Printer Friendly Version - Branford Implements "Priority Dispatch System"

A new Priority Dispatch Service has been implemented to increase facilitation of all routine, medical, fire and police calls to Branford's town-wide, state-of-the art communications center. This photo shows the the center shortly after it was upgraded in 2013; with Dispatcher Anne Ballard (foreground) and dispatcher Gerald Deno together with Police Captain Geoffrey Morgan.Pam Johnson/The Sound

Press Release: The Branford Communication Center is excited to announce the implementation of the Medical, Fire and Police Priority Dispatch System™ to better serve the citizens of Branford in emergency situations and routine calls for service.

Branford Telecommunicators (911 Dispatchers) using the newly implemented protocol system will follow internationally recognized standards; give universal, consistent care and service to every caller; gather critical emergency call information for responders; identify life-threatening situations; safely prioritize calls for appropriate and fast response; and provide "Zero Minute" Dispatch Life Support using Pre-Arrival and Post-Dispatch Instructions.

Implementing the Medical, Fire, Police protocol enables dispatchers to accurately assess each emergency or routine situation and send the best response possible while safeguarding valuable and limited emergency services resources and increasing safety for both citizens and responders. One key benefit Branford Communication Center will now provide is a constant stream of crucial and updated scene information to field responders en route. This information will better prepare responders to give precise assistance when they arrive at the scene.

Branford Fire Chief Thomas Mahoney spearheaded the implementation with Branford Police Chief Kevin Halloran.

"Our communication personnel will now have a reliable, consistent and validated tool to assist them in sending the right resources to the right call at the right time," said Chief Mahoney. "The questions asked by the Telecommunicator will give us a greater degree of confidence that what the caller is reporting is what we will find upon arrival ensuring an appropriate response to any emergency."

Chief Kevin Halloran concurred, adding, "The implementation of this computer base continues with our constant commitment to provide the best public services we can to the community we serve, by increasing the level of our Communication staff's professionalism and reducing the constant threat of liability."

The Priority Dispatch System™ (PDS™) includes ProQA® software and/or cardsets, a three-day certification training course for emergency dispatchers, and continual quality improvement (QI) benchmarks and training. All dispatchers who work on the new system are certified by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch® (IAED™) and must recertify every two years, completing 48 hours of continuing dispatch education (CDE) and passing all requirements for IAED recertification.

Proactive quality improvement (QI) benchmarks are an important part of the newly implemented Priority Dispatch System. Use of the PDS allows communications centers to assess the quality of the care they are providing their communities, allowing them to make positive adjustments to training and staff in response to these assessments.

The constantly evolving Priority Dispatch System (PDS) will help provide the highest standard of care to the community, allowing Telecommunicators to better manage limited resources and increase the accuracy and efficiency of the dispatching process.

In 2015 Branford Communication Center answered over 85,000 telephone calls and dispatched over 28,000 police, fire and medical calls for service. As this system of protocol implementation, training, and quality improvement is set into place, citizens can be confident that Branford's Communication Center is earning the public's trust with every call and is your best possible source of help during times of an emergency.