CritiCall: A telecommunicator's test-run - AmericaNowNews.com

CritiCall: A telecommunicator's test-run

For 911 telecommunicators, there's no telling when the next major emergency will call in. For Trey Rogers, it was early Tuesday morning, after only four months on the job.

Rogers fielded Kayla Floyd's intense call for help after she was shot three times in the chest. He held on to the call for 10 minutes while Floyd held on for life.

Not everyone can handle situations like these. In fact, turnover at the 911 center is described as a "revolving door."

To make sure prospective operators have a realistic job preview, some 911 centers have invested in a new piece of technology called the "CritiCall."

The CritiCall is software designed specifically for public safety dispatchers and call centers. It is a test that lasts around three hours and gives hiring officials a clear indication of whether or not applicants are cut out for the job.

A test-taker undergoes several rounds of scenarios that mimic life in a 911 center.

Fast thinking, clear judgment, accuracy and lighting-fast typing are all studied. The process allows hiring managers to select only the best candidates. It also allows candidates an opportunity to see whether or not they can handle that kind of high-stress environment, for 12 hours per day.

Copyright 2011 America Now. All rights reserved.


  • Most Popular StoriesMost Popular Stories

  • A recent investigation revealed telemarketers and direct-mail companies sometimes receive 90 percent or more of the money people donate to charities.
    A recent investigation revealed telemarketers and direct-mail companies sometimes receive 90 percent or more of the money people donate to charities. The non-profit organizations end up with just pennies on the dollar raised through solicitation campaigns, and it's all legal. 
  • Every 19 minutes, someone dies from a prescription painkiller overdose. In fact, the number of painkiller overdose deaths in the US now exceeds the number of deaths from heroin and cocaine combined.
    Every 19 minutes, someone dies from a prescription painkiller overdose. In fact, the number of painkiller overdose deaths in the US now exceeds the number of deaths from heroin and cocaine combined. America Now goes inside the epidemic!
  • SOURCE: Thinkstock
    About 12 Americans die every year from venomous snake bites. But hundreds more are bitten and survive only because they receive life-saving antivenin in the nick of time.
    Flooding can bring snakes to the surface of your yard, but this one is especially dangerous! America Now Expert Jules Sylvester shows how you can spot it, and what to do if you get bitten.
Powered by WorldNow
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and America Now. All Rights Reserved.
For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.