 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Sheriff emergency crew certifiedBy JORGE SANCHEZ © St. Petersburg Times, published March 22, 2001 LECANTO -- The dispatchers at the Citrus County Sheriff's Office emergency operations center have gained national certification for their professionalism in handling 911 emergency calls. The National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch gave the Citrus emergency operations its Center of Excellence Award, sheriff's officials announced Wednesday. The award came after a yearlong review. The center is one of five in Florida that earned the distinction. In announcing the accreditation, Sheriff Jeff Dawsy praised the work of his dispatch crew. "This is a great accomplishment," Dawsy said. "It sets a level of professionalism for the dispatch center." The 41-member emergency dispatch crew received extensive training and passed a review to qualify for the recognition. Holly Zuschlag, EOC quality assurance manager, said the training focused on the dispatchers' ability to use step-by-step instructions on cards dealing with different emergencies. She said the dispatchers had to comply with the written procedures at least 95 percent of the time. The accreditation process, which began in March 2000 and was completed in February, involved meeting 20 criteria involving licensing, academy accreditation, ethics and case reviews. Emergency operations center supervisor Jim Soukup said the training goes beyond earning a national honor. "With Citrus County's median age being one of the highest in the state, it's important that dispatchers be able to provide help over the phone while an ambulance is on the way," Soukup said.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
Citrus Times |
