I am an executive protection and corporate security consultant based in Southern California. My blog is dedicated to helping companies, their executives and the professionals who protect them and their assets make informed decisions regarding their safety and security.
The Right Stuff – Five Critical Things Your Team Needs To Remember When Dialing 911
Several years ago as a police officer I was assigned as a desk sergeant with the distinct and glorious pleasure of editing the blotter and correcting the spelling mistakes of the other officers reports. Exciting stuff, I know….the fast track to fame. Since it was a small department I sat with the dispatcher for the majority of the shift, and was able to do a little cross training. I quickly realized that it was far scarier than actually going on calls, because I felt completely helpless when the calls that were true 911 emergencies were often a loud, screaming or crying mess. People hurting. Things on fire. Basically, the worst day of their life. On scene I knew what I would do…but finding out the information and relaying it to the badges in the field was a different story.
Fast forward a few years and I found myself stripping down emergency procedures to the bare essentials for command center operations at a clients residence. As I was writing the guides, my brain steered more and more in the direction of wanting to say exactly what steps need to happen in an emergency to get help as quickly as possible, and not just creating some giant binder of information and sticking it on the shelf to collect dust.
So the first thing I could think of was compiling a list of five things to remember when calling 911. I wrote this from the perspective of the first responder and the dispatcher, thinking what I would like to know, and how I would like the information given to me if I was taking the call or having to show up to the call. I think it is a great list, and is something you may want to have on your command center desk, or review at your next briefing or training.
Five Critical Things To Remember When You Dial 911
1. BE READY WHEN YOU CALL AND KNOW WHERE YOU ARE.
Be prepared to state your LOCATION and the immediate nature of the emergency. IE: Medical, Fire,Crime, Etc. You will be asked what the address from where you are calling is, and your phone number will be confirmed by the dispatcher, so make sure you know which residence you are calling for. Remember that you could be routed to a dispatch center ANYWHERE. That includes the Fire Department, the Highway Patrol, Sheriffs Office and even a military base if there are too many calls for the regular dispatchers to handle. It is critical that you know where you are and what your address is for when your brain goes numb and tunnel vision kicks in. HAVE IT MEMORIZED.
2. REMAIN CALM.
Take a deep breath and speak slowly and clearly. Do not yell. The dispatcher needs to be able to process the information in order to get emergency services moving. Do not give any information until you are asked. Let the dispatcher do their job.
3. GET TO THE POINT.
Say what you see. Do not make assumptions, and be cautious with your opinion. You are not the fireman, cop, or paramedic on scene. You must give accurate information that is factual, timely and relevant. Paint a picture, but stay on track and report EXACTLY what you see. If weapons are involved, make sure dispatch knows WHO THE GOOD GUYS ARE, AND WHO THE BAD GUYS ARE. Tell them what you are wearing and that you are the good guys. If you have a weapon, TELL THEM. They will probably ask this question, but make sure it gets communicated so that responding officers KNOW WHO IS WHO and don’t engage you as a possible threat.
4. IF YOU GET DISCONNECTED, CALL BACK.
If you have to hang up or are disconnected before confirming your location and and nature of emergency with dispatch, CALL BACK. Do not wait for 911 to call you back as there may be reception issues preventing them from contacting you, especially if you are on a cell phone. Do not assume that your Caller ID appeared on their dispatch screen, or that they will “trace” your call within seconds. That is Hollywood, and this is reality. Make sure dispatch has your address.
5. HANG UP TO DO YOUR JOB
You may need to hang up to do your job. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE CONFIRMED WITH DISPATCH WHAT THE EMERGENCY IS AND THE LOCATION BEFORE DOING THIS. For example: If there is a fire, do not ramble to the dispatcher about how you are turning off the gas, etc while you stand outside and watch the house burn down. Call 911, state the nature of the call, and make sure the fire trucks are rolling. If life/property is in immediate danger and you need to save/protect it, use common sense and get off the phone to do so. Tell dispatch you are doing this. IE: “I have three people inside of the house that I need to evacuate. I am going inside to get them out.” Or “There is a fire in the kitchen, everyone is out of the house. I am going to attempt to put it out.” Hang up the phone, or hand it to someone else, and get the job done.
Until next time, keep checking your six.
~Josh Chandler~
