Questions We've Been Asked
We receive lots of questions during a year, by telephone, fax, e-mail and in person. Many of the answers end up on specific pages of our Web site, under a specific category. But sometimes the questions-answers just don't fit into a well-defined slot. So, we compiled a list of the most common questions and their answers and posted them right here.
Q. Is there an on-line forum where I can find help with technical or other questions about dispatching?
Q. Is there a national labor union that specifically represents public safety dispatchers?
Q. Is there a formula or other way to tell me how many dispatchers I should have per shift, or total?
Q. I'm considering becoming a dispatcher. What preparation do I need?
Q. I have some ideas for stories in your publication...what can you tell me?
Q. I work for a public safety product company and want to send you press releases. What's the best method?
Q. Do you know the number of 911 centers in the USA, a chart or map of their locations?
Q. My regional center is having an event...would you run a story promoting it?
Q. What type of advertising does your publication accept?
Q. I'm interested in better retirement benefits for dispatchers--how do I do this? updated
Q. Is there a list of the public safety communications centers in the U.S.?
Q. I'm looking for some cities/towns that have successfully consolidated their dispatching.
Q. My co-workers and I are looking for a new shift configuration to maximize our days-off. Do you have any ideas?
Q. Where can I find resources on Spanish for public safety dispatchers?
Q. Where can I find some inspirational messages, poems, prayers or other material pertaining to dispatchers?
Q. Where can I find a Web site that converts latitude and longitude to a visual map position?
Q. Is there a standard list of questions for taking missing person calls?
Q. Can you provide some on-line resources for TTYs and public safety comm centers?
Q. I'm looking for training videos about TTY devices...
Q. Where can I find mission statements from comm centers?
Q. I want to consider new computer-aided dispatch software? Are there downloadable demo versions, or where can I find vendors?
Q. Is there a Web site on the Internet where I can post my RFP, RFI or other bid solicitation and have it routed to several companies?
Q. Have you heard of the software program VIN Assist? What does it do and where can I obtain it?
Q. Where can I find live public safety radio broadcasts on the Internet?
Q. Does the full moon really affect the number of incidents, or is it my imagination?
Q. What is accreditation and what does it mean for comm centers?
Q. Where can I find 911 public education materials and help on creating my own program?
Q. Is there a list of state laws pertaining to public access to comm center logging recorder tapes?
Q. Where can I find general information on telephone systems, area codes, etc.?
Q. Are there agencies that have on-line Internet reports for crimes, CAD, etc.?
Q. Are we required to transmit a station identification for our public safety radio system?
Q. I am looking for written statistical information on how many radio frequencies one dispatcher can handle/respond to effectively? Do you know where I might this information?
Q. We're receiving more incomplete calls than ever before, both from wired and wireless phones. What's the policy for handling such calls?
Q. Where can I buy my own 911 training phone?
Q. What Web sites offer reverse phone look-ups...you know, obtain the address from the phone number?
Q. I've heard of a famous 9-1-1 call from a man reporting that he struck and deer, and then was bitten by the animal after he put it in the car. Can you tell me if it's true, and where to find the call?
Q. I've applied at a police department that has a residency requirement...is such a thing legal?
Q. I want to obtain some "last dispatch" wording that one would use in the terrible event that a firefighter or officer dies in the line of duty?
Q. In the post-Sept.11th world, what resources do you have for bomb threats?
Q. My agency wants to implement new unit IDs...what do you suggest?
Q. Is there such a thing as Web-based, on-line access to NCIC?
Q. What procedures do you recommend for handling citizens following--or chasing--someone in their car, either for a criminal offense or traffic violation?
Q. Do you have an examples of incident cards I could use when my CAD system stops working?
Q. I understand that distribution of criminal history information is restricted by state and federal laws to authorized law enforcement personnel on a "need to know" basis. But does that mean my agency cannot broadcast the information on the radio?
Q. My comm center will soon be required to collect statistics on the race, sex, age of drivers they stop for any reason, in order to combat racial profiling. What resources are available for me?
Q. Where can I subscribe to a language translation service?
Q. Who sells call processing guides for public safety calltakers?
Q. Who offers flip cards for natural disasters, such as floods, hail, blizzards?
Q. When you hear police radio traffic in a movie or TV show, is it real of fake?
Q. Can I tour the Walt Disney World fire department comm center in Orlando?
Q. Don't state laws give dispatchers immunity against civil lawsuits?
Q. My agency needs to address a very large, rural area? What resources are there?
Q. I need a basic description of this "voice over IP" technology that people are talking about.
Q. Help! Liability insurance resources, please!
Q. Isn't it against the law to auto-dial 911?
Q. Someone told me they never plan to dial 911...every! I figure that everyone has to dial 911 at least once in a lifetime? Am I correct?
Q. If we learn that a caller is HIV positive or has AIDS, we radio that information to responding medical units. Is this a violation of federal medical privacy laws (HIPAA) or to broadcast the phrase, "Use universal precautions?"
Q. My agency wants to collect citizen information and enter it into our CAD location file. Is there a form we can post on-line or mail out?
Q. I'm in charge of naming new streets within our jurisdiction. Is there a list of street names, parks and other places that I can use as a reference?
Q. Do you know of any company that markets a jewelry-type ring for public safety dispatchers?
Q. What advice or information can we give citizens about suspected explosive devices?
Q. Can you give me guidelines for how long it should take to dispatch an incident?
Q. Our comm center dispatches for several other agencies, and we want to develop a forumula for sharing the costs... any ideas?
Q. How much does it cost to train a dispatcher?
Q. What cities have instituted laws requiring building owners to install radio signal boosters?
Q. Do you have a sample false alarm ordinance?
Q. What are the pros and cons of accreditation from CALEA?
Q. Is there such a thing as liability insurance for dispatchers?
Q. I've heard that the average length of service for a dispatcher is 2.5 to 4 years? Is that true?
Q. How do you answer the 911 line: What is your emergency or Where is your emergency?
Q. Which is better--civilians or sworn in the comm center?
Q. My comm center is having trouble obtaining subscriber information from wireless carriers--they say the information is confidential, and releasable only with a court order. Any help?
Q. Are public safety comm centers required to record their telephone or radio traffic?
Q. Do you have a policy for handling wireless 911 calls that don't sound like an emergency?
Q. We're installing E911 and naming streets-- but when should a roadway actually be called a "street" and required to have a name?
Q. We operate a law enforcement comm center, but will shortly also be required to dispatch fire units. What resources do you have for us to quickly pick up the skills?
Q. Is there a national standard for how quickly you must answer 911 calls?
Q. What standards are applicable to public safety comm centers?
Q. My agency needs help in defining an employee Internet access policy? Can you help?
Q. I'm traveling solo across the country on a bicycle, and am taking a satellite telephone to keep in contact. Is there a list of 7-digit, state-level law enforcement agencies I can call if I encounter trouble.?
Q. Is there a directory of police, fire and EMS agencies, or for that matter, a directory of government agencies and their contact information?
Q. Is it legal for dispatchers to take stolen vehicle reports from citizens over the phone?
Q. Can you point me to some policies and procedures?
Q. I'm looking for customer service survey forms.
