Chapter Four of the NAED Emergency Tele communicator (ETC) training focuses on Call Management,
emphasizing the systematic approach to handling emergency calls. Tele communicators are trained to
receive, assess, and prioritize emergency requests, ensuring that the appropriate emergency services are
dispatched promptly. Key responsibilities include determining the exact location of the emergency,
classifying the call based on its nature and urgency, selecting the appropriate response units, and
providing essential information to responders. Effective call management is crucial for coordinating a
timely and efficient emergency response, thereby enhancing public safety and optimizing resource
utilization.
Communicating with Elderly Callers - ✔✔-You should never assume that callers will have difficulty
communicating simply because they are elderly. However, be aware that some elderly people may
process information more slowly than younger adults, some may suffer memory blocks, especially when
confronted with extreme stress, and some may be hard of hearing.
Resist the temptation to shout into the phone. Remember that the rate at which you speak is generally
more important than the volume.
Communicating with foreign-language Callers - ✔✔-When working with these callers, you should avoid
the tendency to speak louder when you are having trouble communicating.
Instead of speaking louder, try using different words to express the same message.
Communicating with Mentally Ill Callers - ✔✔-Mentally ill callers can be challenging for the call taker.
They must be handled with care and respect.
The call taker is never allowed to judge the integrity of the caller.
A characteristic of these callers is that they might call repeatedly with their problems.
Assume the caller is reporting a real incident.
Follow agency policies and listen to each of their calls carefully.
, Cultural Diversity and Communication - ✔✔-By being aware of the problems that can occur when
dealing with various cultures, you can avoid common errors that often create problems during
intercultural communication.
Culture is defined as a set of learned behaviors, values, beliefs, and patterns of interaction shared by a
group of people who tend to share historical and/or geographic proximity.
The hearing-impaired community is a culture in that they share behaviors, values, and patterns of
interaction that may be different from others.
Recognize that there are different cultures in the world and that each has its own unique characteristics.
Handle each call as if there were no cultural differences.
When dealing with someone from another culture, remember the communication cycle.
Many agencies use language translation services to help facilitate communication between callers and the
public safety agency.
Customers in Public Safety Communication: External Customer - ✔✔-An external customer is anyone
who is outside the system.
Customers in Public Safety Communication: Internal Customer - ✔✔-An internal customer is anyone
who is internal to the public safety system.
Define the hysteria threshold - ✔✔-The point at which a caller loses control over actions and emotions,
thereby losing the ability to answer questions or carry out instructions.
Describe the role of public relations in public safety. - ✔✔-The goal of public relations program is to take
a proactive approach to public safety. Public relations programs can be simple media-relations programs
or extensive community involvement plans that include citizen volunteer programs, victim assistance
programs, various programs for children and the elderly, and other targeted programs.