Dispatcher Call Prioritization and Decision-Making Flashcards
6 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 6 Dispatcher Call Prioritization and Decision-Making flashcards as text
A caller reports a suspicious person looking into parked cars. No crime has been committed. What is the correct dispatch priority?
Answer: Priority 3 — investigate when a unit is available
Suspicious activity without an active crime is typically a Priority 3 call — worth investigating but not requiring emergency response.
You receive a call that a person has been stabbed and is bleeding heavily. What resources should you dispatch?
Answer: Police and EMS simultaneously
A stabbing requires both police (to secure the scene and investigate) and EMS (to treat the victim). Both should be dispatched simultaneously.
What is the primary function of a 'priority dispatch protocol' in a 911 center?
Answer: To systematically categorize calls by urgency and assign appropriate response resources
Priority dispatch protocols ensure that the most urgent calls receive the fastest, most appropriate response while less urgent calls are handled efficiently.
A caller reports a gas leak inside a building with people still inside. Which agencies should be dispatched?
Answer: Fire department and evacuation support
Gas leaks require immediate fire department response for hazmat containment and building evacuation. EMS should also be on standby for potential exposure victims.
Two calls come in: a reported prowler in a backyard and an officer reporting that they are being followed by a suspicious vehicle. Which takes priority?
Answer: The officer's call, because officer safety is a top priority
Officer safety calls are treated as Priority 1. When an officer signals a potential threat, all available resources must be directed to ensure their safety.
What does 'EMD' (Emergency Medical Dispatch) certification prepare dispatchers to do?
Answer: Provide pre-arrival medical instructions to callers while EMS responds
EMD-certified dispatchers guide callers through pre-arrival instructions such as CPR, bleeding control, or childbirth assistance until EMS arrives.