Emergency Communications Center

The Solano County Emergency Communication Center is made up of 20dispatchers that work various shifts, including weekends and holidays, to provide 24-hour coverage for 4 law enforcement and 7 fire agencies.

Dispatchers are the first point of contact between the public and first responders. The Emergency Communication Center operates with a minimum ofthree people on duty. Each dispatcher is trained to provide medical instruction. In addition, the center monitors and operates 3 radio channels and monitors allied agency radios throughout the county.

Dispatchers additionally provide mutual aid to allied agencies within and outside of Solano County.

Dispatchersreceive 10 months of on-the-job training and twenty-four hours of Emergency Medical Dispatch training, along with 3 weeks of formal Police Officer Standards & Trainings (POST) academy certification within the first year of employment.

Dispatchersmust be able to multi-task throughout their shift. For example, they may need to talk with a suicidal person while calling the appropriate EMS and law enforcement personnel to respond and continue to handle other emergency and routine calls that come into the center.

A "typical" 911 call can consist of anything from a complaint by a neighbor to a report of a multiple-car accident with fatalities. It is imperative to be able to remain calm and collected in a tense situation, and to be alert for signs of trouble in the background of calls they take.

Dispatchershave extensive on-the-job training, performed by trainers who have attended communication training school. However, you do not need any special schooling beyond a high-school diploma to become a dispatcher. Prior law enforcement experience or knowledge is always helpful but not required.

Dispatchersare dedicated people who work very hard to help keep the citizens, firefighters and officers safe.