The Santa Barbara County Fire Department has trained 18 dispatchers from the Regional Fire Communication Center’s (RFCC) first Dispatch Academy.
Four dispatch leaders and 14 dispatchers successfully completed a 20-week academy that included comprehensive training in medical emergency dispatch (EMD) and fire emergency dispatch (EFD).
The newly trained dispatchers are now equipped to handle a variety of emergency situations. With their EMD training, they can provide life-saving instructions over the phone, such as guiding 911 callers through CPR during cardiac arrest while emergency personnel are en route.
Your EVS qualifications ensure that appropriate firefighting resources are dispatched efficiently and accurately, based on structured criteria addressing specific fire safety issues.
Starting August 19, dispatchers will begin answering 911 calls and providing essential services to the public.
The RFCC is responsible for handling all public calls for assistance in medical emergencies, fires and various operations in all hazards.
The center will serve seven fire departments in Santa Barbara County, including: Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District, City of Santa Barbara Fire Department, Montecito Fire Protection District, Lompoc Fire Department, Guadalupe Fire Protection District and Santa Maria Fire Department.
As part of the initiative, dispatch answering operators have been trained to ensure that 95% of 9-1-1 calls are answered within 15 seconds of the first ring. This rapid response capability is critical to providing immediate assistance and pre-arrival instructions and ensuring that people in need receive assistance as quickly as possible.
Later this year, dispatchers will move to the state-of-the-art Santa Barbara County Regional Fire Communication Center, which is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
The new facility is designed to improve the ability of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and its partner agencies to coordinate and respond to emergencies more efficiently and effectively.
