911:: Trainees cutting it? -reply

[Guest guest]

<<I hope you are writing all this down>>

I haven't yet. However, I am going to do a progress report and submit it

tonight in writing.

<<does your training program have a provision for...>>

Our training program doesn't exist. It's whatever I go over with the

trainee. I have a basic outline that I go through (as a checklist) and a

minimum standards checklist from the department. I asked about how long

the training was allowed to go on, and my supervisor has stated that there

is no end time limit yet. The 2 weeks I mentioned is the " norm " . Rushed?

maybe. But all of us so far have done fine with it.

I expect that we will have a rigid standardized training soon. Our

department is attempting to get accredidation and I would think this would

have to be covered. Unfortunately unlike VA, Florida doesn't require a

disaptcher academy (yet) although I am wishing for one.

Usually the first day is tour of campus and observation/explanation only.

Second day starts hands on learning answers to business phones and starts

answering lines and alarm panels. Usually by start of second week, radio

procedures, FCIC/NCIC etc. By end of 2nd mid of 3rd, a small informal quiz

(my trainees only) is given to see where we stand. The questions are based

on what I know off the top of my head, and is not meant to be all

encompassing.

All officers have been asked to go easy on the ears for the new dispatcher

(my last trainee was once given 5 names to run at the speed of light. The

officer got a " 10-9 way too fast " over the radio from me, and a talking to

when he came in.)

The codes we commonly use only number about 20 and have been highlighted

for her along with the explanation that it takes a while to learn

everything and it will come to you. Just memorize the important ones for

now. When an officer calls out " 10-98 [assignment completed] " she writes

this down and looks it up. She then writes down what it means, keys up the

radio and acknowledges the officer. The whole process of writing EVERYTHING

down word for WORD takes way too long. I have told her before that if she

insists on writing everything down, she is going to have to use some sort

of shorthand because it takes too long. By the time she is done writing

down, the officer has already called in " dispatch... do you copy me? "

My concern also is it often takes 2-3 minutes to enter a basic call and

this is _just_ basic info (location, incident, description). when doing

this she forgets to read the teletype printouts and often waits until the

second " alert " from the alarm panel (about 7 seconds apart).

How do you teach multi-tasking? any suggestions GLADLY accepted. My

last trainee still has my scanner to pick up her radio ear... but how do

you teach someone to do more than one thing at a time.

And I don't know if it was mentioned or not, but we work alone here. I

radio dispatch, answer phones, teletype, handle front desk etc. Anyone

working here HAS to do more than one thing at a time or they won't cut it.

Thanks for the input and the help. Wow, that was alot longer than I

expected... sorry

-patrick

mailto:pgarmon@...