and supporting agencies, etc.).

[i know better. E-mail at work on a Sat nite? Started this

at 2000 when most of the crew went to supper together. It's

now 0420. Everyone is lined up either to use the BAC or

to see the magistrate to arraign suspects. The paperwork

flood will hit later, so...]

, if you don't get good guidance from your department,

go ahead and start with protocol for a suicidal if that worries

you. Phone questions: WHERE is victim? Is caller at same

location? Confirm address. More specific location, i.e.,

locked in bathroom? Out driving? Is caller victim or RP? If

RP, relationship to victim. How is victim going to end life?

Firearm? (warn responding units) Pills? ... etc.

If caller is victim, try to keep the victim talking. Calm voice,

not condescending. Empathize if you have interests in common

ard ask victim about interests. ... ect. Remember that our

role is to maintain life and get professional help to the victim,

not to become counselors.

Notes would include local suicide resources, mental hospitals,

crisis intervention team, hotlines (see http://suicidehotlines.com),

etc. I try to stick with local resources of known quality, the

places that the city Human Resources department uses. I

don't know anything about the quality or agenda of the

" Northern California Gay and Pre-Operative Transexual Teen

Male Suicide Prevention Hotline " and some of the conservative

folk here might object if they find out that it's affiliated with the

Man-Boy Love movemets. Some of the National Hotlines can

be checked out and recommended, e.g., the PATS (Parents

Against Teenage Suicide) TEACH (Teen Education and Crisis

Hotline) line at is stable, well known, etc. Send

for their literature so you can defend yourself (or your dept) if

some lawyer wants to sue.

Good luck with your training, . I hope this gave you a

few ideas. It should like you will soon be the best prepared

person in your center.

50's not old if you're a... Tree

R J 'Tree' Greenwood

treeg@... or tree.greenwood@...

doctree@... on 911 Console

Falls Church City & Fauquier County VA

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