911 Dispatchers Can Role-Play and Rehearse Emergency Call Scenarios with Their Computers Before Taking a Live 911 Call

Folsom, California (PRWEB) August 23, 2013

Whenever a citizen is in a position to reach out to a 911 dispatcher for help, the expectation is that an organized and well-prepared professional will be assisting them. A new software program, TactiCall, will help make this expectation a reality.

When it comes to issues of life or health, no one wants the responsible party to be learning on the job. The same is true when a call is made to 911. Callers who find themselves in dire situations expect to be assisted by well-prepared professionals who are aptly suited to help them out of trouble. That degree of preparation doesn’t come by accident, though. 911 dispatchers must continually train for many hours in order to be prepared for the myriad of emergency situations that confront them. Typically this sort of training is managed by role-playing with a supervisor, training officer, or another dispatcher. It is costly, however, when agencies need two people to train just one. That’s where TactiCall (http://www.tacticall911.com/) comes in to play.

TactiCall is a software program that uses advanced voice-engine technology and proprietary word-spotting expertise that allows a dispatcher to train with his or her own personal computer. With TactiCall, the computer actually “listens” to how a dispatcher responds to simulated calls and provides feedback as to the degree of success. Training officers can create an unlimited number of realistic training scenarios by which they are able to field simulated emergency calls right from their computer. The TactiCall software focuses on two main dimensions of job performance that—when executed correctly—typically result in superior job performance and outcomes. These two dimensions are 1) familiarity with protocols (knowing what to say) and 2) proper voice control (knowing how to say it.)

Trainers or supervisors can quickly and easily create a training call, which is basically a simulated 911 call. The dispatchers “answer” the call and respond to the human voice prompts as they would in a real 911 emergency call. The TactiCall software “listens” to their responses and determines if the key words—those necessary for a successful call—are used by the trainee. A back-and-forth dialog continues between the dispatcher and the computer until the call concludes. The responses are scored and the call is optionally repeated to build repetition.

“Agencies are able to train many more people at much less cost, now, due to the advances in voice engine technology,” explains TactiCall V.P. of Products Michael Callen. “A single individual can put in hours of practice calls without a training officer being required. If the computer can’t understand what the dispatcher said, then it is likely that an actual caller would be able to either. TactiCall allows the dispatcher to repeat a variety of calls until clear speech and proper wording become habit.”

Agencies who may benefit from automated voice training for 911 and other emergency service dispatchers and tele-communicators can receive a trial version of TactiCall by requesting it from the website at http://www.tacticall911.com/.

About TactiCall: 
TactiCall is a product of Biddle Consulting Group, Inc., of Folsom, California. Biddle, one of the leading HR consulting firms in the US, has been publishing software that helps agencies hire people for 911 dispatch positions since 1999. Their testing program, CritiCall, has been joined by their new training program, TactiCall, only recently. (http://www.tacticall911.com)

Biddle offers EEO consulting, testing and job analysis software, affirmative action software and services, and statistical analysis/expert witness testimony.