Shackelford County dispatchers honored this week
Communities across the country recognize those who help save lives in times of personal or national crisis during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, being observed locally April 14-20.
Shackelford County sheriff Ed Miller commended local 9-1-1 telecommunicators when he gave special recognition to one of the workers during Monday morning’s county commissioners meeting.
“Our dispatchers take a lot of calls, and sometimes, they have to think outside the box,” said Miller.
He recounted that on Feb. 26, Jasmine Cangas received a 9-1-1 call with no apparent response on the other end of the line.
“The call was open, but the person was unable to speak,” said Miller. “Jasmine re-transmitted the call to get the location and found that it was a cell phone.”
Although she dispatched an ambulance, Cangas quickly discovered that the caller was not at the address shown in the records.
“Jasmine was able to communicate by using a series of knocks, asking the caller to knock back when she gave the correct address,” said Miller. “She then re-routed the EMS, and they were able to find the subject.”
Miller presented Cangas with a “Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Achievement in the Position of 9-1-1 Telecommunicator.”
Other local dispatchers are Tempie Wiloth, Dee Balliew, and Leonard Clayton.
In addition to 9-1-1 calls, dispatchers also handle computerized visitation calls, paperwork, and reports, said Miller.
The LEC 9-1-1 dispatchers work 12-hour shifts.
The West Texas Council of Governments also recognizes area telecommunicators during April, and Patty Davis of the COG was present at the commissioners meeting for the presentation.
Initially conceived in 1981 by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office in California, Telecommunicators Week was created to raise public awareness of the hard work and dedication of public safety telecommunicators.
Calling 9-1-1
Miller said that people who place a 9-1-1 call should try to help the telecommunicators as much as they can.
He encouraged callers to know their location and look for landmarks so they can tell dispatchers where they are, especially since most calls now come from cell phones.
“Try to keep calm and stay on the line,” said Miller. “Give as much information as you can.”
The sheriff asked for callers to use county and city names, street names, cross streets, mile markers, and other landmarks when they call for help.
Most land lines calls enable law enforcement workers to pinpoint the caller’s location. However, cell phones ping off the closest towers, so sometimes it is difficult to tell.
Additionally, cell phone users should provide their phone number to the 9-1-1 dispatcher in case the call becomes disconnected.
Helpful Tips
Dispatchers understand that callers may be under a great deal of stress, and they are trained to provide help in a timely and professional manner.
When calling 9-1-1, callers should keep in mind the following tips:
•Stay calm. When callers are scared or agitated, they are sometimes difficult to understand. Staying calm helps get questions answered more quickly and the appropriate help dispatched more easily.
•State the nature of the problem quickly and clearly. Until dispatchers know the nature of the call, they cannot begin to ask the questions most relevant to solving the problem and sending help. When calling 9-1-1, state the problem and be prepared to answer follow-up questions.
•Be prepared to give a location and phone number. In most cases when someone calls 9-1-1, the address and telephone number are immediately available to the dispatcher; however, cellular callers cannot be located unless they tell exactly where they are. If an exact address isn’t known, look for intersections or landmarks such as nearby businesses. Memorize mobile phone numbers.
•Answer the dispatcher’s questions simply and directly. When asked yes or no questions, reply simply yes or no. If asked to describe something, be prepared to provide as much detail as clearly and concisely as possible. Follow any instructions that the call-taker gives for safety.
•Don’t hang up. Callers shouldn’t hang up when they think that the conversation is over with the call-taker. The dispatcher on the phone is the link to the officer, paramedic, or firefighters en route. In many cases, field units en route to a call may ask questions that the dispatcher needs to ask the caller. Also, staying on the phone during a crisis or altercation will potentially allow the call-taker to hear a crime or will let the dispatcher know that the caller is safe.
•The policy of most law enforcement is to have officers respond to all -9-1-1 calls where the caller either hangs up prior to the dispatcher completing the call, or when there is an open line or on an accidental call. Dispatchers will call the number back, but a police response may also be sent in order to ensure that what the caller stated is happening is in fact happening. If someone dials 9-1-1 accidentally, they should stay on the line so that the dispatcher can speak to them.
