911 Operator Test Map Reading and Directions 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A caller is fleeing a threat and says they are driving in circles because they don't know the area. What is the fastest way for a dispatcher to pinpoint their location?
- Ask them to read the nearest street sign at the next intersection (Correct answer)
- Ask them to describe the color of the nearest building
- Tell them to keep driving until they see a landmark
- Ask them to estimate how many miles they have driven
Correct answer: Ask them to read the nearest street sign at the next intersection
Street signs at intersections provide the most precise, verifiable location information a moving caller can relay quickly.
Question 2: On a CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch) mapping system, a blinking icon at a specific address typically indicates:
- An active call or recent incident at that location (Correct answer)
- A permanently closed business
- A no-call zone
- A unit at full capacity
Correct answer: An active call or recent incident at that location
In most CAD systems, blinking or highlighted icons flag locations with active or recent incidents requiring attention.
Question 3: A caller says they are 'two blocks south of the hospital.' The hospital is at 500 Oak Avenue. If Oak Avenue runs north-south with numbers increasing northward, where is the caller?
- 300 Oak Avenue (Correct answer)
- 700 Oak Avenue
- 500 Oak Avenue
- 100 Oak Avenue
Correct answer: 300 Oak Avenue
South means lower numbers if numbers increase northward; two blocks south of 500 = approximately 300.
Question 4: A caller describes a crash scene: 'We're on the highway near a green exit sign that says Exit 22, Riverside Drive.' What additional information should the dispatcher confirm?
- Whether they are before or past the exit (which side of Exit 22) (Correct answer)
- The color of the vehicles involved
- The speed limit on that highway
- Whether the highway has a median
Correct answer: Whether they are before or past the exit (which side of Exit 22)
Being before or past an exit determines which direction units should approach, which is critical for highway response.
Question 5: A map legend shows a dashed line labeled 'city limit.' A caller reports an incident just outside this line. What is the dispatcher's primary concern regarding this location?
- Jurisdiction — a different agency may be responsible for response (Correct answer)
- Whether the road is paved
- The distance from the nearest fire station
- Whether the area has a street address system
Correct answer: Jurisdiction — a different agency may be responsible for response
City limit lines define jurisdictional boundaries, and incidents outside city limits may fall under county or state jurisdiction.
Question 6: When a caller gives a rural route address (e.g., RR 3 Box 45), what tool or method is most helpful to locate the property?
- A rural addressing database or GIS layer with rural route parcels (Correct answer)
- A standard city grid map
- The caller's ZIP code alone
- Driving directions from the nearest highway
Correct answer: A rural addressing database or GIS layer with rural route parcels
Rural route addresses don't map to standard street grids; GIS layers or rural addressing databases are needed to pinpoint parcel locations.
Question 7: A caller says they are at a 'T-intersection.' What does this tell the dispatcher about the road layout?
- One road ends and meets another road perpendicularly with no through-street (Correct answer)
- Three roads meet at 60-degree angles
- A road splits into two equal branches
- Two one-way streets converge
Correct answer: One road ends and meets another road perpendicularly with no through-street
A T-intersection is where one road dead-ends into another, forming a 'T' shape with no road continuing straight through.
911 Operator Test Map Reading and Directions 3
A caller is fleeing a threat and says they are driving in circles because they don't know the area.
What is the fastest way for a dispatcher to pinpoint their location?