Guest guest Posted January 29, 2001 Report Share Posted January 29, 2001 At 02:36 PM 01/29/2001 +1100, my Ozzie buddy Chuck (he with the nice new CHP mug, at last) wrote: <snipped a bit> >However, I feel that answering the emergency line with a good hearty > " good morning " , " good afternoon " , " happy thanksgiving " , etc could be >be horrifying for the caller. We keep it brief and business-like here >by answering the phone with, " police emergency " , and then taking it from >there. <rest snipped, too> The explanation I gave for our telephone greetings referred ONLY to the business/administrative, non-emergency lines. (I thought I'd made that clear, but perhaps not, and perhaps Chuck's comment wasn't pointed in my direction, either.) <grin> Obviously, there are those calls which occasionally arrive on those " business " lines which we DO determine to BE emergencies, but that's not the norm. 9-1-1 lines are answered " 9-1-1 Emergency, what are you reporting? " and the emergency lines intended for allied agencies to transfer emergency calls to us are answered " Highway Patrol Emergency line " or some variation thereof - sometimes even with a repetition of " 9-1-1 Emergency. " No other greeting, no identifying ourselves by name or ID, just the brief clue that the allied agency has transferred an emergency call to us (hopefully the correct agency for the call) when we answer. The call has been screened once already and another public safety communications professional has determined it needs our attention, not theirs. (Well, sometimes mutual attention...) I have a dispatcher who IS a bit effusive when answering any line, emergency or not. It's amazing how quickly she changes gears to solemnize an interrogation whenever necessary. In her defense, far too many wireless 9-1-1 calls AREN'T emergencies at all, so it's rare for her to tick anybody off with her " Good Afternoon, 9-1-1 - what's YOUR emergency? " I've reminded her a few times that #1 - she's tacitly encouraging callers to cheerily report not-horribly-distressing things and/or #2 - people having emergencies are NOT amused by that tactic of hers. And since we've already gone over the following issue a couple times on this list, I'm aware that some agencies answer 9-1-1 lines with " Where is your emergency? " instead of " what. " I haven't any real need to hash that issue out again. Happy to be here, proud to serve. Olmstead http://www.gryeyes.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2001 Report Share Posted January 29, 2001 At 02:36 PM 01/29/2001 +1100, my Ozzie buddy Chuck (he with the nice new CHP mug, at last) wrote: <snipped a bit> >However, I feel that answering the emergency line with a good hearty > " good morning " , " good afternoon " , " happy thanksgiving " , etc could be >be horrifying for the caller. We keep it brief and business-like here >by answering the phone with, " police emergency " , and then taking it from >there. <rest snipped, too> The explanation I gave for our telephone greetings referred ONLY to the business/administrative, non-emergency lines. (I thought I'd made that clear, but perhaps not, and perhaps Chuck's comment wasn't pointed in my direction, either.) <grin> Obviously, there are those calls which occasionally arrive on those " business " lines which we DO determine to BE emergencies, but that's not the norm. 9-1-1 lines are answered " 9-1-1 Emergency, what are you reporting? " and the emergency lines intended for allied agencies to transfer emergency calls to us are answered " Highway Patrol Emergency line " or some variation thereof - sometimes even with a repetition of " 9-1-1 Emergency. " No other greeting, no identifying ourselves by name or ID, just the brief clue that the allied agency has transferred an emergency call to us (hopefully the correct agency for the call) when we answer. The call has been screened once already and another public safety communications professional has determined it needs our attention, not theirs. (Well, sometimes mutual attention...) I have a dispatcher who IS a bit effusive when answering any line, emergency or not. It's amazing how quickly she changes gears to solemnize an interrogation whenever necessary. In her defense, far too many wireless 9-1-1 calls AREN'T emergencies at all, so it's rare for her to tick anybody off with her " Good Afternoon, 9-1-1 - what's YOUR emergency? " I've reminded her a few times that #1 - she's tacitly encouraging callers to cheerily report not-horribly-distressing things and/or #2 - people having emergencies are NOT amused by that tactic of hers. And since we've already gone over the following issue a couple times on this list, I'm aware that some agencies answer 9-1-1 lines with " Where is your emergency? " instead of " what. " I haven't any real need to hash that issue out again. Happy to be here, proud to serve. Olmstead http://www.gryeyes.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2001 Report Share Posted January 29, 2001 911:: Phone greeting > --- > I've never been accused of being a sour-puss on the phone, nor the radio. > But, on emergency lines, I tread lightly and play it by ear according to > the caller and nature of call ----------- We get a large quantity of calls on the non emergency line, so anything other than Sheriffs Dpt or Fire Dpt is innaprpopriate for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2001 Report Share Posted January 29, 2001 911:: Phone greeting > --- > I've never been accused of being a sour-puss on the phone, nor the radio. > But, on emergency lines, I tread lightly and play it by ear according to > the caller and nature of call ----------- We get a large quantity of calls on the non emergency line, so anything other than Sheriffs Dpt or Fire Dpt is innaprpopriate for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 30, 2001 Report Share Posted January 30, 2001 In our center we use " WHERE is the emergency " . The reason why is to place the dispatcher in immediate CONTROL of the call, and, at a minimum, at least have a location to send the police too if the call gets disconnected. We have used both greetings, and I have to say that WHERE is much better than What. What tends to allow callers to ramble on aimlessly. Just my opinion Jim I Bucks Co PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 2, 2001 Report Share Posted February 2, 2001 I have found on thing that has slightly irritated me with my husband's new agency.... Their dispatchers answer the non-emergency lines with just the agency name, without identifying themselves. Now, I understand why some agencies don't do this, but as a dispatcher and someone who is interested in forming a friendship with my husband's co-workers (I meet most of them the other night at a deputies wedding reception. They are really nice people!), I want to know who I'm talking to without having to ask " who is this? " I've resorted to just identifying myself and if the dispatcher says " oh HI! " then I'll ask or just take a guess at who it is. We have always used out names at our agency. Haven't had a problem with anyone saying they didn't want to. annette hallmark tamu pd >Answering the administrative lines with " good morning/evening " is most >acceptable, and I too quite often greet callers that way. Most of our >callers on the non-emergency line are from police at one of the many >stations, security/alarm companies, or other agency. > >However, I feel that answering the emergency line with a good hearty > " good morning " , " good afternoon " , " happy thanksgiving " , etc could be >be horrifying for the caller. We keep it brief and business-like here >by answering the phone with, " police emergency " , and then taking it from >there. >Chuck >Sydney, Australia > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 2, 2001 Report Share Posted February 2, 2001 I have found on thing that has slightly irritated me with my husband's new agency.... Their dispatchers answer the non-emergency lines with just the agency name, without identifying themselves. Now, I understand why some agencies don't do this, but as a dispatcher and someone who is interested in forming a friendship with my husband's co-workers (I meet most of them the other night at a deputies wedding reception. They are really nice people!), I want to know who I'm talking to without having to ask " who is this? " I've resorted to just identifying myself and if the dispatcher says " oh HI! " then I'll ask or just take a guess at who it is. We have always used out names at our agency. Haven't had a problem with anyone saying they didn't want to. annette hallmark tamu pd >Answering the administrative lines with " good morning/evening " is most >acceptable, and I too quite often greet callers that way. Most of our >callers on the non-emergency line are from police at one of the many >stations, security/alarm companies, or other agency. > >However, I feel that answering the emergency line with a good hearty > " good morning " , " good afternoon " , " happy thanksgiving " , etc could be >be horrifying for the caller. We keep it brief and business-like here >by answering the phone with, " police emergency " , and then taking it from >there. >Chuck >Sydney, Australia > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 3, 2001 Report Share Posted February 3, 2001 our dept requires that we only use our numbers that we are issued at the time of hire. people can argue until they turn blue, and all they get is our number, I have already told people, after being asked for a name, " that is my name, Im a number " most give up after that, others, if they are nice about it, get an explanation, its in our SOP's, just for the same reason, because of harrassment and stalkers, etc, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 3, 2001 Report Share Posted February 3, 2001 We have always used out names at our agency. Haven't had a problem with anyone saying they didn't want to. annette hallmark tamu pd ******************************************************************** I have never been real fond of using names. First names maybe but what of of single woman that is already listed in the phone book. Or the single guy, (hey stalker come in all sexes just as Letterman). I always thought (in our case) our radio ID numbers would be sufficient. No so say the powers that be. So we started to use a made up name " Dave " for the guys and " Davina " for the ladies. Some used it some didn't. I did a fill in stint at another station many years ago in a small town that had a patrol dispatch center. When I answered with my name 99% of the people wanted to know who I was. After explaining who I was for the 30th time, I finally said, " You don't know me, I am a fill in dispatcher, I have relatives that live about 15 miles west of here but that is it, can I help you? " Most have forgotten what they wanted and hang up. Duh. Iowa State Patrol Communications Cedar Rapids Werling Anamosa, IA N0XZY mailto:scott@... http://www.jonescountytourism.com http://www.ia.net/~anachamb/pumpkin.html http://www.earthsat.com/iowa/winter.html (Iowa road conditions) http://www.thehungersite.com (feed someone today) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 3, 2001 Report Share Posted February 3, 2001 We have always used out names at our agency. Haven't had a problem with anyone saying they didn't want to. annette hallmark tamu pd ******************************************************************** I have never been real fond of using names. First names maybe but what of of single woman that is already listed in the phone book. Or the single guy, (hey stalker come in all sexes just as Letterman). I always thought (in our case) our radio ID numbers would be sufficient. No so say the powers that be. So we started to use a made up name " Dave " for the guys and " Davina " for the ladies. Some used it some didn't. I did a fill in stint at another station many years ago in a small town that had a patrol dispatch center. When I answered with my name 99% of the people wanted to know who I was. After explaining who I was for the 30th time, I finally said, " You don't know me, I am a fill in dispatcher, I have relatives that live about 15 miles west of here but that is it, can I help you? " Most have forgotten what they wanted and hang up. Duh. Iowa State Patrol Communications Cedar Rapids Werling Anamosa, IA N0XZY mailto:scott@... http://www.jonescountytourism.com http://www.ia.net/~anachamb/pumpkin.html http://www.earthsat.com/iowa/winter.html (Iowa road conditions) http://www.thehungersite.com (feed someone today) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 3, 2001 Report Share Posted February 3, 2001 We only answer " sburg Twp Police & Fire " , if they ask for my name, it's either just my first name or my last. When we are busy, it's " sburg Twp, is this an emergency? " , if no, we ask them to hold. 9-1-1 is " sburg TWp 9-1-1, what is your emergency? " . We actually have no formal way of answering the phone, I guess it just how we were trained. April Keller AKeller25@... sburg Twp PD sburg, OH ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 7, 2001 Report Share Posted February 7, 2001 In a message dated 01-01-29 04:56:01 EST, you write: << 9-1-1 lines are answered " 9-1-1 Emergency, what are you reporting? " and the emergency lines intended for allied agencies to transfer emergency calls to us are answered " Highway Patrol Emergency line " or some variation thereof - >> And then there's San Francisco Fire ...... " Fire, you got a problem? " " Fire, who is this? " " Fire, oh Hi .... are you guys rolling, no I guess not if you're calliing us its in our city " " Fire, what do you want " " Fire, oh Hi, say you busy over there? " They add humor to my day -- even on what sounds like a nasty accident they sound so laid back on the phone. Although the other day I had someone who was pretty upset when I went to make the transfer I asked the person answering if he could stay on the line with the caller....he said " you mean TALK to them? " Uh yeah......keep em talking. " uh uh uh " me: its ok, I'll stay on till you get there....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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