4 minute read
Communications/Dispatch
Asst. Communications Director
Gina Cortez
The Orland Fire Protection District operates a fire and EMS only emergency communications center, Orland Central Dispatch (OCD). The center is staffed 24 hours a day / 7 days a week by our emergency communications team. That team consists of a Director, Assistant Director, 12 full-time and 2 part-time Telecommunicators. OCD provides emergency communications services to residents of the Orland Fire Protection District. Additionally, under contract, Orland Central Dispatch also provides the same services to residents of Blue Island, Calumet City, Chicago Heights, Country Club Hills, Garden Homes, Lemont FPD, Merrionette Park, Oak Forest, Palos FPD and Lemont FPD. In 2021, Orland Central Dispatch processed over 41,000 fire and EMS incidents and 100,000 phone calls. Occasionally, fire and EMS incidents exceed a fire department’s capabilities and/or resources. During these incidents, the affected fire department relies on Illinois’ Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) to systematically provide responses and resources to the stricken community. Illinois-MABAS is comprised of several Divisions. The Orland Fire Protection District is a member of MABAS Division 19. Orland Central Dispatch is the primary Division 19 emergency communications center. In 2021, OCD processed 56 Division 19 MABAS requests. Orland Central Dispatch is responsible for coordinating suburban responses to assist the Chicago Fire Department for incidents south of Chicago’s 22nd Street. OCD is also the backup MABAS communications center for Regional Emergency Dispatch (RED) Center located in Northbrook. RED Center is the primary emergency communications center for Illinois-MABAS. Together Orland Central Dispatch and RED Center have partnered to help coordinate Illinois’s statewide inbound and outbound mutual aid responses. For our part in Hurricane Ida’s response and relief efforts, all OCD staff members were awarded MABAS’s Humanitarian Service Award. In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to challenge our emergency communications center. As first, first responders, Orland Central Dispatch staff showed their dedication and resilience time and time again. To help reduce staff’s stress and improve our organizational health, OCD partnered with Heartland Service Dogs. Heartland Service Dogs is a non-profit organization which provides specially trained dogs for individuals with mobility needs, hearing impairment, PTSD and various disabilities. These dogs regularly visit the emergency communications center and provide to OCD staff great comfort and tremendous joy. OCD continues to rely heavily on technology to deliver advanced emergency communications services and help improve fire and EMS responses. We utilize TriTech’s computer aided CAD system to dispatch the closest fire and EMS equipment to incidents. Orland Central Dispatch’s partnership with RapidSOS has proved invaluable. RapidSOS is a free public safety solution that helps emergency communications
centers locate cellular 9-1-1 callers in real time. When cellular users provide RapidSOS medical and health information and they call 9-1-1, their information is automatically provided to Orland Central Dispatch Telecommunicators. The Orland Fire Protection District is affiliated with the Silver Cross EMS system. OCD’s Telecommunicators are licensed by the State of Illinois as Emergency Medical Dispatchers. They train frequently and they complete monthly EMD continuing dispatch education. Our Telecommunicators also participate in District’s Blue Card and MABAS trainings. This year we expanded our training team and have raised our training bar. Orland Central Dispatch staff members are committed to being great teammates. We aim to deliver to the public and our many fire department stakeholders only the highest emergency communications services.
Our 9-1-1 emergency communications professionals have one of the toughest public safety jobs. The worst days of public are our workdays. We perform in a fast-paced, hectic, and constantly changing environments. Sometimes our 9-1-1 superheroes and superheroines need the comfort of K-9 companions to help alleviate stress. Heartland Service Dogs understand our need and has committed to helping our Center. Each week Heartland’s volunteers bring their highly trained service dogs to visit Orland Central Dispatch. During the visits, the K-9s interact with each Telecommunicator and it’s hard to tell who’s happier – the Telecommunicator or the dog! We are enormously appreciative of all that Heartland and the pups do for our team.
Orland Fire District Welcomes New Asst. Director of Communications in 2021
Hello there…I am Gina Cortez, Orland Central Dispatch’s Assistant Director of Communications. While new to the District, I have been involved in public safety communications for 22 years. Just before joining OCD, I was the Executive Director of E-COM Dispatch Center. Throughout my career I have been blessed and honored to serve as a Trainer, Shift Supervisor, Supervisor in charge of training, QA/QI Implementation Manager, Deputy Director and Director. All those experiences led me to the District, and I am grateful for them all. Upon joining the District, I have been partnered with incredibly committed, passionate, and thoughtful coworkers and teammates. I look forward to serving you all – shoulder to shoulder; onward and upward.
