Proposed Telephone Usage Guideline

1.    This guideline pertaining to telephone usage at the Fire Station shall apply to the following situations:

·        In Station call taking

·        Taking of messages

·        Personal phone numbers

·        Receiving emergency requests over the phone

2.    You SHALL always answer the phone in a courteous and professional manner.  The name of the department and individual answering the phone SHALL be stated to the caller (example- Upper Leacock Fire Company, Firefighter John Doe, How may I help you?) 

3.    When someone calls the Fire Station to report an emergency the following information SHALL be obtained: 

·        Location of the emergency

·        Nature of the emergency

·        Phone number of the caller

·        Name of the caller

4.    After you have obtained all the information needed from the caller reporting an emergency, you SHALL instruct them to all 911 if they are able.  You SHALL also call 911 upon termination with the caller and relay the information to the 911 dispatcher that you have obtained so they can notify the proper authorities.

 5.    Public service calls and non-emergency requests for assistance need to properly be logged: however, Lancaster County Wide Communications does not need to be notified by phone for these types of requests. 

6.    When taking a message for another member the following procedure SHALL be followed: 

·        Obtain the callers name, phone number

·        Write down the date, time, body of message, and who the message is for

·        When all this information is gathered and written down you SHALL place the message in the proper mailbox of the intended recipient.  In the event that the member does not have a mailbox you can post the message on the bulletin board.  It is recommended that you also contact the individual by phone and inform them that a message has been received for them.

7.    NO ONE SHALL give another members phone numbers out to anyone other then another member of the Company without the consent of the person for which the phone number is being requested.  Chief officers numbers may be given out to non-sales contacts. 

8.    Fire Company members are responsible financially for any personal long distance phone calls made that do not pertain to Company business.

9.    No prank or obscene phone calls are permitted to be made using any of the Company owned phones.

 Approved by membership vote on:   __________________

President:      ____________________

                              Ted Burkhart

Secretary:      ____________________

                              Pam Huber