5.1 General Operation of Phones in SurfCom

VERSION 1.0 – DECEMBER 2023

PUAECO001 Operate telephony systems.

Purpose: To provide guidance to operators on how to effectively use the telephone system at the communication centre and ensure compliance with call recording policies.

Scope: This procedure applies to all operators and Volunteers in the State Operations Communications Centre (SurfCom).

General Information:
Depending on how these calls are presented, the classification of an emergency or non-emergency incident will be determined by the initial information presented to the operator by the caller/patient.
Emergency call requests may potentially be life threatening time-critical emergencies, usually relating to medical situations or events, such as:

• Drownings
• Water rescues
• Missing Person
• Cardiac arrests, respiratory arrests, life status questionable.
• Sudden onset of illness (breathing problems, stroke, convulsions/fitting, etc.)
• Traumatic injuries (result of traffic accident, extreme fall, entrapments, etc.)
• Severe loss of blood (penetrating trauma, gun shot or stabbing, uncontrolled haemorrhage, etc.
  

1. Answering Calls
   1.1 All operators must answer calls promptly and in a courteous manner.
   1.2 All operators must identify themselves and the communication centre when answering calls.
   a) “State Operation Centre, Bill speaking”
   b) “Surf Lifesaving Queensland, Bill Speaking”
   c) “SurfCom, Bill Speaking”

2. Placing Calls
   2.1 All operators must follow established procedures for placing calls, including dialling instructions and access codes.
   2.2 All operators must identify themselves and the SurfCom when placing external calls.

3. Call Logging
   3.1 All calls must be logged in the LIMSOC system with the following information:
   a) Callers number (If incoming or not listed).
   b) Callers name and position/rank.
   c) Brief of the issue discussed.
   d) Actions/outcomes (if any).

4. Call Recording
   4.1 All calls at the communication centre will be recorded for quality assurance and training purposes.
   4.2 If asked, operators must inform the caller that the call is being recorded.
   4.3 Call recording cannot be disabled, if this is requested the operator must adviser the caller to terminate the call.
   4.4 Members must not disable or interfere with the call recording system.
   4.5 Members must follow established procedures for accessing and using call recordings.

5. Message Taking
   5.1 All operators must follow established procedures for taking messages, including recording the caller’s name, phone number, message, and any other relevant information.
   5.2 All operators must ensure that messages are accurate and complete.
   5.3 All operators must promptly deliver messages to the intended recipient.

6. Confidentiality
   6.1 All members must maintain confidentiality and security when discussing sensitive or confidential information on the phone.
   6.2 All members must be aware of and follow any established procedures for handling confidential or sensitive information.

7. Etiquette and Professionalism
   7.1 All operators must maintain a professional and courteous demeanour when using the telephone system.
   7.2 All operators must avoid using slang or other unprofessional language.
   7.3 All operators must avoid personal conversations or other distractions when using the telephone system.

8. Responsibilities
   8.1 All operators are responsible for following the procedures outlined in this procedure.
   8.2 The OCS is responsible for ensuring that their operators are aware of and following the procedures outlined in this procedure.
   8.3 The OCS is responsible for providing the necessary resources and equipment to effectively use the telephone system and for ensuring compliance with call recording policies.