Using the 911 call to develop a timeline of events

Have you ever tried to interpret a 911 call? Interpretation of recorded 911 calls can be very challenging even for those who use two-way communications on a daily basis. Here’s how to give your attorney client some guidance about these calls.

Format of 911 call

All 911 calls are recorded by magnetic tape, compact disc, or in an electronic format. The attorney who wants to hear the 911 call should request the “raw voice data” in its entirety to include 10-15 minutes before and after the incident. Some agencies will unintentionally provide only the transmissions from that incident and leave out important background noise.

Background noise is any sound, tone, voice etc. being transmitted on the same frequency as the ongoing incident. This noise reduces the audio intelligibility and clarity of the two-way radio transmission. It is important to preserve background noise because it can indicate and document vital information. Background noise places a “marker” on the recording, which can then be verified from other and sometimes multiple audio sources.

For example, a field unit member contacts the dispatcher and reports the helicopter has landed (landing marker). The dispatcher places a time to this event as occurring (time marker) and acknowledges the field unit (unit marker).

This same information can be confirmed when the attorney listens to the recordings of the helicopter communication. The helicopter pilot reports to the dispatcher the helicopter has landed (landing marker). The helicopter dispatcher acknowledges the helicopter landing (landing mark) and places a time to this event as occurring (time marker).

These markers are compared for accuracy and consistency to support or contest the events of the incident and allegations.

This data, along with the medical record, helps to reconstruct the timeline of events. A legal nurse consultant may assist the attorney in putting all of the data together to determine what happened when.

Learn from an experienced nurse investigator who knows how to decipher a 911 call. Tom Quail RN has performed many investigations using information from technology. He will unveil the secrets of the scores of data that is being collected right now. He’ll teach you how and why you should get it. In this 90 minute webinar, Powerful Discovery Tools Through Technology you will learn:

1) The technological devices that may contain information to confirm or deny allegations involved in a case.
2) What information these technological devices retain