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IntroductionAll Emergency Responders –

police, fire and EMS – require a reli-able method of communicationbetween themselves and the DispatchCenter. For decades, two-way radiohas been the standard. Radio isdependable, easy to use, and allowsfor rapid transmission of informationand rapid response between thevarious Public Safety agencies. Evenwith a growing use of cell phonesbetween emergency responder agen-cies, New Jersey still lists radio as thestandard means of communicationfor all EMS Responders and Hospit-als; the State of New Jersey EMS Com-munications Plan specifies the radiocommunications to be used betweenEMS responders, dispatch centersand hospital HEAR radios.

The plan requires a minimum offour frequencies which must be pro-grammed in all ambulance radios,and which are still checked duringinspections by both the EMSCNJ andthe NJ DOH/OEMS. These four fre-quencies are:

1. JEMS 1 - local dispatch frequency;this is the primary channel used tocommunicate to the local dispatchcenter, regardless of frequencyband;

2. JEMS 2 - 155.340 MHz; ambulanceto hospital ER frequency (HEAR);

3. JEMS 3 - 155.280 MHz; statewideEMS Coordination;

4. JEMS 4 - 153.785 MHz; same asSPEN 4, statewide mobile publicsafety coordination (EMS, Policeand Fire).

Even though many hospital ERs arerequesting cell phone call-in insteadof using the HEAR radio, the JEMSplan still specifies HEAR radio capa-bilities between hospital and ambu-lance. The entire JEMS CommunicationPlan can be found at: http://njsfac.net/mobilization/JEMSPLAN.pdf.

Dispatch CentersWhen emergency calls come in, the

dispatchers at the Dispatch Centerwill provide the initial information tothe responding units, monitor theirprogress and perform safety checks asneeded, and provide additional rele-vant information as it becomes avail-able. Additional resources may berequested by the responding unitsand will also be dispatched.

In NJ, the Office of EmergencyTelecommunications Services (OETS)is the authority for 9-1-1 and DispatchCenters. OETS is part of the Office ofInformation Technology. Information

Dispatch and Proper Use of Radio Communications

by Paula Weilerby Paula Weiler

The Gold Cross CONTINUING EDUCATION SERIESThe Gold Cross CONTINUING EDUCATION SERIES

Even though many hospi-tal ERs are requestingcell phone call-in, the

JEMS plan still specifiesHEAR radio capabilities.

Even though many hospi-tal ERs are requestingcell phone call-in, the

JEMS plan still specifiesHEAR radio capabilities.

After reading this article, the EMT willbe able to:

• Recognize the importance of estab-lished state-wide radio frequenciesfor communications.

• Review the differences in DispatchCenters and the role of OETS in estab-lishing requirements for, and certifica-tion of, Dispatch Centers and PublicSafety Telecommunicators.

• Understand how Emergency Medical9-1-1 calls are handled and theEmergency Medical Dispatch process,including use of the EmergencyMedical Guide Cards.

• Recognize accepted radio etiquette,including proper use of the radio andmicrophone and how to provideunderstandable transmissions.

• List the information to be transmittedby the Dispatch Center to EMS forefficient and safe response to emer-gencies, and information the DispatchCenter may need from EMS.

• Keep radio communications HIPAAcompliant.

• Recognize the effects of stress onPSTs in contributing to PTSD and theneed for CISD.

• Recognize how JerseyNet broadbandtechnology will aid NJ EmergencyResponders.

After reading this article, the EMT willbe able to:

• Recognize the importance of estab-lished state-wide radio frequenciesfor communications.

• Review the differences in DispatchCenters and the role of OETS in estab-lishing requirements for, and certifica-tion of, Dispatch Centers and PublicSafety Telecommunicators.

• Understand how Emergency Medical9-1-1 calls are handled and theEmergency Medical Dispatch process,including use of the EmergencyMedical Guide Cards.

• Recognize accepted radio etiquette,including proper use of the radio andmicrophone and how to provideunderstandable transmissions.

• List the information to be transmittedby the Dispatch Center to EMS forefficient and safe response to emer-gencies, and information the DispatchCenter may need from EMS.

• Keep radio communications HIPAAcompliant.

• Recognize the effects of stress onPSTs in contributing to PTSD and theneed for CISD.

• Recognize how JerseyNet broadbandtechnology will aid NJ EmergencyResponders.

EMT ObjectivesEMT Objectives

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for OETS can be found at:http://www.nj.gov/911/

OETS sets the standards forDispatch Centers and establishes therequirements for Public SafetyTelecommunicators (PSTs), whichincludes dispatchers and call-takers.All of the Dispatch Facilities in NJ –whether a County or Regional Centeror a local Police Department DispatchFacility – must comply with the tech-nical and operational standards speci-fied by OETS and by regulations. Allanswering points/dispatch centersfall into one of the following cate-gories:

1. Public Safety Answering Point(PSAP) – a facility where 9-1-1 callsare received: a. A Primary PSAP is where 9-1-1

calls are routed directly to thisfacility.

b. A Secondary PSAP is where 9-1-1 calls are transferred from aPrimary PSAP.

2. Public Safety Dispatch Point(PSDP) - a facility which providesdispatch services for one or morepublic safety agencies (Police, Fire,EMS and others).

All PSAPs or PSDPs should havethe following minimum equipment:

1. 9-1-1 terminal;

2. Ability to conference and transfercalls to other PSAPs/PSDPs/publictelephones;

3. ANI/ALI displays:a. ANI - Automatic Number

Identification which displaysthe caller’s phone number,

b. ALI - Automatic LocationIdentification which displaysthe caller’s telephone number,address and supplementaryinformation such as the primaryPolice, Fire EMS agencies in thecaller’s jurisdiction;

4. Instant playback voice recorder for9-1-1 calls;

5. Uninterruptible power supply(UPS);

6. Logging recorders (which time-date stamps the time and disposi-tion of all 9-1-1 calls) in addition tokeeping records (or printing)records of all 9-1-1 calls received;

7. TTY devices which can communi-cate with deaf or mute callers, andwhich can display the conversationand produce a hard copy;

8. Sufficient number of PSTs toanswer all 9 -1-1 calls within 10seconds, except that 10% of thecalls received during the averagebusiest hour of the day must beanswered within 20 seconds.

In addition, if the PSAP is also aPSDP, logging recorders will be avail-

able for all radio channels and otherpublic safety emergency telephonelines.

Emergency calls come in to theDispatch Center by enhanced 9-1-1voice calls, by TTY/TDD (TeletypeTe l e ph o n e / Te l e c o m m u n ic at i o nDevice for the Deaf), and Text to 9-1-1(at least one Dispatch Center in eachcounty has the equipment to handleText to 9-1-1).

All incoming 9 -1-1 calls areanswered the same way: “9-1-1, where isyour emergency?” When the 9-1-1 voicecall comes in from a hard line theANI/ALI display resembles thescreen shot in Figure 1: the phonenumber is displayed along with thename of the person (or business) thatphone is registered to along with theaddress. The display also shows theprimary police, fire and EMS agenciesfor that physical location. This displayshows a 9-1-1 call from a Stop & Shop

with the store nameand address, thestore’s phone numberand the primary emer-gency agencies alongwith their phonenumbers. If no oneresponds to the voiceprompt above, a TTY/TDD query is sent (fora hard line only). Ifthere is still noresponse, the local PDis dispatched to theaddress to investigate.

When the 9-1-1 callcomes in from a cellphone, the ANI/ALIscreen display resem-bles the screen shot inFigure 2: the cell phone

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CEU Article: Dispatch & Radio-continued from page 8

All incoming 9-1-1 callsare answered the same

way: ‘9-1-1, where isyour emergency?’ If no

one responds, a TTY/TDDquery is sent. If there is

still no response, thelocal PD is dispatched.

All incoming 9-1-1 callsare answered the same

way: ‘9-1-1, where isyour emergency?’ If no

one responds, a TTY/TDDquery is sent. If there is

still no response, thelocal PD is dispatched.

-continues on page 10

Figure 1:

ANI/ALI Display: 911 Hard Line ANI/ALI Display: 911 Hard Line

Figure 2:

ANI/ALI Display: 911 Cell Call ANI/ALI Display: 911 Cell Call

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number is displayed along with thename of the cell carrier. The addresscould be the cell tower the signalbounced off (usually Phase 1 cellphones) or a more accurate addressfor Phase 2 cell phones. This displayshows a Phase 2 phone with a Con-fidence Factor of 36 meters and a Confi-dence Percentage of 90% (meaning theinformation displayed is 90% confi-dent that the caller is located 36meters from the displayed address).These two pieces of information aredisplayed under latitude/longitude.Depending on the software, the desig-nation of COF and COP may or maynot appear. Again, this display showsthe primary police, fire and EMSagencies for that physical locationand their contact numbers. Cellphones can be re-bid (Refresh ALI orRequest ALI) to attempt to get moreaccurate or detailed information onthe location of the cell phone if:

1. The call comes into the DispatchCenter displaying “No ALI” or “NoRecord Found”;

2. The call comes into the DispatchCenter with Phase 1 informationonly (this includes callbacknumber and tower location only);

3. The caller is traveling and youneed updated information abouthis/her location;

4. If the COF is poor and you need totry to obtain a more accurate loca-tion (i.e. the COF is 0 or very high).

Re-bids only work while the call isstill active.

TTY/TDD calls have several pre-programmed phrases the PST canselect to quickly transmit to the caller,or the PST can type out a messagesimilar to typing an e-mail or a text.The caller’s information is sent backthe same way. (See Figure 3.) NENA(National Emergency Number Asso-ciation) has prepared a documentabout TTY/ TDD communicationswhich can be found at:https://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.nena.org/resource/resmgr/Standards/NENA_56-004.1_TTY_TDD.pdf

Text To 9-1-1Text to 9-1-1 is designed to be used if

the caller is in a situation when avoice call is not possible or practical,yet an emergency services response isneeded. Text to 9-1-1 can be accessedby just sending a text to 9-1-1 using acell phone or other device; the emer-gency call is handled just as if it is atext message between phones. Text to9-1-1 should be used when the caller:

1. Has an emergency that requiresassistance from police, fire or EMS;

2. Has a speech or hearing impair-ment; it is recommended that thecaller inform 9-1-1 that he/she isspeech or hearing impaired so thatdispatch can inform responders;

3. Is in a situation where speakingmay cause him/her harm, such as abreak-in or domestic violence situ-ation. The caller should rememberto silence the phone so that thesound of 9-1-1 replying does notgive him/her away;

4. Is dealing with peer pressure. Forexample he/she may be with agroup and some of the membersare doing something dangerous orillegal;

5. Cannot make a voice call becausethere is no cell phone service, but adata service may be able to send atext message.

ANI/ALI information is not avail-able when using Text to 9 -1-1 so thecaller must provide the location asquickly as possible. Re-bidding will

not work with Text to 9-1-1. More infor-mation is available about Text to 9-1-1at: http://tech.nj.gov/911/ index.shtml.

Anatomy Of An Emergency CallWhen a 9 -1-1 call comes in to a

Dispatch Center, the PST answers thecall with “9 -1-1, where is your emer-gency?” The PST must quickly deter-mine three items:

• Where is the emergency, • What is the emergency, • Who is calling and confirm call-

back information. Depending on thenature of the emergency call, andwhere the call is received, the processwill vary. Regional/County DispatchCenters will receive 9-1-1 calls formunicipalities they directly dispatch,and will also receive 9-1-1 calls formunicipalities they do not dispatch.Regional Dispatch Centers are con-tracted to receive 9-1-1 calls for sec-ondary PSAPs so the trained PSTs canhandle the information gathering,and handle the EMD responsibilitiesutilizing the EMD Guide Cards.

Many smaller Dispatch Centerscontract with larger Dispatch Centersto save money; this way they do nothave to purchase new equipment toupgrade as changes are made in the 9-1-1 technology, and they do not haveto spend money training their PSTs inEmergency Medical Dispatch.

Sometimes the 9-1-1 call will hit acell tower in an adjoining municipal-

CEU Article: Dispatch & Radio-continued from page 9

When a 9-1-1 call comesin, the PST must quicklydetermine: where is theemergency, what is the

emergency, who is callingand call-back info.

When a 9-1-1 call comesin, the PST must quicklydetermine: where is theemergency, what is the

emergency, who is callingand call-back info.

Figure 3:

TTY/TDD Call MessagingTTY/TDD Call Messaging

ity or Dispatch region and will thenbe sent to a different PSAP thanwhere the call is emanating from.Once the initial information is deter-mined the call is transferred to theSecondary (Local) PSAP for dispatch.Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD)records are generated, and areupdated with all information which istransmitted while the call is inprogress. When the call is completed,the disposition is noted and the CADrecord is time-stamped and closed.

If the emergency call is for policeresponse, the Dispatch Center willnotify the responding police officersby radio of the location and nature ofthe call. If the emergency call is forfire response, the Dispatch Centerwill notify the appropriate firedepartment by radio of the locationand nature of the call.

If the emergency call is for EMSresponse, the Dispatch Center willanswer the 9-1-1 call and once it isdetermined to be a medical assistancecall, the PST will determine thenature and severity of the medicalincident. The PST will coordinate anddispatch the appropriate EMSresources, and will give EmergencyMedical Dispatch (EMD) assistanceusing the locally approved EMDPRS(EMD Protocol Reference System,which are the EMD Guide Cards inNJ).

As with the police and fire dis-patch, the EMS crew will acknowl-edge the dispatch and should repeatthe address back to ensure they havethe correct location. This will be time-stamped by the dispatcher. WhenEMS arrives on scene they will notifyDispatch that they are on scene, andthe dispatcher will acknowledge their

arrival on scene and time-stamp thetransmission. If EMS is on scene for along period of time (again this timeperiod is determined by the agency’sSOPs) the dispatcher will call the EMScrew over the radio to ensure they aresafe and all is in order.

When the patient is ready to trans-port, and is loaded on the ambulanceEMS will call in via radio to the dis-patcher and provide transport infor-mation; this is echoed by the dis-patcher and time-stamped again.Some EMS systems will provide start-ing and ending mileage to Dispatch.

Once the ambulance arrives safelyat the hospital, Dispatch will be noti-fied again and the transmission istime-stamped. When the ambulanceleaves the hospital, Dispatch willagain be notified and the transmis-sion time-stamped, and when theambulance arrives back at the stationDispatch will once again be notified.

If clean-up/decon of the ambu-lance is needed, Dispatch will beadvised and will be notified againwhen the ambulance is ready to goback into service. If ALS has been dis-

patched, this information is alsonoted in the CAD details. If thepatient refuses medical care, and/ortransport, this is also noted in theCAD details.

All phone calls into and out of theDispatch Center are recorded, and allradio transmissions for all agencies inthe Dispatch Center that are con-tacted by radio are recorded.

What Really Happens At The Dispatch Center?

PSTs sit at consoles with multiplecomputers, telephones and radio con-soles. Depending on the DispatchCenter they work in there may beanywhere from four to six or morescreens to monitor, multiple radiochannels to listen to, and the everpresent telephone system. (See Figure4.) PSTs are trained as 9-1-1 call-takers,and if the Dispatch Center handlesEmergency Medical Dispatch thenPSTs are also trained in EMD. If thePST is only a 9-1-1 call-taker (and doesnot provide radio dispatch) then theradio equipment is not set up at thatconsole. Even though there may be

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CEU Article: Dispatch & Radio-continued from page 10

The PST will coordinateand dispatch the appropriate EMS

resources, and will giveEMD assistance using

the EMD ProtocolReference System.

The PST will coordinateand dispatch the appropriate EMS

resources, and will giveEMD assistance using

the EMD ProtocolReference System.

Figure 4:

Much To Monitor At The Dispatch CenterMuch To Monitor At The Dispatch Center

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only six screens, there are many moreprograms that have to be monitored.

If the telephone system is comput-erized then one computer is dedi-cated to the telephones. If the radiosare computerized then one computeris dedicated to the radios. A third (ormaybe even a fourth computer) hasmultiple screens connected and con-trols the CAD program, the mappingprogram, CJIS program (CriminalJustice Information System), NCIC(National Crime Information Center),NLETS (National Law EnforcementTelecommunication System), NJLETS(NJ Law Enforcement Telecommuni-

cation System), NJ MVC (NJ MotorVehicle Commission), AO CTELE(Administrative Office of the Courts –NJ Criminal and Traffic ViolationsSystem), CJIS Messenger (transmitshits and confirms information onstolen vehicles or property, missingpersons, wanted persons), InfoCop (astate-controlled program whichsearches NCIC, AOCTELE and MVCrecords, has detailed Haz-Matresponse information, messagingsystem between multiple law enforce-ment agencies, and more).

Other active programs include aninstant radio/telephone recorderplayback system, various databasescontaining personnel, response pro-tocols, emergency phone contact lists,schedules, business properties,school systems and more, and an e-mail program.

The telephone system includes a 9-1-1 program with ANI/ALI displays,emergency contact numbers, workphones and cell phones for lawenforcement, fire department, andEMS personnel, and phone numbersfor the schools, facilities and busi-

nesses in the jurisdictions serviced bythe Dispatch Center. The radio systemcan select one or more frequenciesfor active listening, and divert thenon-active frequencies to a secondaryspeaker. Some Dispatch Centers useheadsets for radio dispatch, and somework with handsets or with micro-phones and speakers. Radio frequen-cies to be monitored are police dis-patch, fire dispatch, EMS dispatch,SPEN (State Police Emergency Net-work), Haz-Mat , transportation,school radio, and more.

With all of these radios to monitorand phones to answer, sometimes aradio transmission can get overlookedor missed. Remember to transmityour status to the Dispatch Centereven if your transmission is notanswered as all transmissions getrecorded and can be played back.

Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Dispatchersgo through approximately two weeksof classroom training to become certi-fied, but once employed they must gothrough many months of on-the-jobtraining to learn proper techniquesand the correct way to provide infor-mation quickly and effectively. Gooddispatching involves not only provid-ing good information clearly but alsoinvolves listening to what callersand/or the field units are saying.

Many times this is harder than youmight think because this could possi-

bly be the worst moment of thecaller’s life! They may have just beenin an accident; they may be very sickand need assistance, or a familymember may be having a medicalemergency; their loved one may havebeen found unresponsive and mayhave died; they may feel threatenedby someone near them.

They may be screaming hystericallyand the Dispatcher must gain controlof the conversation and calm thecaller down. The Dispatcher has to getthe caller’s exact location, their phonenumber and name (if possible) andthe nature of the problem. Then theDispatcher has to get EMS / PD / FDon the radio to respond to the scene,provide pre-arrival instructions to thecaller, update the emergency respon-ders, and type legibly and accuratelyinto the CAD the entire time!

Emergency Medical DispatchIf the 9-1-1 call is a Medical Emer-

gency call, the Dispatcher will makethe determination to select the appro-priate Emergency Medical Dispatch(EMD) Guide Card. These GuideCards exist for all conceivable types ofMedical calls, and are grouped intofour categories: Trauma, Medical,Time/Life Critical and Miscellaneous.There is an Index listing all of the 43card types (see Figure 5).

As can be seen, just about everytype of emergency is covered. The

CEU Article: Dispatch & Radio-continued from page 11

Figure 5:

The Dispatch Center’sradio system can selectone or more frequencies

for active listening, and divert non-active

frequencies to a secondary speaker.

The Dispatch Center’sradio system can selectone or more frequencies

for active listening, and divert non-active

frequencies to a secondary speaker.

electronic Guide cards are inPDF format and when eachmedical response type isclicked, the cards will open tothat particular medical prob-lem. The Fall Victim GuideCard is displayed in Figure 6. Asyou can see there are four sec-tions to each Guide Card – thefirst section prompts the EMDto ask specific questions; theanswers to these questionsassist the EMD in determiningthe criticality of the patient.When this information is trans-mitted to the responding EMSagency they can begin to deter-mine the criticality of themedical response.

The second section providesdispatch prompts so the EMDcan determine if only BLS isneeded, or if simultaneous ALSdispatch is necessary. If thepatient is actively bleeding, clickingon the bleeding/laceration buttonwill take the EMD to the Guide Cardwhich provides instructions tocontrol the bleeding.

The third section provides the Pre-Arrival Instructions the EMD shouldbe giving the caller to begin care ofthe patient. The fourth section pro-vides additional prompts to the EMD– if life threats need to be correctedwith CPR or airway control instruc-tions. By clicking on the Helicoptericon the guidelines for helicopterresponse are described and contactinformation is provided.

The EMD Guide Cards are alsoavailable in card format, which fitsinto a flip holder with the card titlesshowing on the tabs. Both formats ofthe EMD Guide Cards can be found

online: www.nj.gov/911/home/high-lights/emdguidecards.html. TheEMD Guide Cards are updated peri-odically.

If ALS is needed, one of the ALSDispatch Centers are contacted, suchas MICCOM, REMCS or MONOC.They will ask for the same informa-tion that was transmitted to the BLSagency. The ALS unit which is dis-patched will call in to the DispatchCenter to advise they are responding.

When dispatching for a medicalcall, the responding BLS or ALSunit(s) will need to know the MinimumData Set, which consists of the fourW’s and the H – where did it happen;what happened; how did it happen;who did it happen to; and when did ithappen. Additional informationwhich is usually helpful will includethe patient’s age, medical history,medications, and how long thepatient has been feeling ill. This addi-tional data can be transmitted afterthe initial EMS Dispatch as updatedinformation.

HIPAA and DispatchIn 19 96, the Health Insurance

Portability and Accountability Act orthe HIPAA was endorsed by the U.S.Congress. The HIPAA Privacy Rule –

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-continues on page 14

When dispatching for a medical call, the

responding BLS or ALSunit(s) will need to knowthe Minimum Data Set,which consists of thefour W’s and the H.

When dispatching for a medical call, the

responding BLS or ALSunit(s) will need to knowthe Minimum Data Set,which consists of thefour W’s and the H.

Figure 6:CEU Article: Dispatch/Radio-continued from page 12 also called the Standards for

Privacy of Individually IdentifiableHealth Information – went intoeffect on April 14, 2003. TheHIPAA Privacy Rule providedthe first nationally-recogniz-able regulations for theuse/disclosure of an individ-ual’s health information.Essentially, the Privacy Ruledefines how covered entitiesuse individually-identifiablehealth information or the PHI(Personal Health Information).The penalties for non-compli-ance with HIPAA can be up to$250,0 0 0 and 10 years inprison.

B elow are the three mostcommon myths involvingHIPAA compliance and Medi-cal Dispatch, as explained bythe law firm of Wolfberg,Wirth and Staffelbach (the fulldocument “HIPAA : The Inter-

section of Patient Privacy with EmergencyDispatch” can be found at: brics.but-lersheriff .org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ hipaa_ position.pdf)• Myth No. 1: Dispatch Centers

cannot give out any identifiableinformation over the radio.• Fact: HIPAA doesn’t prevent dis-

patch centers from communicat-ing all information necessary forEMS response and treatment toEMS agencies. While patientnames shouldn’t be given outunless truly necessary, a dispatchcenter may transmit any informa-tion necessary to facilitate theEMS treatment of a patient.

• Myth No. 2: Ambulance servicesare violating HIPAA if they givepatient information to the hospitalover the radio.• Fact: HIPAA permits any and all

treatment-related disclosures ofpatient information betweenhealth care providers. Ambu-lances are freely permitted togive patient information to hos-pitals over the radio for treat-ment purposes.

• Myth No. 3: Dispatch Centers mustconvert all communications equip-ment to digital or institute new

privacy technologies so that peoplewith scanners can no longer hearradio dispatches.• Fact: HIPAA does not prohibit

dispatch centers from communi-cating with ambulance services,which is necessary for responseand patient treatment , eventhough everyone in “scanner-land” can listen in! These arecalled “incidental disclosures”under HIPAA, meaning they arelegitimate disclosures withunavoidable side-effects, and arepermissible under HIPAA.

Check with your own dispatchcenter to confirm their HIPAA poli-cies.

Radio Use Techniques When dispatched, the responding

unit should acknowledge the dis-patch and repeat the address toconfirm the correct location. Beforespeaking, however, lift the micro-phone out of the metal clip andmonitor the airwaves for a fewseconds to ensure no one else is

talking, as frequencies may be sharedby several agencies. Hold the micro-phone one-two inches (1-2") awayfrom your mouth to ensure a cleartransmission; holding the micro-phone too close garbles the transmis-sion. (Figure 7) Make sure that anyother noise-generating items areturned off, or closed – such as sirens,radios (AM/FM/Sirius), air condition-ing – and the windows are rolled upto minimize air and traffic noises.

Think of what you are going to saybefore you open your mouth to say it.If you gather your thoughts and orga-nize your words, it will make sense.Speak clearly; don’t mumble. Use asfew words as possible. Wait to speakuntil you have been acknowledged by

Dispatch – the usual procedure is togive your unit ID and then the unit IDfor whom you are calling (e.g.Communications to EMS123, or EMS42to Dispatch). Wait about one secondbefore keying the microphone –digital systems have a delay. Sometrainers suggest mentally saying theword ‘hippopotamus’ before speak-ing to ensure this delay. Do not use10-Codes – per NIMS requirementsall agencies are supposed to use plainEnglish!

Remember – always tell Dispatchwhen you arrive on scene; always tellDispatch when you leave the scene.Always tell Dispatch when you arriveat the hospital; always tell Dispatchwhen you are clear from the hospital.Some agencies get call number andtime-stamps from Dispatch whenthey clear the hospital.

Sometimes Dispatch may notacknowledge your transmission – tellthem anyway. All transmissions arerecorded. Dispatch may not haveheard you if:

- you keyed the microphone incor-rectly;

- you did not wait to speak; - you did not speak loud enough; - another agency was transmitting

on a different frequency; - another agency was transmitting

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Do not use 10-Codes. Per NIMS requirements,

all agences are supposedto use plain English.

Do not use 10-Codes. Per NIMS requirements,

all agences are supposedto use plain English.

Hold the microphone 1-2 inches away fromyour mouth; holding it too close garbles the transmission.

Hold the microphone 1-2 inches away fromyour mouth; holding it too close garbles the transmission.

CEU Article: Dispatch & Radio-continued from page 13

Figure 7:

Holding The MicrophoneHolding The Microphone

-continues on page 15

Acronyms & AbbreviationsALI – Automatic Location IdentificationALS – Advanced Life SupportANI – Automatic Number IdentificationAOCTELE – Administrative Office of the Courts –

NJ Criminal and Traffic Violations SystemBLS – Basic Life SupportCAD – Computer Aided DispatchCISD – Critical Incident Stress DebriefingCJIS – Criminal Justice Information System, divi-

sion of the FBICJIS Messenger – provides format for submitting

and receiving transactions (messages) inHTML for information listed in the CJIS andNCIC databases

COF – Confidence Factor, refers to distance (forcell phone locations)

COP – Confidence Percentage, refers to reliabilityof the signal location (see COF)

COW – Cell on WheelsCPR – Cardiopulmonary ResuscitationEMD – Emergency Medical Dispatch, can refer to

the Call-takers or to the Guide CardsEMDPRS – EMD Protocol Reference System, in NJ

these are the EMD Guide CardsFirstNet – First Responder Network Authority, a

Broadband Network for Public SafetyHEAR – Hospital Emergency Ambulance Radio

(JEMS 2)HIPAA – the Health Insurance Portability and

Accountability ActInfo-Cop – Information for Cops – NJ system that

provides real-time access to local, state andfederal crime databases from authorized com-puters

JEMS Communications Plan – Jersey EmergencyMedical Services Plan - State of New JerseyEMS Communications Plan

JerseyNet – New Jersey’s FirstNet systemMICCOM – Mobile Intensive Care CommunicationsMinimum Data Set (for EMD responses) - the four

W’s and the H (where, what, how, who, when)MONOC – Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service

CorporationNCIC – National Crime Information Center, division

of the FBINENA – National Emergency Number AssociationNIMS – National Incident Management SystemNJ MVC – NJ Motor Vehicle CommissionNJLETS – NJ Law Enforcement

Telecommunication SystemNLETS – National Law Enforcement

Telecommunication SystemNOC – Network Operations Center (in

FirstNet/JerseyNet)OETS – NJ Office of Emergency

Telecommunications Services, part of the NJOffice of Information Technology

PHI – Personal Health InformationPSAP – Public Safety Answering PointPSDP– Public Safety Dispatch PointPST – Public Safety Telecommunicators

(Dispatchers and Call-takers)PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderREMCS – Regional Emergency Medical Communi-

cations System (for aeromedical dispatch)SOP – Standard Operating Procedure/ProtocolsSOW – System on WheelsSPEN – State Police Emergency NetworkTDD – Telecommunication Device for the DeafTTY – Teletype TelephoneUPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply

on your frequency; - the Dispatcher was on the phone.

Foreign LanguageThere are times when English is not

the primary language of the 9 -1-1caller. Sometimes we do not under-stand them and sometimes they donot understand us. Sometimes theydo not speak English at all. Shoutinglouder into the telephone does notguarantee the caller will understandus. If the Dispatch Center services anarea where more than five percent ofthe population is non-English speak-ing, the Dispatch Center will haveaccess to a language/translatingservice. One example is AT&T whichhas a translation service with manylanguages available which is con-tracted to the Dispatch Center toprovide translations as needed, and

the service will be conferenced in tothe 9-1-1 call.

Non-Emergency CallsNot all calls to 9-1-1 are emergen-

cies. It could be argued that we havebeen too efficient in educating thepublic to use 9 -1-1; it gets used toreport minor annoyances, or to seekinformation. People have called 9-1-1when the newspaper delivery missedthe front steps, when their dog ranoff, and when a turkey was seen strut-ting around in the supermarketparking lot. People call 9-1-1 whentheir lights don’t work, when a deer isspotted in their backyard (or walkingdown the street). People call 9-1-1when they can’t remember the nameof a restaurant , when the drive-through at McDonalds forgets to givethem their French fries.

The Dispatcher tries to explain thatthese are not emergency calls and the

caller should attempt to contact theirpolice department using the non-emergency local phone number.Sometimes, if the caller does notlisten, all Dispatch can do is press akey on the phone console which playsa recording stating “ This does notappear to be an emergency call –please call the 10-digit phone numberfor the agency you need” and thendisconnect the call.

Stress, PTSD and CISDDispatchers are not physically on

scene with the police, fire or EMSunits they are dispatching. Howeverthey are still there with the emer-gency responders, working and listen-ing. Dispatchers may be giving CPRinstructions to family members untilresponders arrive and take over com-pressions. Dispatchers may hear shotsfired during disputes or break-ins and

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the caller may no longer be respond-ing to their questions, whether due toinjury or fear of being discovered.Dispatchers may hear screams from achild who cannot wake his motherup, or the cries of a woman who camehome and found her spouse unre-sponsive on the floor – not breathingand pale or blue and cold to thetouch.

Dispatchers still hear what is hap-pening, and are subject to the samestresses the on-scene respondersencounter. For these and many morereasons, Dispatchers are just as likelyto develop PTSD as emergencyresponders who are on scene;perhaps more so as Dispatchers fre-quently are not told of the dispositionof some of these calls so there is noclosure.

Dispatchers may send police offi-

cers to an altercation and cannot getthem on the radio for a safety checkafter they have arrived on scene.Dispatchers may send fire personnelto an active building fire and not beable to get responses from all person-nel after a Mayday call goes out .People may be injured, or even killed,

and dispatchers cannot be sure ifwhat they are hearing is a truecalamity or simply equipment failure.For these reasons, if a CISD session isscheduled for an agency, the Dis-patchers should always be consideredand included in the session.

SOWs & COWs: JerseyNet To Prevent System Overload

New Jersey first responders shouldbe aware of a deployable, wirelessdata network called JerseyNet, which isbeing built on a large spectrum forpublic safety that does not competefor bandwidth with commercialusers. It is designed to operate duringtime of high demand (mass gatheringevents). See the Sidebar on page 17 formore information on JerseyNet and itsnationwide counterpart, FirstNet.

Paula Weiler has been a NJ EMT since1980 – with two squads in the NJSFAC’s3rd and 20th Districts – and a NJ EMTInstructor since 1983. She taught at theBergen County Law & Public Safety Insti-tute for nearly 30 years and now teaches atthe S. Carol White EMS Academy and thePassaic County Community College PublicSafety Academy.

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Dispatchers still hearwhat is happening, andare subject to the samestresses the on-sceneresponders encounter.

Dispatchers still hearwhat is happening, andare subject to the samestresses the on-sceneresponders encounter.

CEU Article: Dispatch & Radio-continued from page 15

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Continued

JerseyNet ProvidesSecure Network ForFirst Responders Only

In February 2012 a nationwide InteroperablePublic Safety Communication Network was created based on areport issued by the 9/11 Commission. This system was called

FirstNet (First Responder Network Authority) and its network is titledthe Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN). This

network is designed for first responders only, and is secure and flexible(can handle over 100 incidents at the same time). It is designed tooperate during time of high demand (mass gathering events) and tofunction where commercial networkscannot operate or do not exist. New Jerseyestablished a network, called JerseyNet,and has so far received over $40 million toimplement it. Public Safety agencies havebeen allocated frequencies in the 20MHzspectrum, with 700MHz narrowband fre-quencies available for LTE (Long-TermEvolution – See chart above).

JerseyNet provides satellite connectivityto the Internet and delivers voice, video anddata communications as needed. JerseyNetis built on the MutualLink network, which isalready in use in multiple Dispatch Centersacross New Jersey and the United States.

JerseyNet was initially developed inthree regions of New Jersey – in Camden(Bellmawr, Blackwood, Camden City, CherryHill, Lindenwold, Voorhees and Runne-mede), Atlantic City (Absecon, Atlantic Cityand Pleasantville), and the “Route 21Corridor” (Bloomfield, Clifton, Garfield,Lyndhurst, Montclair State University,Newark, North Arlington, Paterson, Nutley,Wallington and Morristown – See map).JerseyNet is designed to be deployed inregions which all report to a NetworkOperations Center (NOC), which will be the

Central Command and will monitor all deployable systems.The deployable network resources will consist of one System on

Wheels (SOW) and multiple Cells on Wheels (COW)s. The COWs need tohave a SOW to make the network function. JerseyNet has 37 trailers –five SOWs and 32 COWs. The SOWs provide dedicated secure wirelesscoverage up to a five-mile range, and the COWs can extend this cover-age up to an additional five miles. JerseyNet has SOWs which are alsoself-contained in vans or Tahoe SUVs (see photo below), so a trailer isnot always needed.

To operate on the NPSBN, devices must be capable of operating onthe spectrum licensed to FirstNet (Band Class 14). Several device man-

ufacturers have begun producing BandClass 14 equipment, but the market fordevices remains l imited. In-vehicledevices, such as routers, modems, andmobile data computers, as well as portabledevices such as smartphones and tablets,are increasingly advertised as compatiblewith Band Class 14. When planning forfuture device investments, consider thatdevices should offer multiple network con-nectivity options, such as compatibility withboth commercial wireless providers andBand Class 14. Equipment should havemultiple Ethernet or USB ports that canprovide wireless connectivity for ancillaryequipment such as cameras and comput-ers. For more information about NPSBNvisit: http://firstnet.gov/about/why.

JerseyNet has been successfullydeployed at the Baltusrol PGA Champion-ship tournament, the Miss Americapageant, the Atlantic City Air Show andBeach Concert, the Far Hills Steeplechaseand most recently during the Papal visit inPhiladelphia.

Additional Information about JerseyNetcan be found at: https://www.njhomeland-security.gov/jerseynet or at:www.njohsp.gov/jerseynet.

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