towerladder2

salt spreader 44 to Brooklyn....K

salt spreader 44 to Brooklyn....K

Bravo, X129.... The sentiments that you have written are a testament to the pride that you take in your job... I know that the men in the field, be they pd, fd, or ems, respect the job that a knowledgeable, forward thinking dispatcher does.. They know who you are, by your voice or by your number, and they take a certain comfort knowing that you are there ready to get them whatever they need.... Me personally... I don't ever think that can be replaced by a computer....

Bravo, X129.... The sentiments that you have written are a testament to the pride that you take in your job... I know that the men in the field, be they pd, fd, or ems, respect the job that a knowledgeable, forward thinking dispatcher does.. They know who you are, by your voice or by your number, and they take a certain comfort knowing that you are there ready to get them whatever they need.... Me personally... I don't ever think that can be replaced by a computer....

Let me tell ya a few things about them bastard dispatchers.....I know a little bit.
First off - it sucks. But it is OK too...
It is a GOOD living, but obviously not as "fun" or "glorious" as our police, fire, and even EMS counterparts.
The BIGGEST thing I have noticied in over 15 years "in the chair" is that EVERYONE in the field thinks they could do it better, or things could be done different. Everyone in a uniform has IDEALS, but dispatchers have PROTOCOLS. For the most part the voice ont he radio doesnt make those protocol, but we are bound to adhere to them. So if you get angry or frustrated - direct that to the policy makers, not the person on the other end of the radio.
We get it from every direction...and speaking from MY job, literally everyone is our superioir...I am the #5 on my job senority wise..I been around, yet even the newest, junior cop or fireman tells me what to do...but that is part of MY job...other agencies are different..they have a more structured, Dispatch Command..we are under the authority of the Police Watch Commander and FD Shift Commander...yet there is still a small army of Sergeants, Liuetenant, Captains, Chiefs, and Deputy Chiefs that can change it all with a simple command...
EVERY shift is run different - under the direction of the Watch Commander..so if you are like me, and work OT on different shifts..you had BETTER do i tTHAT bosses way..
You guys get to SEE your jurasdiction every day - you know it intimately..hell I been working in our City for 12 years and I dont know ALOT of the streets,..Yes, I know what police post they are on, who to send, and even what fire truck is first due - but I have been "lost" on the southside of our city as recently as last week..we dont get out to see it enough, if at all. Sure maps, and CAD are nice - but there is no subsitute for actual street time. Some agencies make "ride time" a part of training - and thats awesome.
"They dont give us enough info.." Yep...true. But we give you all of what we can get from our callers - which in an urban setting like mine - sometimes is just an address...if I had a dollar for everytime a caller said - "just send the M F'ing cops/Ambulance" I could retire to the Keys with George..LOL. And if we give alot of info - we are met with "headquarters - get off the air.." There is NO happy median it seems sometimes.
Dont get me wrong - I am NOT defending all dispatchers - I have worked with some real turds...but thankfully, for the most part - we weed them out. Not all...but alot..this job is not for everyone.
I will openly admit that this is NOT what I pictured myself doing...well, it is not what I wanted to do..anyone who knows me knows I should be on a firetruck for 40 hours a week, but I do not regret it one bit. I have a good life and make good money...I can support my family well, we own a house, 2 cars, and a dog...the American Dream, right? I am heads and shoulders above where my parents where at my age. I stay cool in the summer, warm in the winter, park in a secure parking agarge, and can surf Bravo for 8 hours a day. For that I am very thankful.
One of the things I cherish the most about my job is RESPECT. The guys on the other side of the radio - be it police or fire, appreciate me and the job I do..I take care of "my guys"..they know when the crap hits the fan in a foot pursuit that I am right there with them, and help is on the way. I know how the FD operates and usually have what the Captain requests done or ready to be done. I do my job well, because lives of cops and firemen depend on it. I have actually been written up for two commendations by Fire Lieutenants after tough, hectic, SCARY jobs for my actions in assisting them...both times they were denied because, "he is just a dispatcher...". Who cares....it's the RESPECT from those guys that mean more to me than ANY peice of paper signed by the Mayor.
So yeah, dispatching sucks..but it pays the bills. And I know that there are a few guys out there that know we really DO make a difference. So cut us some slack...or take the test and get "in the chair."

salt spreader 44 to Brooklyn....K

salt spreader 44 to Brooklyn....K

Why does it matter aside from maybe helping figure out what is wrong with the patient? Forget about how its just wrong to treat someone differently based upon a medical condition, what if they don't know they're carrying some disease. Everyone gets treated the same unless I suspect an infection requiring droplet precautions.
Moderator note: This was the very last post made by Lenny, before he left us for keeps. RIP.

Very wise words from JBE.... Anyone looking to take the test, heed his advice... I am starting my second year... It can be a GREAT job... You have to put in the effort, but will be rewarded with a job that has alot of great benefits....

FDNY DISPATCHER EXAM has been posted on the NYC DCAS website. The opening filing date is October 3, 2012... Test date not announced as of yet.... Good luck to all..

Here in the Bronx, we have "Macho"... You can find him at numerous firehouses... On occasion he even answers the department phone, and is a real special guy to alot of brothers....

Here in the Bronx, we have "Macho"... You can find him at numerous firehouses... On occasion he even answers the department phone, and is a real special guy to alot of brothers....

Let me clear this up for you being an FDNY dispatcher.. When you called 911, you were connected with a civilian call taker working for nypd unified call taking system.. This person takes all the information, important and not, and is SUPPOSED to connect the caller to the appropriate agency for the type of emergency... Unfortunately the system is extremely flawed as you have seen first hand.. The person that called you back was probably from FDNY EMS. trying to get the correct information..
This is what we have been fighting Bloomburg and his administration over for years... Millions of dollars pumped into a system that is dangerous to the public.....

Just to go a step farther... UCT calltakers are given 8 hours of training taking fire department calls.. We go through a three week training period just to answer a telephone. There have been so many errors from dispatching alarms of 3 engines 2 trucks and a chief to a robbery in progress that was sent to us in error, to getting a wrong address causing the death of a fire victim.... So unfortunately your experience is nothing out of the ordinary in the realm of UCT CALLTAKERS....

Let me clear this up for you being an FDNY dispatcher.. When you called 911, you were connected with a civilian call taker working for nypd unified call taking system.. This person takes all the information, important and not, and is SUPPOSED to connect the caller to the appropriate agency for the type of emergency... Unfortunately the system is extremely flawed as you have seen first hand.. The person that called you back was probably from FDNY EMS. trying to get the correct information..
This is what we have been fighting Bloomburg and his administration over for years... Millions of dollars pumped into a system that is dangerous to the public.....

Some more info for you.. The ani-ali, which is the location info from calls received gives the nearest cell site that the signal is transmitted from if you use a cell phone.. If we are lucky to get what is called a phase 2 ani-ali, then we get a latitude and longitude.. So when you call 911 from a cell phone, alot of the time, all we have for location is the closest antenna that you hit.. Landlines give the exact address...

Let me clear this up for you being an FDNY dispatcher.. When you called 911, you were connected with a civilian call taker working for nypd unified call taking system.. This person takes all the information, important and not, and is SUPPOSED to connect the caller to the appropriate agency for the type of emergency... Unfortunately the system is extremely flawed as you have seen first hand.. The person that called you back was probably from FDNY EMS. trying to get the correct information..
This is what we have been fighting Bloomburg and his administration over for years... Millions of dollars pumped into a system that is dangerous to the public.....

Let me clear this up for you being an FDNY dispatcher.. When you called 911, you were connected with a civilian call taker working for nypd unified call taking system.. This person takes all the information, important and not, and is SUPPOSED to connect the caller to the appropriate agency for the type of emergency... Unfortunately the system is extremely flawed as you have seen first hand.. The person that called you back was probably from FDNY EMS. trying to get the correct information..
This is what we have been fighting Bloomburg and his administration over for years... Millions of dollars pumped into a system that is dangerous to the public.....

Let me clear this up for you being an FDNY dispatcher.. When you called 911, you were connected with a civilian call taker working for nypd unified call taking system.. This person takes all the information, important and not, and is SUPPOSED to connect the caller to the appropriate agency for the type of emergency... Unfortunately the system is extremely flawed as you have seen first hand.. The person that called you back was probably from FDNY EMS. trying to get the correct information..
This is what we have been fighting Bloomburg and his administration over for years... Millions of dollars pumped into a system that is dangerous to the public.....

Let me clear this up for you being an FDNY dispatcher.. When you called 911, you were connected with a civilian call taker working for nypd unified call taking system.. This person takes all the information, important and not, and is SUPPOSED to connect the caller to the appropriate agency for the type of emergency... Unfortunately the system is extremely flawed as you have seen first hand.. The person that called you back was probably from FDNY EMS. trying to get the correct information..
This is what we have been fighting Bloomburg and his administration over for years... Millions of dollars pumped into a system that is dangerous to the public.....

Let me clear this up for you being an FDNY dispatcher.. When you called 911, you were connected with a civilian call taker working for nypd unified call taking system.. This person takes all the information, important and not, and is SUPPOSED to connect the caller to the appropriate agency for the type of emergency... Unfortunately the system is extremely flawed as you have seen first hand.. The person that called you back was probably from FDNY EMS. trying to get the correct information..
This is what we have been fighting Bloomburg and his administration over for years... Millions of dollars pumped into a system that is dangerous to the public.....

Some more info for you.. The ani-ali, which is the location info from calls received gives the nearest cell site that the signal is transmitted from if you use a cell phone.. If we are lucky to get what is called a phase 2 ani-ali, then we get a latitude and longitude.. So when you call 911 from a cell phone, alot of the time, all we have for location is the closest antenna that you hit.. Landlines give the exact address...

First off if you knew it was the 79th street boat BASIN and not access you would have probably been better off. Secondly, the moment you called 911 you made your first mistake. The only number to call EVER for an emergency and not a crime is 718-999-2222 You will get an individual with a mastery of the English language and who actually gives a $hit about your well being or the person you are calling about. I called 911 once for a PDAA I hung up with the woman on the phone asked me where 233rd St was. Now I just call the real dispatchers and let them forward it over. I have no idea who a guy in the NYPD can listen to these informants I mean dispatchers. If you ever saw these wildebeasts at metrotech you would think you were outside a Social Services Building.

Let me clear this up for you being an FDNY dispatcher.. When you called 911, you were connected with a civilian call taker working for nypd unified call taking system.. This person takes all the information, important and not, and is SUPPOSED to connect the caller to the appropriate agency for the type of emergency... Unfortunately the system is extremely flawed as you have seen first hand.. The person that called you back was probably from FDNY EMS. trying to get the correct information..
This is what we have been fighting Bloomburg and his administration over for years... Millions of dollars pumped into a system that is dangerous to the public.....

Well..... Thank you very much..... I can't describe how honored I am to be assigned to the CO...... I look forward to learning all I can.......