Event Dispatch Performance and Cognitive Load in Collegiate EMS

Abstract

Background: Collegiate EMS agencies staff event dispatch with EMTs who lack formal dispatch training and rely on improvised tools to manage call traffic and unit assignment. The impact of these conditions on dispatcher performance is poorly understood.

Objectives: To evaluate dispatch performance, error rates, usability, and cognitive load among novice collegiate EMS dispatchers using three systems.

Methods: EMT-B volunteers without prior dispatch experience (n=12) completed dispatch simulations using three dispatch tools: a Google Sheets template, BrutalCAD, and CrowdCAD. Dispatch latency and errors were derived from annotated audio and system logs. Usability and cognitive load were assessed using self-report instruments.

Results: Tools showed no difference in call or equipment dispatch latency (p ≥ 0.19) or error rates (p = 1.00). Usability and cognitive load differed significantly, with higher usability and lower perceived workload reported for CrowdCAD compared to the other tools (p ≤ 0.017 usability, p ≤ 0.008 cognitive load).

Conclusion: Among novice collegiate EMS dispatchers in simulated event standby, dispatch speed and accuracy were similar across tools, while cognitive burden and usability varied substantially. These findings suggest dispatcher performance in collegiate EMS is constrained more by human factors than by tool capabilities alone, underscoring the importance of usability and dispatcher preparation.