The constantly evolving PDS will help provide the highest standard of care to the community, allowing Emergency Police Dispatchers to better manage limited resources and increase the accuracy and efficiency of the dispatching process.
DOVER (DE) BY DIGITAL STAFF: A long over due priority dispatch system which is already being used with many other Delaware law enforcement agencies is now becoming a reality at the Dover Police Department.
Officials made the announcement Friday saying the system is “to better serve the residents of Dover in emergency situations.”
According to a news release, with this new system, emergency dispatchers will follow nationally recognized standards and research-based protocols to identify life-threatening situations and to safely prioritize calls for response. The protocols guide emergency dispatchers through a series of questions they ask callers in order to identify the problems so they can send the correct help.
Emergency dispatchers will also use the questions to provide responders with accurate information so they can more effectively give care once they are on the scene. Additionally, with the PPDS™ emergency dispatchers can provide lifesaving and safety instructions to callers and patients before responders arrive.
The Priority Dispatch System™ (PDS™) includes ProQA® software and/or card sets, a three-day certification training course for emergency dispatchers, and continual quality improvement (QI) benchmarks and training. All emergency dispatchers who work on the new system are certified by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch® (IAED™) and must recertify every two years, complete 24 hours of continuing dispatch education (CDE) and pass all requirements for IAED recertification.
Proactive quality improvement (QI) benchmarks are an important part of the PDS. Use of this system will allow Dover Police emergency dispatchers to assess the quality of the care they provide their communities, allowing them to make positive adjustments to training and staff in response to these assessments.
“At the IAED, our goal is to help the emergency dispatcher do his or her job better,” said Dr. Jeff Clawson, Chair, Rules Committee for the IAED Medical Council of Standards. “This system increases safety and effectiveness for the first responders and creates better outcomes for callers.”
The constantly evolving PDS will help provide the highest standard of care to the community, allowing Emergency Police Dispatchers to better manage limited resources and increase the accuracy and efficiency of the dispatching process.
The Dover Police Communications team consists of 12 communications operators and a 911 Manager. Together, they handle over 100,000 calls and dispatch over 35,000 calls for service annually.
