PSD Crisis Management & Decision-Making Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A caller reports a multi-vehicle accident with possible entrapment and fires. What is the dispatcher's FIRST priority?
- Notify the media
- Dispatch fire, EMS, and law enforcement simultaneously (Correct answer)
- Wait for a second caller to confirm
- Contact the hospital to prepare
Correct answer: Dispatch fire, EMS, and law enforcement simultaneously
Multi-hazard incidents require immediate simultaneous dispatch of all relevant resources to minimize response time.
Question 2: During a mass casualty incident, a dispatcher receives calls from five different witnesses with conflicting information. What is the best approach?
- Wait until all callers agree before dispatching
- Dispatch based on the worst-case scenario reported and update units as information clarifies (Correct answer)
- Dismiss callers who seem panicked
- Only accept information from the first caller
Correct answer: Dispatch based on the worst-case scenario reported and update units as information clarifies
Dispatching based on the worst-case scenario ensures adequate resources are sent while updates refine the response.
Question 3: A dispatcher is managing three simultaneous high-priority calls. Which action best demonstrates effective crisis prioritization?
- Handle calls in the order received regardless of severity
- Assess life-safety threat levels and dispatch units to the most critical incident first (Correct answer)
- Transfer all calls to a supervisor
- Place all callers on hold until one call is resolved
Correct answer: Assess life-safety threat levels and dispatch units to the most critical incident first
Triage-based prioritization ensures that incidents posing the greatest immediate threat to life receive resources first.
Question 4: A caller becomes hysterical and is unable to provide a location during a medical emergency. What should the dispatcher do?
- Terminate the call and wait for a clearer call
- Use calm, directive questioning and attempt to obtain location through ANI/ALI data (Correct answer)
- Immediately transfer to a supervisor
- Tell the caller to call back when they are calm
Correct answer: Use calm, directive questioning and attempt to obtain location through ANI/ALI data
Using structured questioning combined with ANI/ALI technology helps gather critical location data even when callers are distressed.
Question 5: Which of the following BEST describes the 'rule of nines' as it relates to a dispatcher's role in burn victim calls?
- A method for dispatchers to calculate call queue priority
- A body surface area estimation tool dispatchers relay to EMS to help determine severity (Correct answer)
- A radio channel allocation system
- A protocol for handling nine simultaneous calls
Correct answer: A body surface area estimation tool dispatchers relay to EMS to help determine severity
The rule of nines estimates the percentage of body surface area burned, helping dispatchers provide EMS with severity information.
Question 6: An off-duty officer calls in reporting an active shooter in a shopping mall. What is a critical step the dispatcher must take?
- Treat it as a lower priority since no 911 call has come in
- Verify the officer's identity, obtain all tactical information, and immediately dispatch resources (Correct answer)
- Wait for a civilian call before dispatching
- Patch the officer directly to SWAT without logging the call
Correct answer: Verify the officer's identity, obtain all tactical information, and immediately dispatch resources
Verifying identity and gathering tactical details from a trained witness while dispatching resources maximizes situational awareness.
Question 7: During a large-scale natural disaster, the CAD system goes offline. What should a dispatcher do?
- Stop taking calls until the system is restored
- Switch to manual logging using backup paper logs and notify a supervisor immediately (Correct answer)
- Route all calls to neighboring dispatch centers without notification
- Wait 30 minutes before taking alternative action
Correct answer: Switch to manual logging using backup paper logs and notify a supervisor immediately
Backup paper logs maintain call continuity and supervisory notification ensures proper incident command is established during system failure.
PSD Crisis Management & Decision-Making Skills 2
A caller reports a multi-vehicle accident with possible entrapment and fires.
What is the dispatcher's FIRST priority?