- The Consolidated Dispatch Agency shares the mental health resources they provide dispatchers who deal with tragic calls every day, but particularly in the wake of the FSU campus shooting.
- These tools include welfare checks, peer support, and stress management appointments.
- Watch the video to find out why this support is so crucial and how they work with agency partners to support first responders.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
911 dispatchers face different challenges when it comes to processing critical situations like the recent Florida State University campus shooting. They are the front lines during a crisis. We're breaking down what some of the support systems look like at the Consolidated Dispatch Agency and current conversations that are taking place, looking into improving services here.
Many 911 dispatchers are still processing the events of April 17, the day of the FSU shooting.
"I had one member say that it took a while to not hear that phone ringing anymore," said Kimberley Powell, Behavioral Wellness Coordinator at the Consolidated Dispatch Agency.
Powell has learned firsthand the impacts of this tragedy.
"Some of the unique aspects of that specific incident is that we do have some CDA members who are part-time employees who are also FSU students," said Powell.
It's an event, like for many, that's hit close to home.
Following an event of this magnitude, Powell said employees have been completing welfare check ins and working with peer specialists
"We brought our partner agencies in and collectively debriefed on the incident and some of our reactions to it, and that sense of connection with others helps," said Powell.
That's because Powell said, unlike other first responders, 911 dispatchers rarely get closure on a case, which can have great impacts, especially when they handle with lots of smaller tragedies every day.
"They can take a significantly difficult call, hang up the phone, and then have to answer a 911 call immediately after," said Powell.
The CDA is not just doing mental health checks, they're also looking at their response strategy.
"What we do is we look at our current policies, and is there some procedures that we need to change and kind of enhance and is there other technology capabilities that we should be looking at to start, you know, to make that response even more effective?" said David Odom, Director of the Consolidated Dispatch Agency.
Odom said after action reports are underway to review their response - particularly looking at technology.
"I think the communications part of it is how do we manage, you know, 200-300 officers on scene at one time, and how do we manage that more effectively with just the communication? We have a lot of information coming into the 911 Communication Center, but how effectively can we get that out?" said Odom.
The CDA said after action reports will be going on for months, mainly looking at how they can improve their technology.
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