Colleyville, Texas

                                           Communications Supervisor
                                                     Rose Zalewski 
                                                     
                        Dispatcher           Dispatcher             Dispatcher
                      Gayle Konikoff     Amy Johanson          Penny Burt

               
               Dispatcher           Dispatcher           Dispatcher           Dispatcher  
           Tiana McBurney     Danny Coulson      Karen Moore        Gayle Shiffer
                                              Do’s & Don’ts of 9-1-1

The following describes the do’s and don’ts of 9-1-1 under its original
“emergencies only” purpose:
• Dial 9-1-1 only for an emergency. An emergency is any serious medical
problem (chest pain, seizure, bleeding), any type of fire (business, car,
building), or any life-threatening situation (fights, person with weapons,
etc). You are also urged to call 9-1-1 to report crimes that are in progress,
whether or not a life is threatened.
• Do not dial 9-1-1 for a non-emergency. Instead, dial 817-281-3132
(non-emergency telephone number). A non-emergency incident is a
property damage accident, break-in of a vehicle when the suspect is gone,
theft of property when the suspect is gone, vandalism, panhandlers,
intoxicated persons who are not disorderly, or cars blocking the street or
alleys.
• Do not pick up the telephone and put it down if you don’t hear a dial tone.
You will tie up the telephone network and delay obtaining a line.
Stay on the line until you hear the dial tone. If you hear a fast busy signal, all
circuits are busy, try again later. If you reach a recording, the telephone
system isn’t available for your call, try again later.
• Do not program 9-1-1 into your auto-dial telephone. You won’t forget
the number, and programming the number invites accidental dialing of the
number. Also, please do not dial 9-1-1 to “test” your phone or system. This
needlessly burdens the dispatchers and the system with non-emergency
calls.
• Do stay on the line when asked to hold by a 9-1-1 operator. If you
hang up, your call will be delayed because you will be placed at the end of
the other callers.
• If you dialed 9-1-1 in error, do not hang up. Instead, stay on the line
and explain to the dispatcher that you dialed by mistake and that you do
not have an emergency. If you hang up, a police officer must be
dispatched to confirm that you are OK. This will needlessly take resources
away from genuine emergencies.
• Briefly describe the type of incident you are reporting. For example,
“I’m reporting an auto fire” or “I’m reporting an unconscious person”, or
“I’m reporting a shoplifter.” Then stay on the line with the dispatcher-do not
hang up until the dispatcher tells you to. In some cases, the dispatcher will
keep you on the line while the emergency units are responding so more
information can be obtained about the on-going incident.
• Let the call-taker ask you questions. The call-takers have been
trained to ask questions that will help prioritize the incident, locate it and
speed an appropriate response. Your answers should be brief and
responsive. Remain calm and speak clearly. If you are not in a position to
give full answers to the call-taker (the suspect is nearby), stay on the line
and the dispatcher will ask you questions that can be answered “yes” or
“no”.
• Be prepared to describe the location of your emergency. Although an
Enhanced 9-1-1 system will display your telephone number and location,
the call-taker must confirm the displayed address or ask you for more
specific location information about your emergency.
• If you are a cellular 9-1-1 caller, your telephone number and location
may not be displayed. You must be able to describe your location so
emergency units can respond. Be aware of your current city, town,
address, highway and direction, nearby cross-streets or interchanges, or
other geographic points of reference.
• Cellular 9-1-1 callers are frequently routed to a central PSAP that
could be many miles from your location. Be prepared to give the
dispatcher your complete location, city, town, address or location, inside or
outside, what floor or room etc.
• Be prepared to describe any vehicles involved in the incident. This
includes the color, year, make, model, type of vehicle (sedan, pick-up,
sport utility, van, tanker truck, flatbed, etc.). If the vehicle is parked, the
dispatcher will need to know the location of the vehicle. If the vehicle is
moving, the dispatcher will need to know the last direction of travel.
• Be prepared to describe the persons involved in any incident. This
includes their race, sex, age, height and weight, color of hair, description
of clothing, and presence of a hat, glasses, or facial hair.
• Be patient as the dispatcher asks you questions. While you are
answering questions, the call-taker is entering or writing down the
information. If you are reporting an emergency, most likely a response is
being made while you are still on line with the dispatcher.
• Listen to the dispatcher's instructions for assistance if you are in
danger yourself. The dispatcher may tell you to leave the building,
secure yourself in a room, or take other action to protect yourself.
• Do not hang up until the dispatcher tells you to. Follow any
instructions the dispatcher gives you, such as meeting the officers at the
door, or flagging down the firefighters at the curb.
• If you are able and have had training, apply first aid to any patients
who need it. Give the victim reassurance that help is on the way. Secure
any dogs or other pets that may interfere with the emergency response.
Gather any medications the patient is taking and which ones the medical
crew will need to take with the patient.

                                     
      Dispatchers Wanda Perry                  New Communications Center
      (foreground) and Ann Beisel              in the Colleyville Justice Center
      in the old Communications                on Riverwalk Drive (2006).
      Center on Bransford Road,
      circa 1980.