Technology

PowerPhone is pleased to announce an upgrade to its Total Response CACH software licensing process. The update, initially launched with the latest version (5.3.2) of CACH Lite, simplifies the installation steps and offers users access to an online license manager portal. The process negates the need for users to obtain a date dependent license key, that had to be entered during the installation, as a license key is not now required until after the install has been completed. Using the new approach, when the user is ready to obtain a license, they simply access an online license portal to acquire their key. To obtain their key, the user is required to enter an ID code generated by the CACH software, when it is first launched after installation. In response, the portal will issue a key which is unique to the computer the software has been install on that the user […]

Could video streaming in the PSAP aid dispatch? Introduction The evolution of devices such as mobile phones and tablets, has brought about greater acceptance and use of video as a means to communicate. Whether it is via web conferencing services or products like Skype or FaceTime, we have all become familiar with the notion of being able to see as well as speak with distant colleagues, friends and family members. So why not when making a 911 call? Video streaming has the potential to assist emergency call centers handle many life-saving scenarios, for example; evaluating a structure fire’s severity prior to arrival on scene, provide improved incident management, supplementing location descriptions or assist callers who are unable to speak, serving as eyes on the ground in an active shooter incident and assisting in injury triage. Some might argue that call centers have historically been dealing with these types of emergencies […]

Every day we get the opportunity to talk to dispatchers from across the country. We hear about their challenges and what resources they need to overcome these challenges. The #1 challenge we hear from supervisory staff is the lack of call-handling consistency. When the phone rings in an emergency center, you never know what is on the other end. Your day can go from 0-60 in seconds, and you must adapt. You first need to ask questions to determine what is going on, what responders need to be sent, and the priority of the call. How do you ensure that each call is handled the same way? We understand your challenge and can help. Total Response is a solution with protocols based on the scenario rather than the individual responder type. If your staff is using protocols based on responder type (fire dispatch, police dispatch, emergency medical dispatch) before they […]

Proper compression performance in CPR can be the determining factor helping patients survive until responders arrive. 911 dispatchers can play a huge role in guiding callers through properly performing CPR.

Realizing how important this is, PowerPhone developed a CPR Compression Counter plug-in included in our Computer Aided Call Handling (CACH) Standard software as part of our Total Response call-handling solution. This tool is to help dispatchers keep callers focused on the proper performance of chest compressions while performing CPR.

Our industry-leading CACH software is now available in two offerings: CACH Standard and CACH Lite. CACH Lite is designed to accompany our successful CACH Standard version and provide the same proven integrated protocols in an easy-to-use software. CACH Lite is faster than both traditional flip cards and electronic tablets, provides more call-handling resources and features single-use navigation to adjust for each call’s on-scene conditions. CACH Lite provides a natural progression for users needing an immediate protocol delivery system who may wish to add additional CACH Standard features at a later date.

How people call 911 will continue to evolve over time (the original model never imagined cell phones, wifi and Internet lines).  Due to these changes, the Public Safety industry spends considerable time and effort searching for a technology solution to the challenge of locating every 911 call’s incident location, but with rapid changes in cell phone and Internet communications, technology has so far failed to keep pace with the changes. These pursuits should not come at the expense of focusing on the call handling process itself.

Locating an emergency is the most important part of any 911 call, yet it can also be the most challenging. Various obstacles can make geo-validation (or address verification) extremely challenging including: differences in cell phone technology, competing telecommunications companies, the prevalence of web-based phones, caller uncertainty, inaccurate data collection and more. Total Response has become the first Call Handling Protocol System to offer complete coverage from call pickup through close.