Behind the scenes with Ottawa's first first-responders

To get a taste of what paramedic dispatchers do, I was given the chance to simulate a call with a communications training officer (CTO) at the Ottawa Paramedic Service. When asked what simulation I would like to try, I opted for the “woman giving birth” scenario.

Struggling to navigate three computers and the hysterical screaming of the pregnant woman (CTO) on the other end, I began sweating, stuttering over my words and losing all ability to type a word properly. Once the baby was “successfully” delivered, I thought, “The people who do this must be saints.”

National public safety telecommunicators week, lasting April 8-14, honours these “first” first responders, or ambulance communications officers (ACO’s) as they’re officially called. This year, Ottawa Paramedic Service is showing their appreciation by shedding light on these unsung heroes.

“ACO’s are heroes as much as firefighters, police or anyone on the road,” acting paramedic commander, Molly Kline, explains. “People remember the people that were physically there. They don’t remember who was originally there for them.”

Receiving over 170,000 calls per year, call takers and dispatchers at the Ottawa Central Ambulance Communications Centre (CACC) cover the medical emergencies in Ottawa, Cornwall, Prescott, Russell, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry counties. On the average 12-hour shift, an ACO can take over 50 calls per day. Paramedics, by comparison, usually respond to around six each.

“The dispatcher has to be able to change gears very fast many times a day. You always get the caller when it’s freshest,” says communications training officer, Jennifer Roussel. “Whoever is talking to you is having one of the worst moments of their life. The person taking the call is exposed to that several times a day.”

Call takers are the first to answer emergency calls. They must confirm the address of the caller and, through a series of questions, decide if the call is life-threatening (code four) or not. From the time the call is answered, it must be prioritized and sent to a dispatcher's computer within 45 seconds if considered a code four. From there, call takers remain on the line with the caller while paramedics are being sent.

Dispatchers fall under five categories: assignment officer, incident office, deployment officer dispatcher, regional dispatcher and multiple casualty incident dispatcher. Among some of their tasks, these dispatchers identify the closest paramedic to the caller, notify paramedics of as many situational details as deemed necessary, and monitor the course of paramedics en route to the caller and hospital.

Walking into the space where these ACO’s work is almost like walking onto the set of a Star Trek episode. With flashing lights, a constant commotion of beeps, buzzing and conversations, and dozens of screens mapping out coordinates and data, it’s a wonder that these people can navigate through this chaos so smoothly.

ACO trainees have to go through a rigorous, 18-month stepped training program in order to reach communications officer status. New recruits attend a seven-week certification program before entering the live environment where they are mentored on local training. Needing no previous medical experience, ACO’s come from all sorts of different and unique backgrounds.

ACO trainee, Kristen Bell-Lalonde, worked in Ottawa summer camps before her training began in January. Her mentor, Joanne Murphy, was a paramedic before she started on as an ACO around 10 years ago. The one common trait they believe is needed for the job: strong character.

“Different personalities in the workplace compliment each other well and it calms the room down a lot,” Murphy says. “Some of us don’t fall into the type A personality but eventually fall into it once you get the training. You create that.”

The learning portion of the ACO job is never-ending. In addition to new rules and regulations which all ACO staff must become familiar with, they must also manage the emotional and mental stress associated with the position.

“If this job is going to affect your personal life, either in a negative or positive way, you kind of realize before you come in. They do a very good job of showing you what you’re getting into before it becomes real,” Bell-Lalonde says.

Training superintendent, Dustin Spence, says that peer support staff who have been through hardships in the past and throughout the training process are often brought in to help employees deal with stress. With peer support becoming introduced and further improved over the past few years, ACO's have found the workplace a much better place to be. Additionally, being able to separate home and work life is something that is essential to doing the job properly and reducing emotional stress outside of work.

"You definitely have calls that stick with you for your whole life. Some are positive. It’s not all negative. Once we leave here, you can kind of leave it at the door," Murphy says.