Chapter 4 - ETC

The two basic types of customers with whom emergency telecommunicators must interact are:

• internal and external

• calm and hysterical

• professionals and amateurs

• elderly and young children

Public trust is fragile and can be severely impaired by one negative experience.

• true

• false

In the context of emergency telecommunication, ECCS stand for:

• Early Childhood Communication System

• Elderly Customer Communication System

• Emotional Cohesion and Correction Score

• Emotional Content and Cooperation Score

Studies show that the ECCS for most emergency callers is between:

• 1 and 2

• 2 and 3

• 3 and 4

• 4 and 5

Most emergency number callers are too upset to communicate effectively.

• true

• false

The hysteria threshold refers to:

• callers who don’t act on their reflexive reactions during stressful events

• defensive actions taken by call takers who have been offended by a caller

• the point at which a caller loses control over her/his actions and emotions

• callers who have calmed down and suddenly become emotional again

When using the repetitive persistence technique, the call taker should:

• repeat a statement verbatim using a firm but caring tone

• ask the caller to repeat each statement

• resist the temptation to ask the caller to do something more than once

• repeat each question asked at least once

When an ETC is having trouble communicating with a caller who primarily speaks a foreign language, the ETC should:

• talk louder

• ask the caller to repeat the information

• obtain foreign language support, if available

• use active listening to understand the caller better

When communication with a caller suffering from hallucinations or delusions, you should challenge the caller’s false assertions and beliefs.

• true

• false

One effective technique for reducing the negative effect of call taking gaps is to:

• fill the gap with music or casual conversation

• tell the caller what you are doing and why

• ignore the gaps----the caller won’t be anxious about them if you’re not

• tell the caller to just keep talking