By Emergency Communications Director Stephen Hollis & Operations Manager Dustin Kern
Interoperability and communications have long been pain points for the fire service. Fifteen years after the 9/11 Commission Report identified these issues as top priorities for public safety response, most after-action reviews of major incidents continue to list communications as an area in need of improvement.
| READ MORE: One fireground, one language: The power of standardized radio communications
Command and communication vehicles are one answer, but they can’t solve problems alone. Trained and experienced personnel are required to make the systems work.
Other solutions include frequent training, enhanced preplanning and closer collaboration between dispatch and operations personnel. At South Metro Fire Rescue, we focused on that last piece and began deploying trained dispatch personnel to the scene of major incidents to help mitigate communications issues. We call the program Incident Dispatch Teams.
How it works
The Incident Dispatch Team (IDT) includes specially trained tactical dispatchers who maintain normal shift duties but are designated for rapid field deployment when a major call drops.
At that point, the Incident Dispatcher assigned to the incident assumes all communication-related duties from the scene, and facilitates communications, logistics and planning functions during the first operational period of a major incident. The unit utilizes specialized response vehicles equipped with mobile communications technology, radio repeaters and tactical command worksheets.
Primary on-scene functions include:
- Communications planning: Establishing interoperability solutions when multiple outside agencies respond to the same incident.
- Radio management: Assuming all communication-related duties from the main dispatch center, freeing up radio channels for local command.
- Resource accountability: Tracking crews, logging operational benchmarks, and coordinating logistics and incoming resource orders.
- Documentation: Maintaining an airtight timeline of events for post-incident analysis and legal tracking.
Members who hold Blue Card certification, a standardized incident command training program, can also serve as aides to the incident commander.
Additionally, South Metro Fire Rescue introduced an IDT Drone Program in 2019. Each IDT member is an FAA Part 107-certified small unmanned aerial vehicle (sUAV) remote pilot. Department drones are used for aerial monitoring of active fires, providing overhead views, thermal imaging and 3D mapping capabilities. They are also used in search and rescue operations to locate victims in difficult terrain and water rescues.
The IDT approach is designed to remove the burden of a major incident from the Emergency Communications Center (ECC). By having an IDT member at the incident, the ECC team can more effectively manage the district and other incidents.
Required training
Because IDT members work on the incident scene alongside command, they must complete more training than a standard dispatcher. The program has four tiers: New members start at Tier 4 and work toward Tier 1, the most advanced.
Tier 4: New member of IDT. This person is invited to attend IDT meetings and classroom trainings. The expectations of IDT will be given, and confirmation will be made that the member is dedicated to the team.
Tier 3: This member will be able to respond with any Tier 2 or Tier 1 member in South Metro’s response area. Bunker and wildland gear will be issued, and a helmet shield with name will be ordered.
Requirements to move to Tier 3:
- Blue Card certified
- S-130 (firefighter training)/S-190 (introduction to wildland fire behavior)
- ICS-300 (incident command for expanding incidents)
- IDT Task Book Tier 3 signed off
Tier 2: The member will be able to respond in South Metro’s response area solo. They will be issued an IDT radio and radio harness.
Requirements to move to Tier 2:
- CEVO (Certified Emergency Vehicle Operator)
- RADO (All-Hazards Radio Operator Course)
- S-290 (intermediate wildland fire behavior)
- Code 3 driving with battalion chief
- IDT task Book Tier 2 section signed off
- Lead at least one monthly IDT training
Tier 1: This member is cleared to respond solo to all South Metro Fire Rescue Emergency Communications dispatched areas as well as any mutual-aid requests. They receive bunker boots.
Required to maintain Tier 1 status:
- ICS-400 within 6 months (advanced command for complex incidents)
- National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) or All Hazards communications unit leader (COML) trainee
- Lead at least 1 monthly IDT training
IDT lessons learned
Since 2008 we have deployed IDT members to an average of 78 incidents per year, and the experience has shown where the model works and where it demands attention. For departments considering a similar program, these are the problems it addressed and the one it created:
- Communication bottlenecks during large-scale incidents: On-scene dispatch keeps primary channels clear for normal 911 traffic.
- Command overload for ICs: Blue Card-trained dispatchers can act as tactical aides to supplement logistical needs.
- Interoperability issues with mutual-aid agencies: Communications technician (COMT)/COML training bridges gaps between different agency radio networks.
- Skill atrophy: Mandatory 12 hours of annual specialized training and monthly UAV flight training keeps skills sharp.
- On-scene incident command placement: Placing a dispatcher directly next to the incident commander eliminates the delays and potential miscommunications inherent in over-the-air radio traffic.
The value of an IDT
At South Metro Fire Rescue, placing trained dispatchers on scene gives ICs a dedicated partner for radio traffic, logistics and documentation. It also lets the ECC focus on the rest of the district.
The model demands a lot, from certifications and task books to monthly training, and keeping those skills sharp is ongoing work. But for departments facing interoperability gaps and command overload, an IDT offers a practical way to put communications expertise where the incident is.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Stephen Hollis is the emergency communications director for South Metro Fire Rescue. He began his public safety journey in 1997 as a firefighter/EMT-I but later transitioned into the role of a telecommunicator. He is a NENA-certified Center Manager, Certified Disaster Manager, and Master Telecommunicator. Before joining South Metro Fire Rescue, Hollis served as the deputy director of operations at Williamson County Emergency Communications in Georgetown, Texas, an Accredited Center of Excellence in Emergency Fire, Medical, & Police Dispatching.
Dustin Kern is the emergency operations manager for South Metro Fire Rescue, where he oversees daily dispatch and IDT operations. He has spent 19 years in the fire and EMS service, including 14 years in emergency communications. Kern began his career shortly after high school with a combination fire agency, following the example of his father and uncle, who both built careers in the fire service. He later transitioned into emergency communications as a part-time dispatcher and worked his way up to his current role.
