What the heck is going on in the dispatch center?!

[Tfitzmaurice89]

our dispatch center has tv's which are ususllay muted or are turned down low. I often (bout once a week) hear an open mic from the dispatch center. It usually happens because they have foot pedals that key the radio, and usually they just set their foot on it by accident. mistakes happen, i also hear some jokes between dispatchers and mobile units... its like comedic relief.

 

[Stick0413]

I have been in a comm center here and they do have TVs all over the place and watch whatever. Also when its not all that busy they do laugh and joke around a little. However you don't hear it on the radio. There does have to be a line but at the same time you have to see where they are actually reducing tension and everything.

 

[NJFIREPIX]

I have monitored Camden County NJ dispatchers for years and they are totally professional. I never been to the county comm center but I imagine there are quite a few people inside working on any given shift. Having that many people in one place you are going to hear some joking around. Its a tension breaker..

The TV's in the dispatch center are used to monitor things like the weather channel or even media events that involve police and fire units you dispatched or will be dispatching. However who is going to monitor the weather channel 24/7. Of course they are going to watch there favorite shows and what not. Like a frindge benefit.

 

[citylink_uk]

Here in the UK our county Fire control room has roughly 5 people in the room at one time, usually 3 or 4 people at comms desks (two answering calls, two for radio & dealing with requests to police etc & mobilising and a supervisor).

Allthough a reasonably strict radio code predure has to be followed, even dispatchers are real people and do have a laugh and joke but try to keep it off air.

Noise cancelling radio headsets are a must in my opinion to reduce background noise. We only have one countywide frequency so theres no other radio in the background.

The staff room though is downstairs so its away from the main room to try and get staff to relax and be taken out of the stress of the comms room so that when they return they are refreshed.

They also remember that all radio traffic is recorded on to HD

 

[emtbrat29]

i work in a comm center and its not fun in the middle of the night when there are no calls going on and nothing but infomertials on the tv i do have to say this sometimes it dose get crazy in there and i know our crew try's to have some bit of fun with jokes or dvd's but when it comes time to be serious then we all calm down and do our jobs

 

[DJ88]

Maybe we ought to buy them a sandbox and some toys to play with. Justkidding!! The dispatchers do a helluva job when the going gets tough. I can remember monitoring the most recent huge forest fire in Ocean County, either last year or the year before (tiime flies when you're having fun). The Ocean County dispatchers did a remarkable job under the most stressful and chaotic conditions. So, when things are slow, let 'em relax a little and have a little fun. No harm, no foul. When things get serious, they'll all be there to assure that everybody gets to where they need to be.

 

[kvg911]

All this talk about Camden isn't bad... you MUST listen to Newark's dispatchers. It's rediculous with what they get away with... But if it works for them thats what it is.

 

[kenisned]

I'm sorry... I fail to see why televisions are needed except to track an emergency relevant to that jurisdiction.

Okay, if midnights are so slow, then read a book or a magazine. Or restrict the TV to those late night shifts. But i've been in our dispatch center during rush hour and springer or some nonsense is on.

In college I worked the desk at a factory as a security guard. I was the only person in a gigantic building and did not need a TV and did not fall asleep.

There are countless stressful jobs out there that don't have televisions for the relief of stress.

 

[Skypilot007]

Camden County is great too listen too...zone 4 switchover gets good on some nights with a varity of music and other nonsense. Can't forget when the sheriff deputies have an open mic and carry on a very interesting converstion with racial slurs and profanity for about 20 minutes before they realized it. Other people were keying up on him to try and cover up what was being said in the car. Hilarious !

 

[DJ88]

I'm sorry... I fail to see why televisions are needed except to track an emergency relevant to that jurisdiction.

Okay, if midnights are so slow, then read a book or a magazine. Or restrict the TV to those late night shifts. But i've been in our dispatch center during rush hour and springer or some nonsense is on.

In college I worked the desk at a factory as a security guard. I was the only person in a gigantic building and did not need a TV and did not fall asleep.

There are countless stressful jobs out there that don't have televisions for the relief of stress.

You're right! Let's contact our local governments and demand that all TVs be removed from all dispatch centers. Give me a break!! No, they're not needed, but what's the harm in having them there? These poeple work in a dispatch center, not a concentration camp.
When things are slow, and they ARE slow in a lot of small towns, wathing TV is a completely harmless way to pass the idle time. And if you want to squawk about them getting paid to watch TV, I will remind you that if you ever need a cop, an ambulance or the fire department for a serious situation, God forbid, it will be the dispatcher who will make sure your request is fulfilled, and that's worth all the money in the world. When things get serious, these dispatchers snap to it and do their job, and do it well.

 

[kenisned]

These poeple work in a dispatch center, not a concentration camp.

That comparison is so off the mark, it's truly not funny.

My boss does not let me watch TV when it's slow... does yours?

Also, I never slighted their performance and have some who are good friends of mine. My point was that it isn't needed.

 

[DJ88]

That comparison is so off the mark, it's truly not funny.

My boss does not let me watch TV when it's slow... does yours?

Also, I never slighted their performance and have some who are good friends of mine. My point was that it isn't needed.

I wasn't trying to be funny.

I don't have a boss. I'm retired.

No it isn't needed, but I see no harm in it, and apparently their supervisors don't either.

 

[Jay911]

As a dispatcher, I can confirm that television in a dispatch center is of benefit, and not just for monitoring local emergencies.

My center was watching television at 6:45am MST, September 11, 2001. Seeing what we saw in the next 45 to 90 minutes helped us prepare for the impact it had upon our city and dispatch area (mainly, prepping for accepting dozens of passenger aircraft diverted away from the USA).

We have also had a a number of fires and other such emergencies in the city which have been monitored by local newsmedia, allowing us to gain an effective understanding of what the situation is on the ground.

In a purely recreational sense, there's no problem with having a television in the center, either. My center dispatches for ~20 Fire and EMS services including large city departments, and one large Police department, and has not only 'a television', but eight large projection screens and four LCD TVs throughout the room. During the business day, the screens display a computer screen indicating the status of the 9-1-1 telephone network (how many operators available, how many busy on calls, how many calls pending, etc). During nighttime hours and weekends, two main LCDs maintain that 9-1-1 status screen, while the projection screens can show up to 5 different TV channels (or 4 and a VCR), a DVD, or television feeds from our police helicopters or ARES/ATV hams. There are wireless speakers available for those who want to watch TV or videos. If it's too busy to pay attention to such things, the dispatcher is easily able to turn down/off the speaker, and direct their attention away from the TV screen.

Frankly, those who gripe about how TV isn't needed and distracts the dispatchers from their duties either doesn't understand what goes on in their dispatch center, or needs to hire some dispatchers with a stronger sense of discipline. There's no problem with having television in a dispatch center, period.

 

[scannersnstuff]

KENISNED. ever hear of multitasking ?.

 

[kenisned]

KENISNED. ever hear of MULTI TASKING ?. JER* .

Yes. Sure have.

Why the attack?

Another internet tough guy! LOL, imagine.

 

[kenisned]

As a dispatcher, I can confirm that television in a dispatch center is of benefit, and not just for monitoring local emergencies.

My center was watching television at 6:45am MST, September 11, 2001. Seeing what we saw in the next 45 to 90 minutes helped us prepare for the impact it had upon our city and dispatch area (mainly, prepping for accepting dozens of passenger aircraft diverted away from the USA).

We have also had a a number of fires and other such emergencies in the city which have been monitored by local newsmedia, allowing us to gain an effective understanding of what the situation is on the ground.

In a purely recreational sense, there's no problem with having a television in the center, either. My center dispatches for ~20 Fire and EMS services including large city departments, and one large Police department, and has not only 'a television', but eight large projection screens and four LCD TVs throughout the room. During the business day, the screens display a computer screen indicating the status of the 9-1-1 telephone network (how many operators available, how many busy on calls, how many calls pending, etc). During nighttime hours and weekends, two main LCDs maintain that 9-1-1 status screen, while the projection screens can show up to 5 different TV channels (or 4 and a VCR), a DVD, or television feeds from our police helicopters or ARES/ATV hams. There are wireless speakers available for those who want to watch TV or videos. If it's too busy to pay attention to such things, the dispatcher is easily able to turn down/off the speaker, and direct their attention away from the TV screen.

Frankly, those who gripe about how TV isn't needed and distracts the dispatchers from their duties either doesn't understand what goes on in their dispatch center, or needs to hire some dispatchers with a stronger sense of discipline. There's no problem with having television in a dispatch center, period.

Sounds like your center handles it well.

What I hear on the radio and scanner is the opposite and it's a shame.

 

[kenisned]

I wasn't trying to be funny.

I don't have a boss. I'm retired.

No it isn't needed, but I see no harm in it, and apparently their supervisors don't either.

At least we agree it isn't needed.

 

[scannersnstuff]

first off.it does not make me a tough guy because i think your post made you look like a jer*.
second.i changed my original post because i realized i should not have name called.
third. if i have to explain to you the relevance of multitasking and this thread,it ain't worth it.i guess you just didn't get it from the start.

 

[SCPD]

If you're going to have a TV all channels should be blocked except for weather and news.

 

[kenisned]

If you're going to have a TV all channels should be blocked except for weather and news.

You listen to the same dispatch center I do...you know what I'm talking about.