OC Sheriff’s Office hosts Tactical Dispatch Classes

This week, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office hosted two session of a Tactical Dispatch class for E-911 Communicators at the Law Enforcement Center in Walhalla, tells Public Information Officer Jimmy Watt. “The classes were offered by First Contact 911, LLC and were taught by Dave Larton, who is the Operations Section Chief. The first session was held on Monday and Tuesday while the second session was held on Wednesday and Thursday.” Besides E-911 Communicators from the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office attending the classes, dispatchers from the low country and coastal areas of South Carolina as well as Greenville attended the classes. According to information provided by First Contact 911, the 16 hour program provided those who attended “a specialized understanding of the Tactical Incident Dispatcher function.” The classes are designed to help dispatchers be able to provide proper documentation in regards to a major incident that may occur which could range from a hostage situation to an active shooter incident to a man-made or natural disaster. Also, the class provided training on how a dispatch can properly work with those who are on the scene of a major incident, including the command staff at an Incident Command Post who is in charge of that scene. Those dispatchers who attend the class for the entire 16 hours and passed a test on the final day of instruction received a Certificate of Attendance for the course. After this training, a dispatcher will have the tools necessary to go on scene at the Incident Command Post to handle radio calls to and from the ICP to allow the Incident Commander the freedom to work the incident at hand. Plus, the Tactical Dispatcher will also be responsible for paperwork, for relaying information to and from the incident scene and for handling the location and dispatching of units at the scene as well as maintaining other communication and information systems. However, those who have gone through this training may also use that training at their respective communication centers to handle radio traffic at that location. Also, by having a group of dispatchers trained in Tactical Dispatch Training, a respective agency could form a Tactical Dispatch Team. “The 911 Telecommunications profession has always been dynamic. Unfortunately due to extreme circumstances and the types of incidents our first responders from all disciplines are facing, we have had to adapt our approach in the 911 center to meet theirs and the public’s needs,” says William Tatum, Dispatcher and Training Instructor for the E-911/Communications Division for the Sheriff’s Office. “This training has given us the tools needed to provide top quality and efficient services to those in need. We are now better prepared for when “our” event happens here in Oconee County.”