The Oakland County Sheriff Department Dispatch Center is making some improvements – the department is now utilizing the Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) program and will soon be using Emergency Fire Dispatch (EFD).
EMD is a program through which dispatchers can streamline their questions and provide accurate medical direction for callers, while providing more detailed information to emergency personnel.
‘The dispatchers weren’t equipped before to give accurate medical information,? said Christian Russell, chief of communications in the dispatch center. ‘They couldn’t do anything to help, now they can do something.?
All dispatchers in the department are EMD certified. Before instituting the program this past October, each staff member took a 27-hour competency course over three days. The class taught the dispatchers how to use the program smoothly.
The EMD program provides dispatchers with the Pro-QA software, a step-by-step computer program containing pertinent questions and medical information for every kind of medical emergency. The program also comes with backup ‘flip cards? in case of computer failure, power outages, etc.
When an emergency call is received, dispatchers are immediately provided with a listing of questions to ask the caller. As each question is answered, the computer program directs the dispatcher to the next set of appropriate questions or instructions. The goal is to give the caller assistance immediately and provide all responding units with the same information at the same time.
‘It helps the caller deal with the emergency is really what it does,? said Chad Chewning, Quality Assurance Supervisor for the department. ‘It gives the caller some help immediately.?
Chewning is responsible for reviewing calls and dispatchers for accuracy and quality. When grading a dispatcher on a call, he looks at six main points: case entry, chief complaint, key questions, pre-arrival instructions, post-dispatch instruction and final coding. He also considers customer service.
‘I’m happy with how my people, and these are people who have very little medical experience, are doing,? said Russell. ‘Right from the beginning they have been doing well.?
Both Chewning and Russell said that the response from emergency personnel on the new program has been positive.
‘They’ve been very happy with it,? said Chewning. ‘There getting more information. It used to be they were sent to an unknown medical, now they can go prepared.?
The dispatch center leaders also added that the dispatch time is shortening since the new program is more direct. The last turn around time reported to the Addison Fire Department, the only local agency effected by the new program, was 2 minutes and 19 seconds.
‘The dispatchers are asking more precise, purposeful questions now,? said Russell.
The county dispatch center plans on instituting the new Emergency Fire Dispatch program sometime in July. Russell said dispatchers will be working off the flip cards until the new software is integrated into the computer system.
‘I have looked for many years for a good fire training program,? said Russell. ‘We will be the first in the state to implement this one.?
The program runs identical to the EMD system, and accounts for many different emergencies from a structure fire to a car sinking in a body of water. The two response programs will work together to direct the dispatchers accordingly.
Locally, the Addison Fire Department is the only station effected by the two new programs. Fire Chief George Spencer had no comments on the system at this time, but did state that the dispatch center’s turnaround time is not any faster .