Combined Incident Dispatch Team

The Sheriff's Office communication bus at the Blue Mountain fire, 2002.

Following the 1999 Columbine High School shootings and the wildland fires of 2000, the demand on the Jefferson County Sheriff's communications center had members seeking a solution to the problem of communications center overload during major incidents. Their answer was to develop a critical incident dispatch team (CIDT). The Jefferson County Combined Incident Dispatch Team was formed in 2002.  

Purpose
The team is comprised of dispatchers from the nine 9-1-1 communications centers in Jefferson County. The main purpose of the CIDT is to alleviate some of the strain placed on any one dispatch center during a large-scale incident. The CIDT does this by taking over the main communications for the incident at the on-scene command post. In some incidents, the team's assistance is needed at the agency's communications center where team members can assist the dispatchers working there.

Mission
The team will provide professional field support and relief communications to public safety agencies in Jefferson County.

Training
Members of the CIDT participate in quarterly training classes. Training includes handling critical police incidents, such as shootings, hostage situations, and SWAT dispatching. They are also trained on wild land fire dispatching. Additionally, each dispatcher must be trained in the incident command system.

Team Call-Outs
Since its establishment, the CIDT has been activated for three major incidents in Jefferson County. The Snaking fire, the Hayman fire and the Blue Mountain fire, all in 2002, called for the members of the CIDT to handle communications for the incident. More recently, the team was used for the I-70 bridge girder collapse in 2004, and during the Upper Bear Creek fire in January 2006.

CIDT Members
Along with their commitment to their own agency, members of the CIDT are dedicated to helping the dispatchers of other communications centers. They must be willing to train and be called out to respond during their off-duty hours. A call-out, or activation of the CIDT, can require a member to work at a command post for a 12-hour shift. Because knowledge and experience are required of CIDT members, dispatchers must be recommended by their host agency before they can apply for a position on the team.

Agency Members
Arvada Fire Protection District
Evergreen Fire Department
Golden Police and Fire Dispatch
JeffCo ARES
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
Lakewood Police Department
West Metro Fire Rescue
Westminster Police and Fire Dispatch
Wheat Ridge Police and Fire Dispatch

 

Last Modified: Mar 28, 2009 10:17 PM