This statement could easily be interpreted as a criticism of dispatchers when the true focus of attention needs to be upon the decision makers who oversee PSAPs around the country. The expectation to be offered CPR instructions in an emergency situation should be as fundamental as the expectation a telephone call to 9-1-1 will be answered. Sadly, there are still agencies who have not implemented procedures to make this type of advice available. There are also many agencies that having provided the capability, do nothing to ensure it is actually used consistently when needed!

Every primary PSAP (the ones receiving calls direct from the public) should have the capability to offer CPR advice to a consistent standard. There should be no question regarding its availability, or whether dispatchers consistently reference the guidelines provided in them. Their agency should, as a matter of routine, have processes in place that monitor the ongoing performance of the PSAP at different levels. Instead there are still too many communication center managers who continue to view pre-arrival instructions as an impediment to a dispatcher’s ability to manage radio traffic or other calls.

The protocol for how and when to offer CPR advice to emergency callers is well documented and established. Every dispatch operator trained and certified in Emergency Medical Dispatch covers the topic in their initial certification and on-going refresher training. Where things fail is within PSAPs who do not recognize that training and protocols alone do not ensure expected levels of service are or can be met.

As you well know, we can not always believe what we`read. Unfortunately the media will place their twist to make the headlines more enticing to the reader. As you stated, the dispatcher remained calm and composed under intense pressure. Our dispatcher’s and call takers do not get the luxury of calling a timeout or taking a recess to think about their decisions and actions. PowerPhone trainers have been discussing this very issue in our classes for years. When faced with these situations, call takers must act and provide pre-arrival instructions to distraught callers. When an emergency strikes many callers lose their sense of what to do and turn to the call taker for what is often life saving direction.

Appropriately the call taker specifically stated that she could not give permission or specific instruction to use deadly force. Instead she inquired as to locked doors (pre-arrival survival instruction), which is clearly the barricade option. She further put it back to the caller advising her that the option of deadly force was up to the caller if she felt it was the only option to protect her life and her infant child. The call taker also did not panic and did not out of fear order the caller to put the gun down and get away from it. She properly did not take away the caller’s most viable option. If she had, perhaps this story would have had a far more tragic ending.

Website: http://www.nonines.org

Clearly the disabled use 9-1-1.