Call Prioritization and Decision-Making Flashcards
7 cards from real CritiCall Dispatcher Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Call Prioritization and Decision-Making flashcards as text
A caller reports a house fire with a family member still trapped inside. How should this call be prioritized?
Answer: Highest priority — immediate dispatch of fire and rescue
An active fire with a trapped person is a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate dispatch.
Two calls arrive at once: a minor fender-bender with no injuries and a person reporting chest pain. Which do you handle first?
Answer: The chest pain call
Chest pain is a potential cardiac emergency and takes priority over a non-injury collision.
A caller is reporting a crime that already happened hours ago with no suspect present. This is best classified as:
Answer: A lower-priority, non-emergency report
A cold report with no ongoing threat is handled as a lower-priority, non-emergency call.
When prioritizing simultaneous calls, the most important factor a dispatcher considers is:
Answer: The level of threat to human life
Threat to life is the primary determinant of call priority.
A caller describes an armed robbery in progress at a store. The correct action is to:
Answer: Dispatch police immediately and keep gathering details
An in-progress armed robbery is an active danger requiring immediate police response.
A non-emergency caller wants to report a barking dog while an emergency line is ringing. You should:
Answer: Answer the emergency line first
Emergency calls must be answered before non-emergency complaints.
Which call should receive the highest dispatch priority?
Answer: A drowning victim being pulled from a pool
A drowning is an immediate life-threatening medical emergency.