911 Operator Test Call Prioritization and Decision-Making Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You receive four calls in rapid succession. Which of the following should be prioritized for immediate dispatch?
- A report of a strong smell of natural gas outside a residential building. (Correct answer)
- A call about a burglary that occurred yesterday where the suspects are no longer on scene.
- A noise complaint about a loud party in an apartment complex.
- A report of a vehicle vandalism that happened overnight.
Correct answer: A report of a strong smell of natural gas outside a residential building.
A potential natural gas leak poses an immediate and significant threat to life and property due to the risk of an explosion or fire. This type of call requires immediate dispatch of fire services. The other calls, while important, do not present the same level of imminent danger.
Question 2: A caller reports a person is unconscious and not breathing. According to standard Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) protocols, what is the most critical initial action for the operator?
- Dispatching advanced life support (ALS) and providing pre-arrival CPR instructions. (Correct answer)
- Gathering the caller's full name and a callback number.
- Determining the patient's age and medical history.
- Asking if there are any weapons present at the scene.
Correct answer: Dispatching advanced life support (ALS) and providing pre-arrival CPR instructions.
When a person is in cardiac arrest, time is critical. Emergency Medical Dispatch protocols emphasize immediately dispatching appropriate resources (ALS) and starting the 'chain of survival' by providing CPR instructions over the phone. This 'zero-minute response' can significantly improve the patient's outcome.
Question 3: During an active shooter event, a person calls 911 whispering from a locked office. They state they are safe but can hear gunshots in the distance. What is the most important piece of information to obtain from this caller?
- The specific location of the shooter, if known. (Correct answer)
- The number of people hiding with the caller.
- A description of the caller's injuries.
- The caller's name and phone number.
Correct answer: The specific location of the shooter, if known.
While all information is valuable, the shooter's location is the most critical piece of intelligence for responding law enforcement. This information allows officers to move directly toward the threat and neutralize it, which is the primary objective in an active shooter situation.
Question 4: Which of the following scenarios would be classified as the highest priority for police response?
- A domestic dispute where one party is threatening physical harm and has access to a weapon. (Correct answer)
- A report of shoplifting where the suspect fled the scene 10 minutes ago.
- A call about illegally parked vehicles blocking a driveway.
- A request for a welfare check on a neighbor who hasn't been seen in a few days.
Correct answer: A domestic dispute where one party is threatening physical harm and has access to a weapon.
A domestic dispute with threats of violence and the presence of a weapon constitutes an immediate threat to life, making it a top-priority call for law enforcement. The other situations are of a lower priority as they do not involve an imminent danger of physical harm.
Question 5: An Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) system uses a lettered code to indicate the seriousness of a patient's condition. Which letter typically represents the most life-threatening emergency, such as a full cardiac arrest?
- A (Alpha)
- B (Bravo)
- C (Charlie)
- E (Echo) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: E (Echo)
In the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS), the letter 'E' for Echo represents the most critical, life-threatening events, such as a patient in full cardiac arrest or who is not breathing. This ensures the highest level of response is dispatched immediately.
Question 6: You receive a call from someone reporting their car was stolen from their driveway sometime overnight. While you are gathering information, a second call comes in reporting a multi-vehicle accident with injuries on the highway. What is the correct action to take?
- Place the stolen vehicle caller on a brief hold to take the accident call, as it involves immediate risk to life. (Correct answer)
- Complete the stolen vehicle report in full before taking the second call to ensure accuracy.
- Tell the accident caller to hang up and call back after you finish the current call.
- Attempt to handle both calls simultaneously by switching back and forth between them.
Correct answer: Place the stolen vehicle caller on a brief hold to take the accident call, as it involves immediate risk to life.
Call prioritization requires the 911 operator to address calls with an immediate threat to life first. The multi-vehicle accident with injuries is a higher priority than a stolen vehicle report where the event has already occurred and there is no ongoing danger. The operator should professionally and quickly pause the lower-priority call to handle the life-threatening emergency.
911 Operator Test Call Prioritization and Decision-Making Questions and Answers
You receive four calls in rapid succession.
Which of the following should be prioritized for immediate dispatch?