Despite long-standing calls for consistent training practices, very little is known about the methods used in emergency dispatcher training, their relative efficacy, or the topics or competencies addressed.
Jessica Hutchens and Jeri Phillips, training specialists with Guilford Metro 911, talk about the foundational training that all Emergency Dispatchers should receive. They discuss what skills are necessary for an Emergency Dispatcher to have, how those skills can be improved, and ways to make it easy and fun in your comm. center.
Jody Mader, Master ETC-I Instructor and 2025 Instructor of the Year, shares some insights she’s gained in her 18 years of experience in emergency telecommunications. She discusses how she became interested in adult education, how to customize the ETC curriculum while still meeting the training standards, and how you can start improving your program one change at a time.
Andrew Palmer, IAED’s Manager of Instructional Design, is excited to talk about the IAED’s new and improved Learning Portal! He discusses what it will look like, its new capabilities, and how people can start familiarizing themselves with it.
The Raspy Dispatcher herself, Ashley Valenzuela, discusses the resources her company offers, as well as some tips preparing for life both before and after dispatch.
Melissa Colon, CTO, Lieutenant, ETC instructor, and Q with Manatee County Emergency Communications Center, and Heather Hedgcock, QA Coordinator, Captain/Supervisor, ETC Instructor, and Q, discuss customer service skills. They outline how to professionally interrupt the caller, give examples of phrases you can use to sound polite and firm, and approach calltakers who lose their patience.
Jonny McMullan, Performance Improvement Manager with the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, discusses the benefits of mentoring in emergency dispatch, including what makes a good mentor and how to best support trainees.
Andrew Palmer, manager of instructional design at IAED, discusses emergency dispatch training, including where to start improving your own programs and what kind of training works best for this field.