Records and Record Keeping

Welcome to Dispatch Education!! We are Lisa and Bethany and today we want to talk to you about records and record keeping. I am sure this is the most exciting thing that we will ever talk about, ok just kidding. It is not the most exciting but it is one of the most important.

Your first step, as always is to check with your local supervisor and center to see if there are policies and procedures in place for your records and record keeping. Follow those if they have them in place.

If your center does not have policies and procedures, make your own and stick to it. How are you recording every call? What order do you put information into your records? Do I keep consistent records?

We spoke with one dispatcher who used the example of giving out a description of a person. The dispatcher stated that they start big, then go from head to toe. So they would describe someone as 6’0”, 210 lb., Male, Caucasian. Brown Hair, Blue Eyes, Red Sweater, dark blue jeans, no shoes.

Ok. Now it is your turn. Take some time today to think about your record keeping process and ask what you can do to improve it. Your records will help you and anyone you are dispatching to a call. That’s it for today!! Have a great day and we will see you next time!!