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Mission Critical Communications Article
from the May 2004 issue of 9-1-1 Magazine
Communications: The Next Generation! I'm excited about the future of our profession. Do you remember when it was “a job” or that we were “just a dispatcher?” Thanks to some forward thinking individuals and some of their great students, we are taking this profession into the next generation. Uplifting our position within the organization and gaining the respect we deserve while providing a better service to our community and our responders - those are the goals of a Mission Critical Communicator!
Let's take a very quick look at the recent history of specialized dispatch positions. This history is important to know before looking forward to Mission Critical Communicators and what makes them your best choice for a specialized dispatch program.
Most agencies now have Communications Training Officers (CTOs), whereas just 20 years ago most trainees were assigned to a senior dispatcher or an unknowing dispatcher who was just working at the moment a trainee walked in the door. Within a day or two, it was time to solo. CTOs have been a great addition to our profession. I'm a strong believer that CTOs should be chosen because they want to train and they want to make a difference. They should also be somehow compensated for that additional responsibility and pressure, just as patrol FTOs are compensated for this vital responsibility.
In the early 1990s, a few very wise men in the California fire service developed another specialty position that has since blossomed nationally. Based on the ICS “Radio Operator” position, it was modified into a local-agency based, rapid-deployment function called the Incident Dispatch Team (IDT). They discovered that by using a specially trained dispatcher at a fire scene command post, it enhanced field communications, unified command, responder safety, and resource management. By handling a myriad of responsibilities, it freed the Incident Commander to concentrate on the handling of the event while their IDT or specialized dispatcher handled vital tasks and resource tracking.
Shortly after the rise of fire department IDTs, Ben Tisa, a now-retired FBI agent, realized that using professional communicators at hostage stand-offs, SWAT call outs, and other law enforcement events was a great tactical benefit. This training also started in California. Thanks to a very dedicated student of Ben's that saw the vital role of Tactical Dispatchers, this idea has gone nation wide. Tammy Smith of California has taught classes regarding Tactical Dispatchers for many years. It's an outstanding program that you may consider if your agency has a progressive SWAT or tactical team.
Public Safety Training Consultants has just introduced a new and exciting variety of specialty dispatch position, that of a “Mission Critical Communicator.” An MCC is a specially trained communications professional who functions either from the communications center or from the field to enhance communications efficiency and safety for our responders. An MCC does not discriminate against any event. They will become your “go to” dispatcher during any event. They will effectively coordinate communications issues for police, fire, emergency medical and homeland security events. An MCC is a well-trained individual or team that can work both unexpected emergent calls and planned events.
Now that we have an idea of what an MCC does, let's see how you can justify the program and keep it alive. Let's say you get a 9-1-1 call advising of a child abduction. Once the event has been verified, you have an opportunity to use an MCC. The MCC is responsible for coordinating any and all communications issues related to that incident. They have a “cheat sheet” (we call it an “incident management procedure form”) that will assist in the successful completion of the event. They have adaptive personalities and focus on the goal, thinking creatively and dynamically towards success.
How many responsibilities could an MCC coordinate? In our example of the abducted child, an MCC will work together with the Incident Commander to ensure the following: A teletype is sent out, the child is appropriately entered in NCIC and other databases, maps will be copied and developed for the field units to assist during their community searches, neighboring agencies will be notified, air units or volunteer units will be activated, the Center for Missing and Exploited Children will be notified and a missing poster will be developed.
Additionally, an MCC will check your Megan's law entries or local sex registrants to see if there are local addresses that should be visited. For agencies that don't have public information officers, the MCC will make a press release fax or call to make the local media aware of the event. Depending on your local abduction protocols, you may be activating HAM radio operators, volunteer groups or mounted patrols for rural searches. The possibilities are endless. MCC teams will work together towards success. An individual MCC may delegate some portions of the responsibilities but they ensure that duties are completed.
One of the reasons many agencies haven't adopted IDT or tactical dispatchers is that they are apprehensive to actually send their communicators out into the field. Good news: Mission Critical Communicators are taught to function from within your existing dispatch center, a mobile command unit, or at the event scene. The MCC addresses and resolves any apprehensions and issues that some agency administrators have had about adopting IDTs or Tactical Dispatch programs. They are trained to function in a variety of situations and are trained to adapt and overcome any obstacles.
One reason Mission Critical Programs will survive where IDT or tactical programs may not have is that MCC 's responsibilities and mobilizations will be more frequent. They needn't wait until the big fire or the SWAT callout, their skills can be utilized in almost any critical incident, whether or not that incident calls for a full-scale Incident Command Post support team. The fact that MCCs can be used or deployed frequently will hopefully garner the respect that we have been trying to build in the partnership between emergency communicators and field personnel.
Another benefit is that Mission Critical Communicators can help in any event. IDTs are very fire service specific. Tactical dispatchers are usually deployed for law enforcement issues. MCCs on the other hand are ready for any possible event. Aircraft disaster, flooding, hostage event, hazardous material spill, neighborhood evacuation, civil unrest, riots, school violence events, large scale fires, mass casualty events, and now homeland security incidents. MCCs can also help prepare for planned events such as fairs, festivals, concerts, parades, political conventions, the super bowl, a NASCAR race in your town or the masters golf tournament. Basically, you name it and an MCC is prepared to handle it. Their forte is extended events where incident commanders need the tracking and management of requests and resources.
What will this cost me? There is a minimal cost impact. Training is a must. Beyond that, a special polo shirt, identifying cap, or identification card is inexpensive. The real investment is the time you should spend keeping your resource lists current. Attending agency drills or training is another time investment. Going to SWAT drills or high rise drills or exercise pre-planning meetings is an investment in the program and helps to build a relationship with the various responding teams. Building relationships with administration and responders is vital. In time, we would love to see incentive pay or other incentive reimbursement similar to specialty field units on the responder side of the radio.
Why should I have specialty positions? Just like you would never train every police officer to be a sniper or you would never train every firefighter to be a hazardous materials expert, we don't need to train every dispatcher to be a Mission Critical Communicator. If every agency trained only 10- of their staff to be a MCC, you would be much better prepared to handle those time intensive critical events.
Where do we get this training? Right now, MCC is new and being presented only by Public Safety Training Consultants. The class can be hosted anywhere and is trained in a three or four day format. Beyond that, in-service training is important along with in-house training. The good news is that this pro gram is very configurable to what your agency wants MCC to be.
How do we start? Administrative buy-in is paramount. Show them the benefits of MCCs: the biggest being seamless coordination of communications issues. By looking at agency failures in the past, we can often identify communications or resource management issues. Once Incident Commanders understand we are here to help rather than take over an event, and once they see a Mission Critical Communicator in action, we doubt they will ever want to handle an event without an MCC.
Understand this is a reasonably new specialty position. Florida is ready adopting a similar “all hazards” type MCC. Other centers in California,
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Copyright 2005