Countryside Fire began creating its own dispatch center in July 2005. After much hard work and planning, Countryside began providing its own dispatch services on February 27, 2006, initially based out of its headquarters station in Vernon Hills and later moving to a new, custom-designed center located inside Station 1 on Midlothian Road. In September 2010, through an intergovernmental agreement between the District and the Village of Vernon Hills, Countryside relocated its dispatch operations co-locating in the Vernon Hills Police Department Communications Center. The arrangement provides the opportunity for police and fire dispatchers to provide backup support to each other.

Calls for service within the District average ten per day with the majority of calls being medical in nature. In addition to dispatch responsibilities, the telecommunicators also enter reports into the District’s records management system (Firehouse), handle other data processing duties such as alarms, and answer non-emergency calls during non-business hours.

Currently three full-time telecommunicators are Certified Training Officers (CTOs). Each new telecommunicator goes through 10-12 weeks of training with a CTO before being cleared to work the desk. This timeframe is approximate and can change based on the new telecommunicator’s experience. This training includes but is not limited to: computer technology (CAD, alarm, weather, EmNet, Outlook, and several closed-circuit camera systems), district familiarization and response areas, shift responsibilities, equipment location/orientation, MABAS information, and automatic and mutual aid responses to other jurisdictions.

Emergency Medical and Fire Dispatch

“Why all the questions when I call 911?”

Every telecommunicator is Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) certified and Emergency Fire Dispatch (EFD) certified by the National Academy of Emergency Dispatch. These courses require the telecommunicator to complete two separate, three-day courses, pass a written exam in each discipline, be certified in CPR, complete twenty four hours of continuing education annually, and recertify with a test every two years in each discipline. Eight hours of the continuing education is provided each year by our resource hospital, Advocate Condell Medical Center. Other CE hours are garnered by bi-monthly communication meetings, attending outside training courses taught by APCO, NENA, Public Safety Training Consultants, and various other training organizations.

This EMD and EFD training allows the telecommunicator to be the true “first” responder in that they can give post-dispatch and pre-arrival instructions to assist in medical and fire emergencies before help arrives. These instructions may include CPR guidance, assistance with choking and childbirth, and a variety of other medical issues, plus safety instructions in fire situations. We ask that you be patient when you call in such cases and answer the questions that the telecommunicator is asking you. Remember that they are only trying to help you!

Personnel

Jaime Rivera

Part time Telecommunicator

Serving CFPD since 2022 Emergency Medical and Fire Dispatch Certified Training Officer

 

Samantha Wosik-McGill

Part time telecommunicator

Serving CFPD since 2022 Emergency Medical and Fire Dispatch Certified

 

Jeff Callaghan

Telecommunicator

Serving CFPD since 2022 with 15+ years’ experience Emergency Medical and Fire Dispatch Certified EFD-Q Certified (Quality Assurance) Training Officer

 

Araceli Haro

Telecommunicator

Serving CFPD since 2021 Emergency Medical and Fire Dispatch Certified Crisis Intervention Team

 

Jason Palo

Telecommunicator

Serving CFPD since 2016 with 15+ years experience Emergency Medical and Fire Dispatch Certified Training Officer Crisis Intervention Team

 

Lisa Sandoval

Part Time Telecommunicator

Serving CFPD since 2016 Emergency Medical and Fire Dispatch Certified

 

Kimberly Quick

Telecommunicator

Serving CFPD since 2015 with 20+ years experience Emergency Medical and Fire Dispatch Certified Training Officer

 

Craig Martin

Senior Telecommunicator

Serving CFPD since 2012 with 20+ years’ experience Emergency Medical and Fire Dispatch Certified

 

Tanya Skjoldager

Senior Telcommunicator

Serving CFPD since 2011 with 20+ years’ experience Emergency Medical and Fire Dispatch Certified EMD-Q Certified (Quality Assurance) Training Officer Crisis Intervention Team Certified

 

Kristy Eckles CMCP

Communications Manager

Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts, Northern Illinois University Serving CFPD since 2005 with 20+ years’ experience Emergency Medical and Fire Dispatch Certified EMD-Q and EFD-Q Certified (Quality Assurance) Training Officer Crisis Intervention Team Certified