What is an Emergency Medical Dispatcher?
Anybody that has dialed 9-1-1 knows what an EMD does. They are the first people you talk to when you make an emergency call. When that frantic call comes in, the emergency medical dispatcher must try to keep the caller calm so he or she can get the right information. The EMD must posses the following skills: 1. Excellent listening skills 2. Excellent oral communication skills, the ability to articulate information to other members of the emergency team and caller 3. Excellent composure under pressure 4. Excellent transcription skills 5. Ability to follow step by step procedure 6. Good organizational skills 7. Good problem solving skills 8. Good record keeping 9. Good interview skills to get information from caller 10. Ability to operate complex telecommunication equipments 11. Etc. As we said above, there are step by step procedures to follow when the EMD gets a call. She or he must determine the following: a. Nature of call b. Medical treatment needed before emergency medical help get
