Multiple monitor computers are becoming increasingly common for various users with varying needs throughout the world. These productivity-increasing systems can be used for personal enjoyment, such as gaming, or used to perform essential professional services. For example, these emergency 911 dispatchers in Ohio use multiple monitor systems to perform their critical, everyday tasks. The person receiving the potentially life-threatening call is able to listen and communicate with the caller while simultaneously sending help to the scene. Dispatchers get an idea of what is happening on the other end of the line, and then they alert police, firemen, and/or emergency medical technicians as needed.
The multiple monitor systems that the dispatchers have access to allow them to perform these tasks as efficiently as possible. The dispatcher is able to communicate with several departments at once, which can mean the difference between life and death for many callers. With the volume of calls received on a daily basis at these call centers, it is important that the dispatcher is able to quickly and effectively determine what is going on and make a decision as to whom to send to the scene. The dispatcher must also be able to tell when an emergency 911 call is not potentially life-threatening as to not tie up unnecessary resources.
Thanks to multiple monitor technology, an emergency 911 dispatcher, such as these from Ohio, can quickly and efficiently determine if an emergency is actually an emergency and send the appropriate departments to further investigate. By using these resources, the dispatcher is also able to answer more calls than would be possible if they had to navigate away constantly to contact the necessary departments for each incoming call. Although the multiple monitor technology may seem costly up front for the dispatch department, the benefits are immeasurable. Maximizing the efficiency of the dispatchers allows emergency aid to arrive at the scene quicker. In some cases, this can be the difference between a horrific “close call” and a complete tragedy.
Additionally, this technology allows the department to have more flexibility when a dispatcher needs to “talk a caller through” some type of medical first aid procedure over the phone. Because each dispatcher is now at least three times more productive than before, a dispatcher can afford to spend time with a caller who may need to be told how to perform CPR or some other medical procedure, over the phone. Again, this flexibility that is established can determine if someone in a true, life-threatening emergency is going to survive or not.
Ideally, 911 dispatchers are a community resource that nobody ever wishes they have to utilize. Unfortunately, this cannot always be the case. However, it is reassuring to know that, in the event of an emergency, your local 911 dispatcher is able to help you and others in your community as quickly and efficiently as possible. Knowing that these departments have upgraded their technology to the latest in productivity-increasing hardware means that these valuable resources are able to do more for more people in the community.