Dispatch in Depth Dispatch in Depth

Sergeant Ashlee Gautreaux, creator and facilitator of a high school Emergency Telecommunicator Certification (ETC) program in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, talks about how the program came about and how it’s structured. She also discusses some unanticipated benefits to the community that have come from it. 

For Your Information:
Learn more about the program here: https://www.ascensionschools.org/schools/high/career-technical-education 

Do you live in Ascension Parish? Apply to become a dispatcher here: https://ascensionsheriff.com/join-our-team  

Dr. Russell MacDonald, the Medical Director for Toronto Paramedic Services and Toronto’s Central Ambulance Communications Centre, discusses what a communication center medical director is and how their role impacts your work. 

For Your Information: 
Toronto Paramedic Services – social media sites: 
https://www.youtube.com/@TorontoMedics 
https://www.facebook.com/TorontoMedics/ 
https://x.com/torontomedics 
https://www.instagram.com/torontomedicsofficial/ 

Emergency Care in the Streets (Canadian edition): 
https://www.psglearning.com/catalog/productdetails/9781284196641  

A link to some of Dr. MacDonald’s publications and related activities: 
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Russell-MacDonald  

John Chiaramonte, President of Mission Critical Partners’ consulting business, talks about the company's upcoming 8-hour course on swatting incidents. He discusses the recent uptick in these types of responses as well as things communication centers can do to prepare for the eventuality of these calls. 

For Your Information: 
Sign up for the class here: https://info.missioncriticalpartners.com/mitigating-swatting-incidents-masterclass  

Check out Mission Critical Partners’ other webinars and trainings: https://www.missioncriticalpartners.com/resources/webinars-training/  

Tyler Pelke, Deputy Chief with the City of Red Deer Emergency Services, shares his perspective on resilience in the emergency response profession. He talks about doing the hard things, like building habits and practicing forgiveness, and fostering trust in the workplace. 

For Your Information: 
Tyler’s website: https://www.tylerpelke.com   
Dr. M. Scott Peck’s book on resilience: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Road-Less-Traveled-Timeless-Edition/M-Scott-Peck/9780743243155  
Dr. Karestan Koenen: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/profile/karestan-koenen/  
Dr. Steven Southwick: https://aeon.co/users/steven-southwick  

Educator, clinician, and scholar Dr. Michelle Lilly gives highlights of her past emergency dispatch research papers and projects, then presents the preliminary findings of her groundbreaking video to 911 study. 

For Your Information: 
Lilly Consulting: www.lilly-consulting.com

The champion and creator of the 911 SAVES Act, California Congresswoman Norma J. Torres gives some insight into this bill she and her colleagues are trying to pass to get emergency dispatchers reclassified as first responders. She tells some stories from her time as a dispatcher in Los Angeles, explains what the act does and does not do, and gives advice on how you can get involved in this important movement. 

For Your Information: 
Read this press release on the bill: https://torres.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/representatives-torres-fitzpatrick-reintroduce-bipartisan-9-1-1-saves   

To find out if Congresswoman Torres is your representative or to find out who your rep is and reach out, go here: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member   

Read Congresswoman Torres’s policy essay on the 911 SAVES Act: https://journals.law.harvard.edu/jol/volume-61-number-1/?fbclid=IwAR2eg3d_CkD_Sq8_mM2Df1l8GpmzrsPtQCpX7FLbq3gBoF5JlAp18v-MGrg  

Find out more about how you can help get emergency dispatchers reclassified: https://www.911.gov/projects/telecommunicator-job-reclassification/