Cherokee County 911 is excited to announce the implementation of the Medical Priority Dispatch System™ (MPDS^®) to better serve the residents of Cherokee County in emergency situations.

With this new system, emergency dispatchers will follow nationally recognized standards and research-based protocols to identify life-threatening situations and to safely prioritize calls for response. The protocols guide emergency dispatchers through a series of questions they ask callers in order to identify the problems so they can send the correct help.

Emergency dispatchers will also use the questions to provide first responders with accurate information so they can more effectively give care once they are on the scene. Additionally, with the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS), emergency dispatchers can provide lifesaving and safety instructions to callers and patients before responders arrive such as, giving the caller exact step by step instructions on how to deliver a baby, deliver high quality CPR, care for a patient with chest pains or one that is having a seizure.

“There is no medical emergency that the Medical Priority Dispatch System doesn’t cover.” While it may seem that the dispatcher is taking too much time by asking questions, rest assured that Fire and EMS have already been dispatched and the questions and instructions are being provided while Fire and EMS are enroute so there’s no delay in response.” says Shawn Rogers, Director of Cherokee County 911.

All emergency dispatchers who work on the new system are certified by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch^® (IAED^™) and must recertify every two years.

“At the IAED, our goal is to help the emergency dispatcher do his or her job better,” said Dr. Jeff Clawson, Chair, Rules Committee for the IAED Medical Council of Standards. “This system increases safety and effectiveness for the first responders and creates better outcomes for callers.”

The constantly evolving Medical Priority Dispatch System will help provide the highest standard of care to the community, allowing emergency dispatchers to better manage limited resources and increase the accuracy and efficiency of the dispatching process.

Director Rogers says, “With Cherokee County 911’s implementation of this system, residents can have peace of mind that when they call 911 for assistance, highly trained emergency dispatchers will properly handle their needs with timeliness and expert care.”