Some 911 dispatch centers have incredible staffs that are knowledgeable,
cool under fire and great with people.  Others hire folks off the street
with no prior training and precious little training after they're on the
job.  Some centers have 911 operators that do not communicate directly with
"first responders", but get the info from the complainant and then make the
call to the appropriate service dispatcher (fire, PD, EMT, etc.).  I don't
know what it's like in VA., but in Ohio there are no minimum qualifications
for a 911 operator.  If your local community has enough $$$ to put in a 911
center, you're in business.  The only requirement we have is that all calls
are recorded on audio tape (for liability concerns).

The other issue is call volume.  The "customer service quotient" of a 911
center tends to diminish as call volume rises.

You would not beleive, too, the number of non-emergency calls that come in
through 911 in our metro center.  The whole idea behind 911 is to respond to
calls that have a "potential factor" for serious harm to persons or
property.  In other words, your not supposed to use 911 even if you're in a
fender bender and both cars are off the road, yet we get calls through 911
from folks who want to know how much it costs to park at a meter downtown!

Baltimore implemented a "311" system for non-emergency calls.  It's cut
their volume to 911 by 20%.  We're considering the same thing.  Problem is,
"911" is burned into everyone's mental Rolodex, so it will be a hard sell.

Speaking of "sell", that's the other problem we're running into: cell phone
calls.  More and more of our calls are coming from people on cell phones,
but if they don't know EXACTLY where they are, the dispatcher has no way of
determining their location.  It's particularly bad when a freeway call comes
in--especially from an out-of-towner, because they don't know the closest
exit names.

I'd like to see 911 operator/dispatchers make as much money as the line
officers and firefighters, but that's not likely to happen.  Until it does,
though, stuff like what happened to Amber ain't gonna go away.

-Kyle

-----Original Message-----
From: BG Greer, PhD [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2002 4:14 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Amber saves the house!!


I'm glad you and Amber kept your cool and everything is all right, but I
would raise some hell about the 911 operator. Who would think of asking
anyone to go back into a fire???

Bobby