Survival of the Fittest (Emergency Dispatch)

My idea of the perfect outdoor adventure is a long (several days) hike over tough terrain (I do love a good challenge) and through beautiful scenery.  Having to pack several pounds of gear and food for the trip as well as being separated from the amenities I’ve become so used to is part of the challenge that I enjoy.

Of course, being in good physical shape is part of what helps to make these outdoor excursions so enjoyable.  Having to carry all that weight on your back for several days, sometimes over difficult terrain, isn’t easy so the better the physical condition one is in, the easier and more enjoyable the hike is.

In addition to being in good physical condition, a good mindset is required.  A positive frame of mind and being able to accept unexpected circumstances is imperative to being able to enjoy a long and challenging hike.

With hiking, having things go exactly as planned is rare.  Some little thing is likely to be forgotten or lost or the weather will change or the map won’t exactly match the route.  Whatever it is, one has to be willing to adapt and roll with the punches, so to speak.

Finishing a trip like this is a feeling like none other, particularly if it’s been a challenging adventure.  Yearning for a hot shower and a decent meal that didn’t come from dehydrated ingredients are some of the more prominent ones but it’s the sense of accomplishment that rings truest for me.

Working in emergency dispatch is similar to what a challenging outdoor excursion is for me.  The better prepared you are, the more enjoyable it is.  It’s rewarding, it’s exciting and it’s challenging.

The better physical condition you’re in, the better your body is able to tolerate sitting for many hours at a time.  It’s not easy on your body to sit for long periods at a time.  Being in good physical shape is also imperative to being able to tolerate long term stress.  With the adrenaline bursts our body releases throughout a shift, our bodies are in need of good physical exercise (at least 30 minutes) to burn the excess off and if you make exercise an important part of your daily routine, the more likely you’ll make the time to do this.

Being in good physical shape also helps you to maintain a healthy mind.  The better the frame of mind you’re in, the better you’ll be able to handle the stressful situations thrown your way throughout a shift.  The better place you are emotionally, the better you’ll be able to help those calling for help.  You’ll more likely respond to them and their situation as opposed to reacting to them.

The only two things that you can count on in emergency dispatch are that calls will come in and the calls will have to get dispatched.  What type of calls they’ll be, how callers will react to the situation they’re phoning about, how significant the events will be and whether units will be available to respond is always the unknown.  The better prepared you are to adapt to the unlikely and the unexpected, the more effective you’ll be.

Emergency dispatch truly is survival of the fittest.  The more fit (physically & mentally) you are and stay throughout your career, the longer you’ll stay and the more you’ll enjoy it.  The more fit you are, the more likely you’ll be able to endure a long shift of high stress and very little physical movement.  The more fit you are, the better sense of accomplishment you’ll feel at the end of it.  The more fit you are, the more likely you’ll maintain a healthy life outside of work.

If you work in emergency dispatch, let me know what you think!  Do you agree?  Do you disagree?  Do you have any words of wisdom for those thinking about a career in emergency dispatch?

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions, please send them to corinne@dispatchcoach.com.

Emergency Dispatch Education & Development Survey

August.  The final month of summer.  The month where days begin to get shorter and the nights get cooler.  The month where parents and kids wonder what happened to July and begin to think of school – school supplies, school clothes and the school year calendar.

It’s also a time where emergency dispatch centers alike begin thinking of a fall training schedule.  After a two month hiatus and fresh ideas being thought of, many centers begin to swing into gear and coordinate classes for new hires and plan Continuing Dispatch Education (CDE) ideas for their current staff.

It’s been no different here at Dispatch Coach.  After a short break, we’re back at the drawing board.  With exciting long term goals to plan for including facilitating CDE boot camps, virtual classrooms as well as health and wellbeing seminars for shift workers, we’re also preparing to launch CDE topics in a variety of formats for dispatchers and quality improvement coordinators.

With reports showing that training followed by coaching has a greater impact than training without coaching, we’re designing unique CDE programs that include follow up coaching.

To help us better serve our emergency dispatch clients with these CDE programs, we’ve created a brief survey.  If you work in an emergency dispatch center, we hope you will take the time to complete our survey.  If you don’t work in an emergency dispatch center but know someone who does, we’d be grateful if you could forward this post or the link to them.  To complete the survey, please click here.

As for the remaining hot summer days, we hope that barbecues, warm water, sandy beaches and wonderful evenings spent on a patio with friends and family are in your plans.  There’s nothing like summer to rejuvenate a dispatcher’s soul.

Thank you for your continued support and if you have any questions or comments, please send them to corinne@dispatchcoach.com

Helping Us Help You – Providing Location Information to 911(Emergency Dispatch)

Prior to my dispatch days, I never really gave knowing my location a second thought.  Even though I’ve always had a great sense of direction and always had a pretty good sense of where I was, thankfully, I was never in a situation where I needed to explain to someone what my exact location was.

One of the first questions you will be asked when dialling 911 is the address or location you need the help to.  For you, the caller, this can be as simple as providing a house address or can be as complicated as explaining which mountain range you’re on and where exactly on that mountain range you are.  No matter which, the clearer you are on your exact location, the quicker the help will be able to get to you.

Furthermore, providing precise details of where the incident is occurring or where the person needing help is within the address or location is crucial.  It’s important to ensure that the responders are able to visualize exactly where they need to go prior to arriving at the scene so they can proceed quickly and efficiently to where it is they need to go.  All too often, precious time is wasted when the responders arrive at the scene and it’s unclear as to where exactly they need to go.

It’s important not to assume the 911 calltaker you are speaking with is in the same town as you are in or is even familiar with the area you’re in.  It’s even more important not to assume the responders are familiar with the area you need help.  It’s up to you, the caller, to be able to clearly articulate where it is the responders need to go.  Knowing the precise location and providing accurate directions as to where you are and where the responders need to go to can often make the difference between successful and unsuccessful outcomes.

I recall reading an article in the newspaper where a young man went off the road and waited over three hours for help.  It didn’t help that it was a cold snowy night on the prairies however, this caller had no idea where he was or how far he’d driven from the last town.  All the calltaker and responders had to go on was the location of the cell tower picking up his cell phone signal.

So, what can you do to get the help you are asking for as quickly as possible?  Being aware of where you are and being able to provide clear directions as to where the responders need to attend is a great start.  Below are some ideas as to the type of information you may be asked to provide.

What is the exact address or location and the name of the location where you want the help to respond to?  Is there an apartment number?   If so, what is the entry code at the main entrance of the building?  Is there a gate code to the complex?  If so, what is it?  If it’s a house, what entrance are we to use?  If it’s a basement suite we’re going to, do we access from the main entrance, the right or left side of the house or the rear of the house?

If you’re in a park or hiking, where was your starting point?  What direction were you travelling in and how long have you been travelling?  Are you familiar with the area you’re in?  If so, what is the best access point for the responders?  Are you near a well known landmark?  Do you have GPS coordinates?

If you’re in a boat, where did you depart?  What was your destination?  What route were you taking?  How many knots were travelling?  How far have you travelled?  How long have you been travelling?

If you’re in a shopping center, what store are you in or in front of?  What is the best entrance to the shopping center to get to where you are?  If you’re in the parkade, which level are you on?  Which street did you enter off of?  What entrance point are you located near?

If you’re on the street, what is the name of the street?  What’s the closest cross street?  What is the address you’re in front of?  If you’re in front of a store, what’s the name of that store?  If you’re in an alley, what street do we access the alley off of and what’s the closest cross street?  Are you behind a store?  If so, what’s the name of that store?

If you were driving, what road or highway are you on?  What was your direction of travel?  Are you near a well known landmark?  What’s the name of the cross street you’re at or passed by?  What’s your destination point?  What’s the name of the last town you travelled through and how long have you been travelling?  Did you pass by a mile-marker and if so, what was it?  If you’re on a freeway, what was the name of the last exit you passed by or the name of the exit you’re approaching?

As a society, we generally take for granted that emergencies don’t happen to us, they happen to others.  While typically the average person only calls 911 for help once in their lives, you’ll never know when the time will come that you need to call for help and it’s vital that you are able to describe your exact location and precisely where the responders need to go in order for them to get to you in the shortest amount of time possible.

For further information or if you have any questions, please email me at corinne@dispatchcoach.com.

Customer Service in Emergency Dispatch: The Act of Listening

As a Dispatch Quality Improvement Coordinator, I’m responsible for reviewing call assessments and providing feedback to dispatchers and calltakers.  There are two aspects to a call assessment that stand out for me.  One is the customer service provided during the call assessment and the second is missed opportunities to provide life saving or altering instructions.  Because this post is about customer service, I’ll be focusing on that aspect of a call review however, stay tuned for a future post titled Missed Opportunities where I cover how to avoid missing opportunities to provide help.

A key aspect in any customer service is listening to the customer.  In emergency dispatch, our customers are our callers.  By listening, I don’t mean just hearing the caller but actually listening to the caller – what they’re saying, whether they’ve provided an appropriate answer to the question asked, the tone of voice they’re using, their emotions, etc.

Listening to the caller isn’t just about hearing the answer to the question we’ve asked so that we can get the call posted and get off the phone, it’s about picking up clues and queues to aid us in providing the best service possible to our caller in order for us to get the information we need to be able to send the most appropriate help quickly and efficiently as well as provide help over the phone to the caller.

It’s very easy to fall into the trap of simply focusing on the mechanics of asking questions and getting to the end of the call assessment.  Unfortunately, when we fall into this trap, we miss vital information and golden opportunities to meet the needs of our callers.  The primary purpose of actively listening is so that we can learn about the caller’s situation and understand what we need to do to help the caller, the responders, our co-workers and any patients, victims or bystanders.

Many things can interfere with our ability to be able to listen purposefully.  When we are not skilled at responding appropriately to stress or to difficult situations, our “fight or flight” instincts kick in and we tend to react.  As professionals dealing with people in their time of need, it’s vital that we learn to recognize these triggers and understand that our reactions and judgements are about ourselves and not our callers.  Developing our interpersonal communication skills is an important part of professional development in this profession.

Focusing on the call at hand is an important part of taking the time to listen to the caller.  All too often in our busy and understaffed centers we tend to get caught up in the getting to the calls in the queue because they might be something more serious than what we’re dealing with.  It’s unfortunate that some agencies put such emphasis on call times.  More important than the quantity of  calls each calltaker or dispatcher processes is the quality of calls they process.

When we avoid rushing through calls, we are able to take the time to listen intently and with empathy to our callers, recognize what they need and meet those needs in order to get what we need.  That’s really what providing 100% customer service is all about!

Active listening is about being present with the caller.  Listen to the caller with empathy and understanding and responding to the needs of our callers will assist us in providing 100% customer service and obtaining the information we need through a quality call assessment.  Try it and see how much easier your call assessments become!

If you have any questions, please email me at corinne@dispatchcoach.com.

Emergency Dispatch – It’s Time for Regulations, an Objective Set of Standards & Quality Education

Occasionally, which is far too often in my opinion, we hear stories in the media of what went wrong in a call made to 911.  Calls being re-routed to the wrong communication center, responders being sent to the wrong address, dispatchers failing to recognize or respond to serious calls for help and the list goes on.  Sadly, many of these calls result in the person needing help dying and that’s not acceptable – especially if the error at the 911 level was in any way a contributing factor.  As first, first responders, we have a responsibility to meet society’s expectations and to exceed a high set of standards.

However, who sets those high standards that we must strive to exceed?  Most agencies have goals to achieve excellence and to meet or exceed their own set of high standards they’ve created but if it’s the agency or even a group of agencies together who set those standards, is it possible for them to set an objective set of standards?  More importantly, if they are being created by the agencies, how do they ensure consistency across all of the different agencies – police, fire and ambulance throughout all communities being served by public safety communication centers?  Is it reasonable for a community to expect the same level of service as any other community when calling 911 regardless if it’s police, ambulance or fire for the province of British Columbia or some small town in Quebec?

There’s also the question of consistency with the level and quality of education between emergency dispatchers in the profession.  Most agencies prefer to provide their own training, which of course is tailored exactly to meet their own needs and their own set of standards.  Most of their training programs simply cover the basics of how to process calls and dispatch help.

Though there are a few formal post secondary Public Safety Communications programs, I’ve yet to learn of an agency that requires a formal post secondary education in a Public Safety Communications program for their new hires.  In fact, I’ve actually heard of agencies intentionally encouraging enrolled students to drop out of such programs with promises that they’ll train them instead.

Most formal professions require a certain level of academic education and the benefits of having a formal education as an employee goes beyond working in the job itself.  If it’s a quality program they’ve taken, they’ll receive university credits that can be applied to other university programs should they decide to continue on with their education in the future or find a need to change careers.

I agree that there are quality training programs created and run by agencies and for certain things like teaching new employees local geography, policies, procedures, phone and computer systems, it’s a necessity.  However, in an emergency dispatch center, it makes sense to me to have employees who have learned at an academic level about psychology, anatomy & physiology, criminology, fire behaviour, communications writing, language skills, even leadership and all sorts of other fundamentals.

As an individual, imagine having a solid understanding of all of the above and not just the bare basics taught to us with the on the job training we get when we’re hired.  Imagine having formal credentials that would help us pursue other avenues and strengthen our knowledge and resumes if we ever wanted to advance or needed to change careers.

There’s a lot to be said about on the job experience and this post is in no way meant to devalue or discredit it.  No amount of education can possibly replace the experience and learning we get by actually doing the job but having and expecting a certain level of education is a great foundation and a great start to succession planning for both the agency and the individual.  It’s also a great start to meeting high education standards that go hand in hand with high service standards.

Emergency dispatch is beginning to be thought of as a profession in the true sense of the word and change is already happening.  There are already groups out there who are fighting to have regulations implemented and establishing standards for the various agencies to meet.  These are definitely interesting times and challenging for those who find change difficult and see no problem with the status quo however, having an independent body regulating emergency dispatch services is not about those who run the agencies or those of us who work in the agencies, it’s about putting the best interests of the people we serve first.

This post is my own opinion that others may or may not agree with and there’s no ill intent.  I’m looking forward to reading your comments on this topic.  I’m sure there are people who agree and I know there are those who disagree with what I’ve said and I’d be interested in hearing your opinions so leave your comments below.  If you are a member of the public and you do not work in emergency dispatch, I’d appreciate it if you would leave your comments about your thoughts on this topic as well.

For further information or if you have any questions, please email me at corinne@dispatchcoach.com.

Strategies for Managing Stress

While small amounts of stress for short intervals aren’t necessarily bad for you, significant amounts for longer durations can have negative impacts on your health, your relationships and the quality of your life.  How much stress one person can manage differs from person to person.   Stress is also very personal and what is stressful to one person may not be to another.  What is consistent with everyone is what can be done to help reduce stress and to help cope with it.  Incorporating the following suggestions won’t eliminate your stress however it will help your toleration and coping mechanisms.

1. Eat well balanced, nutritious meals that are proper sized servings.  Your body needs nutrients to support all of its systems however, this becomes even more important if you are under stress or subjected to stressful situations on a regular basis.  Reduce your sugar and bad fat intake as these only add to the stress your body is already under.  Make better food choices and avoid overeating.  Avoid the inner isles of the grocery store, select whole grains or even sprouted grains, avoid white flour, white sugar and educate yourself on what’s healthy, what’s not healthy and the effects a poor diet has on your body, including your brain.  It’s okay to indulge every once in awhile however once a week is significantly less taxing on your body than once a day.  The cost of health care is astronomical and is in large part due to causes within our control.  We are responsible for taking care of ourselves.  Stress + Poor Diet = Significant Health Problems (if not early departure from life).
2. Nothing helps combat stress like exercise.  Take breaks throughout the day, particularly at work.  Not only does your mind need it, so does your body.  If it’s reasonable weather, go outside and take a brisk walk around the block.  Get up a little earlier and start your day with a morning walk or perhaps take an evening walk.  Purchase a gym membership and take advantage of the free exercise plan most gyms help you establish.  The great thing about attending a gym is you are surrounding yourself with people who are also striving for better health.  Take up bike riding, kayaking, canoeing or any activity that helps you get active.  Hiking is an excellent form of exercise and allows you to see unique habitat and scenery.  Most communities have a variety of trails for you to explore and some even have books published about local hikes for the beginner hiker as well as the significantly advanced.  Can’t tear yourself away from the television?  While I think getting outdoors or at least away from the television is best, consider buying a treadmill or an exercise bike and walk, run or ride while you’re watching it.
3. Lead a full life outside of work.  Those who spend their lives going from home to work and back home again have more difficulty dealing with stress than those who are involved with other activities outside of the home and work.  Join a group, a club or even take some courses offered in your community to become more skilled in an area that interests you.  Consider hobbies you enjoyed as a kid or even those you may be interested in starting now.  Gardening, photography, woodwork and painting are just some of the many things to do. The most difficult part of doing anything is actually taking the action to do it so don’t contemplate the fact that you wouldn’t even know where to start, just do it.  You’ll do what most people do and that’s learning as you go.  Don’t have a particular hobby in mind or perhaps you’re limited on funds?  How about gathering a group of friends and take turns having dinner or having a game night on a regular basis?  Find a cause that you are passionate about and volunteer in your community.  Find anything that will give you something to look forward to and help take your mind off of work, your responsibilities and bring more joy into your life.
4. Learn to recognize what’s within your control and let go of the rest.  We all have enough of our own responsibilities and there’s no sense in taking on those that belong to others.  There’s also no sense in trying to force situations in an attempt to create the outcomes you want.  Learn what you ultimately have control over (YOUR actions, YOUR choices – not anyone else’s!) and learn what you can influence (through sharing of information).  You can’t force others to do what you want and you can’t force results.  Accepting this becomes important in eliminating the stress in your life.  If you are finding yourself stressed over a particular situation ask yourself “What can I do about this?  Is this something within my control?”  but bear in mind that you only have control over yourself.
5. Get enough sleep.  Seriously.  It’ll change your whole outlook on life.  You’ll cope better, you’ll think clearer and your mind and body will be much better prepared to deal with stress.  Difficulties getting to sleep?  Create a regular night time routine that includes a hot bath or shower as well as reading a book or a magazine and stick to it.  Avoid stimulating your mind and body right before bed and incorporate all of the above four points into your life.  If after a month or two of following each one of these points in this post you are still having difficulty sleeping, see your doctor.

Incorporating these lifestyle changes into your life is an important part of combating stress and the key to ensuring success with these changes is to ensure you surround yourself with a strong support system and with people who are living similar lifestyles.  Find a friend who is willing to join you, hire a personal coach or search for a group to join but remember it starts with you!

If you have any questions, please email me at corinne@dispatchcoach.com.

Confession of a Working Mom

In an effort to mix things up a bit and keep this blog from becoming monotonous, I’ve decided to make an occasional fun and light hearted post.  For the record, today’s post falls under the light hearted category though with some degree of truth.

Let me first just say, I’m not a bad mom.  I never use physical force to punish, I try really hard to speak to my kids as I would want to be spoken to and I don’t allow them to loiter around town.  I provide the basics of life, including a whole lot of love, I try and give them as many new experiences as I can and I’m a hockey mom, a soccer mom and a swimming mom.  It’s just that, I know if given the opportunity to be a stay at home mom without any type of work, I don’t think I’d take it.

Oh, I can hear the gasps already.  I know there are many moms who would leap at the chance to be at home all the time to raise their children but I’m not too sure I’m one of them.  I’m not against being at home as a full time mom, in fact I’m all for it.  Just maybe not for myself.

Here’s the real kicker.  My desire to not be an at home mom isn’t because I think it’s unimportant, it’s because it frightens the heck out of me!  I mean, seriously, you have to admit, it’s a lot of work!  And I have teenagers that I’m not exactly sure where it is they came from.  I know where they came from, I just don’t know what happened to the kids I raised.  Every once in a while I catch a glimpse of them but most of the time their behaviour is foreign to me.  Who are these strange yet beautiful creatures who spend hours on the phone and roll their eyes at me every time I offer them my opinion or provide a suggestion?

That’s the other thing!  For me, it wasn’t all that long ago that I was their age and I remember it like it was yesterday.  Yeah, I know, my parents were probably saying the same thing but still, it’s different with me.  I’m much cooler than my parents.  I dress better, I’m much more fun than they ever were and I’m actually willing to admit what teenagers are really up to and provide education around it in hopes that they’ll make informed decisions and not succumb to too much peer pressure.  See?  Way cooler.  But still, I get the eye rolls.  The “mommmm!” said to me in exasperation.

On one hand it’s exciting to watch them develop and grow into their own but on the other hand, life seemed so much simpler when I didn’t have to worry about the complex adolescent issues that I can’t bring myself to ignore.  There are times when I really enjoy spending time with them and then there are times when all I want to do is lock myself in a closet with a flashlight and a calendar so I can count the days until they graduate and I can give them a one way ticket to backpack around some country far away.

I guess I can’t say for sure if I’d actually turn such an offer down but I can honestly say I sure am glad I’m not in a position that I’d actually receive such an offer.  All I know is I can’t wait until the day comes where they actually want my opinion and want to spend time with me.  Until then, I’ll just keep being grateful I have to work and do the best I can to raise them into valuable contributing members of society.

If you’d like to share your thoughts, offer me any parenting tips or give me a good scolding for preferring to work in private, I’m all for it.  Send me an email to corinne@dispatchcoach.com.

Who & What Determines Effective Leadership?

I sure don’t claim to be an expert on leadership however I do claim to be an expert on being subjected to leadership, both good and bad, as a front line employee.  It amuses me that in almost twenty years of being in workforce, I’ve only ever been asked for feedback on how my “leader” was doing as a leader twice.

I’ve never really understood why the business world thinks the top managers know better how effective their managers or supervisors beneath them are doing as leaders than their frontline employees do.  At least, that’s the assumption I’m making since I’ve rarely been asked.

I can’t help but wonder; wouldn’t asking those beneath the various management levels make more sense?  Customers provide feedback on the front line employees, the front line employees provide feedback on their leaders and those leaders provide feedback on their leaders and so on.  I’m not suggesting that their entire performance review be based on this feedback but rather that the feedback specific to their leadership abilities come from those beneath.  This is based on the assumption that companies provide regular performance reviews to their employees.

Maybe a better question is do most companies even care?  Is it automatically assumed that those holding management or supervisory positions are automatically good leaders?  I haven’t worked in many different organizations however the one thing that has been consistent is the lower you are on the totem pole, the more you care about how your “leader” leads.  Can the same be said as you climb up the totem pole?  Do those above care about whether or not those below are effective leaders?  This becomes an important consideration when you look at places with a high rate of staff turnover.

People care about how they are treated and supported in the workplace more than anything else.  Money is important, benefits are a bonus holidays are great but more important, is how a person feels when they’re at work, which is directly related to how their “leader” leads.  This is true for all businesses, any size.

It is my belief that you will never have a firm grasp on how effective the leaders are in your organization or how effective you are as a leader unless you include anonymous input from those on the receiving end.  I’m confident it has to be confidential to be able to count on it being the truth because let’s be honest, who’s going to trust that what they say won’t be held against them in the future if it’s not anonymous?  I don’t believe systems and processes in place to help support the leaders can be properly improved without this kind of feedback.

That’s my opinion and I would like to know yours.   What do you think?  Do you think management above knows best whether the managers and supervisors below are effective leaders?  In your opinion, is what I’m suggesting even a reality in the business community?  Leave your comments below.

If you’d like to contact me directly, please email me at corinne@dispatchcoach.com.

Hanging Up on 911 (Emergency Dispatch)

In North America, 911 has become a number most of us have been taught to call when we need emergency help.  Be it a fire, a police matter or a medical problem we as a society know that when we dial those three numbers, we’ll get the help that we need.  While most of us have been taught to call 911 though, we’ve never been taught what happens once we‘ve dialed 911.

Oh sure, we’ve all seen Hollywood’s version of dialing 911 and unfortunately, that tends to be what most people expect when they dial 911.  Call, state your emergency and hang up.  While it appears to be quick and simple, it’s not realistic.  The majority of the population doesn’t realize there is a formal process that most communication centers require 911 calltakers to follow and it’s dependent upon you, the caller, remaining on the line.

Most callers understand that they need to stay on the line until the calltaker tells them they can hang up however, there are those who believe that as long as they’ve told us their address and what they’re phoning about, they can just disconnect.  (The elderly tend to still phone the operator, state their name as Mr or Mrs So-and-So and tell the operator they need help as this is how it was done back in the day.)  The fact is, when you call 911, the person at the other end of the phone needs to gather information to ensure you get the right help and get it quickly as well as provide you important instructions to follow until the help gets there.

There are also those who change their mind after dialing 911 and hang up without realizing the negative impact hanging up before speaking to the 911 dispatcher has on the 911 system.  Here’s an important learning point for everyone:  How do we know you’ve just simply changed your mind and that there’s not a bad guy there threatening you?

In most centers, if you call and hang up before telling someone you’ve changed your mind, the policy is to call you back because not everyone who hangs up has simply changed their mind.  This means that a calltaker has to make themselves unavailable to help the next caller phoning 911 for help in order to take the time to call you back and find out the reason you’ve disconnected.  This all takes time, sometimes up to 60 seconds or longer and while 60 seconds to you doesn’t seem like a lot of time, we 911 dispatchers know how much can happen in 60 seconds.

In the same amount of time we have to take to make ourselves unavailable to take a call when you hang up, call you back, confirm that you don’t need help and explain to you the importance of remaining on the line next time instead of hanging up, we could have already started help for the next caller, found out exactly what happened to and have started life saving instructions over the phone.  If by chance you choose not to answer our call back and there’s an actual address, it’s most likely help will be sent over to check it out, which means that’s less responders available to help those who really do need help.

It’s okay to change your mind but just make sure you stay on the line to tell the person at the other end.  You affect other callers and people who actually need help when you hang up before the calltaker tells you it’s appropriate to hang up.

This post is the first of many to help people understand what happens when they call 911 and the reason behind the processes.  Take a few minutes and share any experiences you’ve had when phoning 911 or ask any questions you may have about the process.  It would also be interesting to hear from others working in emergency services.  If you prefer, feel free to email me at corinne@dispatchcoach.com.

Supporting Those with Spinal Cord Injuries – Wheels in Motion

In June of 2001, my friend Chris, who was a bicycle messenger at the time, was struck by a car while riding through an intersection.   In the seconds before being hit, he heard the car’s engine speed up in an attempt to make it through the yellow light resulting in his life being forever changed.  At the time he and his common law wife had an 18 month old son and an almost four year old son.  He had been a bicycle messenger for seven years.

Chris is truly amazing.  And I’m not just saying that.  He is.  Imagine one minute you are riding your bike, the next minute realizing  you’re about to be hit by a car and then realizing you can’t feel anything in the moments after you’ve been struck.  Terrifying.   But it was Chris who took control at the scene of his accident instructing someone to call 911 and another to call his girlfriend.  Hello?  He has it together enough to do this after being struck by a car and realizing he can’t feel anything?!  Seriously!  I’d have been freaking out along with everyone else there.  I once read somewhere that courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to take action while feeling afraid.  Chris is courageous.

Fast forward eight years and in addition to doing his best to live the best life he is able to, he helps out with the Quebec Paraplegic Association ( http://www.portal.paraquad.qc.ca/web/site/accueil -yes, it’s in French.  The Canadian Paraplegic site is http://www.canparaplegic.org/en/ ) and is in his second year of helping them organize the Rick Hansen Wheels in Motion event in Montreal.  His life is a lesson in attitude, choice and inspiration for us all.

Please read the following email he sent out to help raise money for the Wheels in Motion event that benefits the Rick Hansen Foundation, which raises money for research and rehabilitation and towards quality of life programs for those living with spinal cord injuries:

Hi everyone! Some of you may remember I helped organize the Rick Hansen Wheels in Motion event here in Montreal last year. Due to a last minute decision to hold a Wheels in Motion event in Montreal, we were given three weeks to organize it and we were basically flying by the seat of our pants! We held the event in the parking lot of my old re-adaptation centre on one of the hottest days of the year during the same weekend as the Formula One Grand Prix. Nonetheless, it was a success and we managed to raise over $15,000. I was able to scrape together a team of my friends and my two boys, Rowan and Cole, and was able to raise $700 for our team.

This year will be the 7th annual Wheels in Motion event, which takes place across Canada in different communities this Sunday, June 14th. It was started by the Rick Hansen Foundation to help raise awareness and funds for people with spinal cord injuries. Part of the money goes to research and rehabilitation and part of it goes towards quality of life programs to help people with spinal cord injuries achieve their dreams and goals. For those of you that don’t live in Montreal, go to www.wheelsinmotion.org and find out where Wheels in Motion is happening in your community.

This year, we’ve had 4 months to organize the event, and here I am scrambling at the last minute, trying to get the word out. Some things never change. Anyways… this year we’ll be having the event this Sunday, June 14th, at Laurier Park, north of dowtown Montreal. There’s going to be hot dogs, tacos, clowns, mascots from the Canadiens and the Impact… Gerald Tremblay, mayor of Montreal and Caroline Neron, a Quebec sta will be our guests of honour, lots of booths with different stuff for everyone. All in all, it’ll be a great day. We’ll have the obstacle course as we do every year… teams of five compete in a friendly race, facing different challenges to give them an idea of what it’s like to be in a wheelchair.

So there’s my spiel. I’m not much of a salesman but this is for something that hits home for me and gives me a chance to give something back for the support I’ve received over the years. You can click on the link below to sponsor my team, or you can go www.wheelsinmotion.org to find an event in your community to participate in. And all of you local yokels in Montreal, I’d love to see you  at Laurier Park on Sunday!

My donation page: http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=607158&LangPref=en-CA

Thanks for reading!
Chris

Chris has only set a goal of $500 and I’m hoping people will donate despite the fact that he’s already reached his goal.  This is an excellent event and a very worthwhile cause.  If you have a few extra dollars kicking around, please donate – if not to Chris’s team, then directly to Wheels in Motion.

For those of you living in Canada, find a Wheels in Motion event happening near you and stop by!  http://www.wheelsinmotion.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&Itemid=63

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and if you have any questions, please email me at corinne@dispatchcoach.com.

Thank you all!