Seeking peer support when stressful conditions occur may seem like a natural and common occurrence among emergency dispatchers. Yet we lack complete information about how often it happens, and how helpful it really is. A repeat AEDR author and researcher, Paul Bourgeois, PhD., brings this practice into focus in this journal issue. Using an online survey, Bourgeois questions dispatchers about their utilization of, and attitudes toward peer support teams. His findings and conclusions will help us better understand the best use of these teams and when to encourage dispatchers to seek help from them.

 Also in this issue, debut AEDR author Jeremy Torres gives us a comprehensive look at how he used Dispatcher-Directed CPR case review data from his system in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to instruct us on how he helped measure and improve bystander time to first compression time by, measuring times for each step in the process as well as recording the barriers encountered by the dispatchers while delivering CPR instructions, then coaching dispatchers on improving arrest recognition times and overcoming barriers such as getting the patient off a bed, chair, or sofa to the ground, so effective compressions can be done.

Another case report looks at an example of how one city adjusted its 911 center’s medical dispatch protocol and response system to better manage mental health and behavioral health emergencies. By sending specialized crisis response teams staffed with mental health professionals as an alternative to a standard police or ambulance response, this system was able to better serve these patients.

Finally, our Research Spotlight highlights the work of a long-time emergency medical services (EMS) researcher and emergency physician—Dr. Brent Myers. Dr. Myers recently won the award for best research poster at the U.S. Navigator 2024 Conference in National Harbor, MD., in April of this year.

We hope this issue inspires you to build on your knowledge as an emergency services professional, and reminds you of the importance of sound, evidence-based practice.

Sincerely,

 

Greg Scott

Editor-in-Chief