911 Operator Test Map Reading and Directions 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A caller reports they are at a location described as '2 miles east of the water tower on County Road 18.' What type of landmark is a water tower for dispatch purposes?
- A fixed, visible reference point useful for rural location estimation (Correct answer)
- An unreliable landmark because water towers move
- A landmark only useful at night when lit
- A landmark only recorded in agricultural maps
Correct answer: A fixed, visible reference point useful for rural location estimation
Water towers are permanently fixed, often visible from a distance, and commonly used as reference landmarks in rural and suburban areas.
Question 2: A mutual aid request sends your unit into an unfamiliar neighboring jurisdiction. Which action should you take first before entering that area?
- Obtain a map or GPS coverage of the neighboring jurisdiction's street layout (Correct answer)
- Call the caller back for more directions
- Drive to the county line and wait for a local escort
- Assume street naming conventions match your home jurisdiction
Correct answer: Obtain a map or GPS coverage of the neighboring jurisdiction's street layout
Having a map or GPS data for the unfamiliar area prevents navigation errors and delayed response in mutual aid situations.
Question 3: A caller reports a structure fire and says the building's address faces north, but they are calling from the rear (south side) of the building. Responding units should be told to access via:
- The alley or rear road on the south side of the building (Correct answer)
- The front address on the north side only
- Either side at their discretion
- The side streets to the east or west
Correct answer: The alley or rear road on the south side of the building
Directing units to the rear of the building helps them position correctly when the caller is reporting from the south side where the fire may be most visible.
Question 4: On a dispatch map, what does a 'dead end' or 'cul-de-sac' notation mean for responding units?
- There is only one way in and out, requiring careful positioning of units to avoid blocking egress (Correct answer)
- The road connects to an alley on the other side
- Emergency vehicles are prohibited from using the road
- The road is temporarily closed for construction
Correct answer: There is only one way in and out, requiring careful positioning of units to avoid blocking egress
Dead ends and cul-de-sacs have only one entry/exit point, so units must position themselves to avoid blocking the only escape or additional response route.
Question 5: A caller says they are at 'the old mill building on River Road.' The CAD system shows no address match for this description. What is the dispatcher's best next step?
- Ask the caller for the nearest cross-street or any visible street address on surrounding buildings (Correct answer)
- Close the call as an invalid address
- Search for 'mill' in the business name directory only
- Dispatch to the entire length of River Road
Correct answer: Ask the caller for the nearest cross-street or any visible street address on surrounding buildings
When a landmark description doesn't match the address database, the fastest solution is to get a verifiable nearby intersection or visible address from the caller.
Question 6: Which map reading skill is most critical when dispatching to a large campus (hospital, university, or industrial complex) with multiple numbered buildings?
- Identifying the correct building number and the nearest accessible gate or entrance (Correct answer)
- Knowing the campus's founding year
- Identifying the campus's perimeter road name
- Knowing the total square footage of the complex
Correct answer: Identifying the correct building number and the nearest accessible gate or entrance
Large campuses have multiple structures, and directing units to the specific building number and accessible entry point prevents critical delays.
Question 7: A caller says their GPS is telling them they are at coordinates 'north 41 degrees, west 87 degrees' (approximate Chicago-area coordinates). A 911 dispatcher who understands geographic coordinates can use this to:
- Plot the caller's position directly on a GIS-enabled dispatch map (Correct answer)
- Estimate travel time from the nearest fire station
- Determine the caller's altitude above sea level
- Identify the caller's cell phone carrier
Correct answer: Plot the caller's position directly on a GIS-enabled dispatch map
Latitude and longitude coordinates can be entered directly into GIS-enabled CAD systems to pinpoint a caller's exact location on a map.
911 Operator Test Map Reading and Directions 5
A caller reports they are at a location described as '2 miles east of the water tower on County Road 18.' What type of landmark is a water tower for dispatch purposes?