Call Processing and Interviewing Techniques
The sequence
Call processing is a repeatable loop: answer, obtain and verify the location, get a callback number, establish the nature of the problem, classify and prioritize it, dispatch the appropriate resources, then stay on the line to update and to deliver post-dispatch instructions until field units arrive.
Interviewing
Two question styles do different jobs. Open-ended questions ("Tell me exactly what happened") get the story and surface details you would not have thought to ask. Closed or forced-choice questions ("Is he breathing? Yes or no?") pin down dangerous unknowns quickly. In a life-threatening call, medical history is a luxury; airway, breathing, consciousness, severe bleeding, and hazards come first. Control the call: give one instruction at a time, use the caller's name, and tell them what happens next so they are not left in silence.
Traps candidates fall for
- Treating a wireless ALI display as the address instead of confirming it with the caller.
- Losing apartment, building, suite, or lot numbers that responders cannot locate.
- Asking "Are you okay?" instead of "Are you breathing?"
- Letting a hysterical or angry caller set the pace, or matching their volume.
- Mishandling silent, hang-up, or third-party calls: text, TTY/TDD, and button-press protocols still apply.
- Failing to ask whether anyone is still inside, whether weapons are present, or whether there are hazards such as fire, downed wires, or traffic.
Rule of thumb
Where, what, who - location first, then the problem, then the people involved - and re-confirm the address before you clear.
Worked example
A caller shouts, "There's a fire in the kitchen." You ask first, "What is the exact address, including apartment number?" Then, "Is everyone out of the building?" Then, "Is anyone trapped or is anything exploding?" Dispatch starts on the confirmed location while the remaining questions continue; questioning and dispatch overlap rather than queue one behind the other.