A dispatcher can be found in a police station, fire station, hospital, or centralized communications center. The dispatcher is assigned to a specific territory and answers emergency calls for assistance. The candidate sends personnel to the designated location to relieve the emergency. The calls are recorded and logged. The transportation vehicles are monitored and controlled for the emergency operations. Being a dispatcher requires attention to detail and a calm demeanor. All information gathered during the schedule is recorded accurately. Response units or company drivers contact their respective dispatchers for immediate assistance. It is important for a dispatcher to always be alert during work hours. Not being able to respond to a call can cause disaster.
Effective Communication
As the dispatcher works, computer-aided dispatch systems are used to let the candidate be more effective and productive. Good communication skills are a must for the dispatcher to be able to handle the emergency assistance appropriately. Miscommunication between the dispatcher and the response unit is prohibited. Depending on the nature of the assistance needed, the dispatcher determines the number of response units to be sent. The dispatcher candidate who is qualified to give medical instruction to the response unit can do so while rendering assistance by telephone.
Important Information Obtained
Before sending any personnel to the emergency scene, the dispatcher determines the location, type of emergency, and seriousness of the situation. The information is entered as a computer file or by hand. The pertinent information is relayed to the proper supervisors or authorities immediately. The emergency scene is monitored as closely as possible. Response units communicate closely with the dispatcher to determine if the emergency assistance is being carried out well. The next scheduled dispatcher can get the important information for emergency assistance and proceed with the operation. The sensitive nature of emergency assistance requires the response units and dispatchers to be always alert for any suspicious people in the area.
Kinds of Dispatchers
Medical dispatchers also do the same duties, but may give extensive first aid directions to the caller before the emergency personnel arrive on the scene. The patient’s condition is updated for the dispatcher so that the emergency personnel knows what to expect when they come. The dispatcher serves as a bridge for the medical personnel and the caller. For criminal emergency scenes, effective communication between the police dispatcher and the caller is a must. Since a crime scene is involved, properly trained emergency personnel are sent to the scene to evaluate the situation and take appropriate action.
For truck dispatchers, the movement of deliveries is closely monitored. The freight between cities is sent to the recipient without any delay. The drivers communicate all the time with the dispatcher regarding the status of the delivery. Pick-up of the delivery and communicating with the recipient is important for monitoring. Freight orders that are placed in the same truck are coordinated between the dispatcher and the truck driver. The truck dispatcher determines the sequence of the freight orders to be delivered and instructs the truck driver to have the recipient sign the delivery log sheet.
