Dispatch Technologies and Systems Flashcards

A significant advancement of Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) over traditional E9-1-1 is its ability to receive what type of information from the public?

Answer: Text messages, images, and video files

NG9-1-1 is built on an IP-based network, which allows it to handle digital data like text, images, and video, providing richer situational awareness. Legacy E9-1-1 systems are based on analog telephone networks and are primarily limited to voice communications.

When a 9-1-1 call arrives at a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), what specific information is provided by the Automatic Location Information (ALI) database?

Answer: The registered service address or approximate coordinates of the caller

The Automatic Number Identification (ANI) provides the caller's phone number, which is then used to query the ALI database. The ALI database returns the physical address associated with a landline or the estimated latitude/longitude coordinates for a wireless call, which is critical for dispatching responders.

A dispatcher answers a 9-1-1 call and, after a moment of silence, hears only a series of repeating, high-pitched beeping sounds. This is a primary indicator of a call from which type of device?

Answer: A Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD/TTY)

TDD/TTY devices, used by individuals with hearing or speech impairments, initiate communication by sending audible tones (Baudot tones) that a TDD-equipped call-taker's console can decode into text. The dispatcher must use their TDD/TTY equipment to respond in text.

During a multi-agency response to a large wildfire, units from different departments are unable to communicate directly because their radios operate on different frequency bands. Which technology would be most effective for a dispatcher to help coordinate to quickly establish unified communications?

Answer: A radio interoperability gateway to patch talkgroups together

A radio interoperability gateway is a device that connects disparate radio systems (e.g., VHF, UHF, 800 MHz) by creating a 'patch'. This allows units on different systems to communicate directly as if they were on the same channel, which is the standard technological solution for such scenarios.

A dispatcher is trying to determine the closest available unit to a reported vehicle collision in a rural area with multiple winding roads. Which two integrated technologies are most essential for making this determination accurately?

Answer: Geographic Information System (GIS) and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)

The GIS provides the detailed, routable mapping of the area, including all roads. The AVL system shows the real-time GPS location of each patrol unit on that map. Combining these two technologies allows the dispatcher to see the incident location and all unit locations simultaneously and to calculate the fastest response route.

What is the primary function of the 'geofile' within a Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system?

Answer: To validate caller addresses against a master street and location database

The geofile, or geobase, is a critical database in a CAD system that contains all valid addresses, intersections, common places, and landmarks within the jurisdiction. It is used to verify incident locations, prevent errors, and enable accurate mapping and unit recommendations.