Many 911 emergency call centers lost employees during and following the pandemic. As a result, people trying to reach out for help were potentially left in peril as they waited too long for a response.

To address the staff shortage, the Bureau of Emergency Communications in Portland, Oregon, has increased staffing dramatically through a concerted effort to recruit and hire employees. Those efforts are highlighted in a report from the Portland City Auditor, which notes a decline in vacancy rates and a major improvement in call-waiting. But the report also finds that improvements are needed in the way training is managed, given that “almost half of Emergency Communications' dispatcher trainees resigned or were terminated during training.” 

As the report states, “Trainee attrition is a lost investment in the time and money spent to recruit, hire, and train new hires. It can be hard on morale, too.” In addition, the training period is long and the auditor found “a disconnect between the Training Department's efforts to improve hiring and training and perceptions of their work among some staff.”

A key observation of the audit was that “few trainees met the Bureau's training timeline targets” during the audit review period. Some of the issues include: 

• Trainee complaints about coaches. While positive comments came from many employees, there were others who raised concerns about the consistency of coaching, the quality of different styles of coaching, and the guidance that was provided. According to the audit, “If trainees do not receive consistent, high-quality, supportive instruction, it may take them longer to understand and demonstrate required skills.  . . . In addition, trainees who are frustrated with the guidance or support they receive may ask to change coaches, which can impact their momentum and extend their training.”

• The need to shift from full-time training periods to part-time. According to the audit, “during periods of low staffing and high call volumes, the Bureau has postponed dispatch training for some trainees who were certified in call taking so they could answer incoming calls.”

• Limited coach availability. “Coaches earn and are entitled to take vacation, sick leave, and other time off. When a coach is absent, a substitute coach should instruct their trainee. Sometimes, no substitute coach is available or arranged. Even when a trainee has a substitute coach, they can lose momentum. Substitute coaches may also be reluctant to sign off on tasks because they are less familiar with the trainee's progress, which may further extend training timelines”. 

Some of the solutions suggested by the audit are already in practice and have contributed to improved results: They include: 

• Providing “more detailed information in its recruitment materials about needed skills and the demands of the job.”

• Ensuring that substitute coaches “are assigned to provide training when primary coaches are unavailable,” and “have the guidance and tools they need to take an active role in signing off on trainee progress.”

• Continuing “efforts to encourage and facilitate trainee use of simulation exercises to demonstrate skills.”

• Identifying and implementing “opportunities for coaches to receive additional training to enhance their coaching skills.”

• Monitoring effectiveness of the “new coach feedback process” and refining it when needed “to ensure continuous improvement.” 

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