The Comm Center at night! As you listen to these call-takers, try to visualize what is happening: visualize the caller, the house, the location, what is happening, etc. You can clearly see that EMERGENCY CALL-TAKING is about knowing what to ask and asking!

Remember this - the job is to SEND. Dispatchers are not gatekeepers and do not refuse to send. All information is gathered and PASSED ON to the responders! When listening to this, jot down some of the phrases you hear. It's amazing, really, how direct the call-takers are. There is a job to do - the job is to SEND with SPEED to the correct location with the correct and full information on what is happening and what has happened. The call taker is actually the FIRST RESPONDER ON THE SCENE.

Assignment:

In the comment box below, give an assessment of the things you heard in this call and how you think this call went. What were some questions and phrases that were asked by the dispatcher that stood out to you? What approach did this dispatcher use with the caller?

Lesson Summary

In the Comm Center at night, call-takers have a crucial job of emergency call-taking which involves knowing what to ask and quickly sending help to the right location with full information. Some phrases heard during calls show the directness and importance of the job:

• Asking where the yelling is coming from
• Clarifying if someone is fighting inside the home
• Seeking details on a messy situation
• Investigating a lost person's relation to the caller
• Getting a description of a missing person
• Assuring help for medical emergencies
• Providing instructions for aiding someone until help arrives

Call-takers are the first responders on the scene, dealing with chaotic situations that may seem normal to them. While they strive to help, they often can't dwell on each call after it ends. The visualization process is key to understanding and responding appropriately to emergencies, even though the reality of the situation may remain unclear once the call concludes.