Police emergency call-taking has always been a topic that has needed  more research to help determine best practices, particularly in large urban dispatch agencies where lower priority cases often must be queued in order to ensure shorter response times to higher priority cases where life and limb could be at risk. A recent study completed at the City of Cincinnati Emergency Communications Center, and featured in this issue, has added some much-needed clarity to this important topic.  

Continuing our commitment of promoting high quality research on dispatcher wellness, this issue contains an informative study, based on a survey of dispatchers done in Washington state, reports how burnout and overtime may affect performance complaints. 

Finally, a clinical research group at Montgomery County Hospital District in Texas have studied the most recent version of the dispatchers’ stroke tool in the Medical Priority Dispatch System®, by comparing it to a face-to-face paramedic stroke assessment procedure, with some interesting results, which they have presented in a research poster. 

As always, we at the AEDR hope the material presented here informs you and inspires more research ideas and participation in your own studies in emergency dispatch. 

Sincerely,

Greg Scott

Editor-in-Chief