PSD Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) Systems Operations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a CAD system displays a 'duplicate incident' alert, what should the dispatcher do first?
- Close the newer incident immediately
- Compare both incidents to verify they reference the same event before merging (Correct answer)
- Dispatch additional units to both locations as a precaution
- Ignore the alert and continue processing each incident separately
Correct answer: Compare both incidents to verify they reference the same event before merging
Before merging or closing incidents, dispatchers must verify both reports refer to the same event to avoid missing separate emergencies at similar locations.
Question 2: Which CAD feature allows a dispatcher to see all units currently assigned to a specific geographic beat or zone?
- Incident history log
- Unit status board filtered by zone (Correct answer)
- CAD audit trail
- Premise history query
Correct answer: Unit status board filtered by zone
The unit status board can be filtered by beat or zone to display all assigned resources within a specific geographic area.
Question 3: A caller reports a gas leak. The CAD system auto-populates a hazmat response recommendation. What additional step should the dispatcher take?
- Override the recommendation and dispatch only police
- Accept the recommendation without review since CAD is always accurate
- Verify the recommendation aligns with local protocol and confirm hazmat resources are available (Correct answer)
- Delay dispatch until a supervisor approves the hazmat response
Correct answer: Verify the recommendation aligns with local protocol and confirm hazmat resources are available
Dispatchers must always verify CAD recommendations against local protocol and confirm resource availability before dispatching.
Question 4: What does the CAD term 'premise history' refer to?
- A log of all dispatch errors at a location
- A record of previous incidents associated with a specific address (Correct answer)
- The physical layout of a building stored in CAD
- A list of all units that have ever responded to a location
Correct answer: A record of previous incidents associated with a specific address
Premise history is a CAD database record of prior incidents at a specific address, helping dispatchers anticipate hazards or recurring issues.
Question 5: In CAD, what is the purpose of a 'time-stamp' on each incident entry?
- To track the dispatcher's break schedule
- To create an accurate chronological record for documentation and legal purposes (Correct answer)
- To measure how long callers wait on hold
- To automatically close incidents after a set time period
Correct answer: To create an accurate chronological record for documentation and legal purposes
Time-stamps on CAD entries create an accurate chronological record critical for after-action review, legal proceedings, and quality assurance.
Question 6: A field unit updates its status to 'out of service — mechanical' via CAD. What should the dispatcher do?
- Ignore the status until the unit radios in verbally
- Remove the unit from active deployment and notify the appropriate supervisor (Correct answer)
- Keep assigning calls to the unit until a supervisor intervenes
- Mark the unit as available since mechanical issues resolve quickly
Correct answer: Remove the unit from active deployment and notify the appropriate supervisor
An out-of-service unit must be removed from active deployment and the supervisor notified so appropriate coverage adjustments can be made.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes 'CAD interoperability' in a multi-agency response?
- Using radio frequencies shared between agencies
- The ability of different agencies' CAD systems to share incident and unit data seamlessly (Correct answer)
- Training dispatchers from multiple agencies on the same system
- Connecting CAD terminals to a single shared monitor
Correct answer: The ability of different agencies' CAD systems to share incident and unit data seamlessly
CAD interoperability enables different agencies' systems to exchange incident, unit, and resource data in real time during multi-agency responses.
PSD Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) Systems Operations 2
When a CAD system displays a 'duplicate incident' alert, what should the dispatcher do first?