Ill. 911 board to offer police, firefighters call-taker training
From the Benton Evening News: Benton County (Ill.) dispatchers were so pleased with the training they received in May, that 911 board members are discussing widening the scope to include firefighters and police dispatch personnel.
Melanie Turner, chief dispatcher for Central Dispatch, praised a recent hire for keeping a calm head while on the phone with distraught parents. Turner said the dispatcher, who is also a paramedic, talked parents through performing CPR on an infant. She said although the child did not survive, the dispatcher was able to remain calm throughout the 911 call. Turner credits the dispatcher’s demeanor to training protocols. Turner also suggested commendation for dispatchers who go above and beyond the call of duty during an emergency. Read the entire article here.