PSD Emergency Call Handling Protocols 4

Question 1

A dispatcher receives a call where the caller is speaking a language the dispatcher does not understand. What is the correct action?

Accepted Answer

Use the agency's language line or interpreter service while attempting to maintain contact

Answer

Federal law (Title VI) requires agencies to provide meaningful access to services for limited English proficient callers; language line services fulfill this requirement.

Question 2

What does 'caller management' primarily refer to in public safety dispatching?

Accepted Answer

Controlling the pace, focus, and content of the call to efficiently gather needed information

Answer

Caller management involves guiding the conversation so the dispatcher, not the caller, controls the flow and obtains necessary data efficiently.

Question 3

A caller reports a gas leak and says they can smell gas inside the building. What is the FIRST instruction the dispatcher should give?

Accepted Answer

Evacuate the building immediately and do not use any electrical switches or open flames

Answer

Electrical switches and flames can ignite accumulated gas; immediate evacuation without activating any electrical devices is the priority safety instruction.

Question 4

Which of the following is a key reason to keep a caller on the line during a medical emergency?

Accepted Answer

To provide pre-arrival instructions, monitor changes in condition, and relay real-time information to responding units

Answer

Maintaining the call allows dispatchers to deliver PAIs, track changes in patient condition, and update responders dynamically.

Question 5

When a 911 call is received from a cell phone and the caller disconnects before providing their location, what should the dispatcher do?

Accepted Answer

Attempt a callback and use available Phase I/II location data to identify the caller's position

Answer

FCC Phase I/II rules require wireless carriers to provide call-back number and location data that dispatchers should use when callers disconnect.

(PSD) Certified Public Safety Dispatcher Practice Test

(PSD) Certified Public Safety Dispatcher Practice Test

PSD Emergency Call Handling Protocols 4