Dispatch Criteria

[firemoose827 324]

I have a question for any dispatchers out there. Do you have any set criteria for dispatching calls, such as LENGTH of transmission? Ill try to explain the question a little more.

Our dispatchers sometimes read a book when they are dispatching us to any call, be it fire or ems. Instead of simply stating "Respond to 123 anywhere lane for chest pain" they may say "...for a male, pain in his chest, no history, no diff breathing, no other priority symptoms, still concious at time of call, third party call....." yada yada yada. Sometimes its a bit rediculous. I wonder why they couldnt just give the pertinent info for dispatch and than give the first acknowledging unit more detailed info if they request it, via phone line.

They sometimes even include directions in the dispatch, "respond to the Fonzarelli residence, third house past the big red barn with the green chevy pickup..." yada yada yada. Is it just me or is this a waste of time? Just dispatch us to the call and let us get there. State chief complaint, Chest Pain, the numeric address, and any pertinent info such as PD on scene. Than ask if the unit needs directions when they acknowledge.

I was just curious about this because it has been happening for some time now in different degrees of lenght and subject.

Thanks for the input.

Moose

[Remember585 815]

Good question.

At our job (60 Control) we try to keep all communications, not just the dispatch, minimal and to the point.

Usual dispatch script is like this...

"60 Control to Armonk EMS and 45M1, 123 Anywhere Street between A Street and B Lane for a 73 year-old male with chest pains, Armonk EMS and 45M1 123 Anywhere Street for a 73 year-old male with chest pains, 15:33, 642."

With many agencies buying pagers with the playback feature and the added advantage of an I-page (text message) from 60 Control, repeating the dispatch is almost obsolete.

I listen to several other agenices and even a couple of area counties and listen to the "Harvard Sentences" they use to dispatch a simple job. It personally drives me nuts.

[x242Steve 1]

Brevity is key.

At an agency like Stamford 911, where the dispatchers are getting calls typed up by other people, it is sometimes difficult to take what they have written and turn it into a dispatch. Before sending a call to the appropriate dispatcher, I try to re-read it and think "Could I dispatch this the way it is written?" Of course sometimes you just have someone screaming "FIRE!" in your ear, and you just verify the address before you send over the one-word call of "Fire." and then try to get the caller to calm down and tell you what's burning (if anything).

One of my pet peeves is when we get medical calls from nurses who started telling us about O2, BP, COPD, OPP and TGI Friday's. I usually let them finish their string of acronyms and then ask "Ok, so why do they need an ambulance?"

On the Police side of things it can get pretty complicated with the "My baby's mother's sister's boyfriend just tried to run me over with his uncle's roomate's car." Best you can do is keep the pronouns to a minimum.

And while it is no secret that my favorite spot in the room is Fire Dispatch, I have to say that some calls require the extra-large bottle of Poland Spring.

"Attention Engine 1, Engine 2, Engine 3, Truck 1, Truck 2, Rescue 1. Respond on box 123, 456 Sesame Street, Mr. Cooper's General Store on an activated Fire Alarm. That's for Engine 1, Engine 2, Engine 3, Truck 1, Truck 2, Rescue 1. Box 123, 456 Sesame Street, Mr. Cooper's General Store on an activated Fire Alarm. Your cross streets are Abbey Road and Easy Street, Operate on Fireground 1, Time out 16:20, KCC-349 out."

(Apparently Mr. Cooper's General Store is now a High Risk box)

[EJS1810 7]

I also try to keep the dispatches as short as possible. In Putnam County we are the only dispatch agency so for a while i was eliminating the "Putnam 911 to" and just announcing the agency and the call. I was told by my supervisor that I had to add the "Putnam 911 to" back in to my transmissions so they knew who was dispatching them. It reminds me of when I started and we dispatched "40-Control to all XYZ home fire (or Ambulance) monitors".

I also listen to other counties and areas on both the scanner and the internet. This area is one of the more verbose when it comes to dispatching. If you read www.NassauFDRant.com for example there is a thread on the long winded dispatches from 'upstate' NY.

I agree that we should be short & to the point. Even APCO says to eliminate the unnessecary wording.

[Remember585 815]

Brevity is key.

One of my pet peeves is when we get medical calls from nurses who started telling us about O2, BP, COPD, OPP and TGI Friday's.  I usually let them finish their string of acronyms and then ask "Ok, so why do they need an ambulance?"

AMEN BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[IzzyEng4 427]

Brevity is a must and being a dispatcher for close to 10 years both volunteering and as a career, I strongly agree with everyone here.

When I work we give out important information on dispatch with out getting long winded. For example a box in Ansonia, CT would sound like this:

"WSW691 - Fire Comm to the Ansonia Fire Department, box number 71 sounding for a reported structure fire at 34 Grove Street. Engine 4, Engine 1, Ladder 7, & Squad 9 to respond, cross streets are Howard Avenue to Day Street." then we will do a quick repeat.

When the first unit signs on we give any updated or description by the caller and when engines sign on, then give them the closest hydrant locations.

That's the way I do it and have been trained over they years.

[antiquefirelt 994]

Our dispatchers are as described by Jonesy. Typical EMS call: Rockland EMS respond to 118 Park St. for a 78 year old female who fell last night and is now complaining of hip pain. Conscious and breathing. (repeat). I love the "conscoius and breathing statement because they say it everytime sometimes even when its a cardiac arrest call!! Though today they sent the ambo to a male who had been struck in the head in an inductrail boat shop and left out anything about consciousness! Oh, and this is for a fulltime Fire/EMS dept. that gets the unedited version over the PA inhouse making the page out little more than scanner chatter.

We have pleaded with them to leave out the all but the primary medical issue but with very minimal medical training they are afraid they'll leave out something pertinent.

[Guest]

In Onondaga County ours can get rather lenghthy, especially with the tones, it will go something like this:

"Onondaga Hill, Howlett Hill, Taunton, Fairmount, Marcellus, reported structure fire 4385 Cleveland Rd". The tones go out which can take up to 2 mins. " for Onondaga Hill Howlett Hill, Taunton, Fairmount, Marcellus, reported structure fire 4385 Cleveland Rd between Skyline Drive and Yenny Rd. Caller states black smoke from the residence, nobody apears to be home. Box calls for howlett hill engine 3, taunton rp3, ladder5, fairmount truck 1, marcellus rescue 1 as the rit" then the air is covered for another 2 to 3 mins with all the chiefs responding.

[LTNRFD 266]

Be greatful that the dispatchers have a wealth of info to give the reponding units.

Back in the late 70's and early 80's, the City of New Rochelle would dispatch the F.D. on INHALATOR CALLS. Thats how the engine company got the dispatch and more amazing, thats all the ambulance would be told. The dispatchers, who were civilians that were P.D. employees, did not think that any additional info was needed. When I worked the ambulance, I couldn't believe that someone would call to request help and C/O INHALATOR!!!

Thank goodness that dispatchers are now part of patient care and no longer just switchboard operators.

[JBE 328]

We try to keep it as brief as possible. If we have to pick up a unit, Attention Engine 45, respond Bronx Phone Alarm Box 4612, 1118 East 180 Street between Bronx Park Avenue and Devoe Avenue, Fire in a Private Dwelling, Engine 45 Acknowledge. We get the acknowledgement, and then repeat the alarm. If the assignment has changed, or if a unit will be delayed, we advise the IC, and if the first due engine or truck is delayed, we advise the second due of it.

There are some of us, myself included who could be a little long winded.

[JohnnyOV 2]

my buddy sent me this sound clip of a rescue squad trying to get dispatched....

talk about trying to keep it short

http://media.putfile.com/dispatch-30

[RescueKujo 130]

I'll only discuss our dispatches for Medics, as we dispatch both ALS and BLS.

1st part is the prealert....

(3 tone alert-Medic 414, if a stage for police state the fact, chief complaint, then the address, repeat the medic unit, give the engine company then the radio channels (dispatch and the units monitor the fire radio).

When the unit comes up on radio, we acknowledge them responding, then repeat the info, this time giving the cross streets, map page and any particulars that they may need to know, which is a medic to medic thing.

We have just gone to MDTs, we're feeling them out and still working out the bugs. We are about to change the radio policy as to what radio traffic there needs to be once everyone is confident that the MDTs are consistently working.

I wince when some of our dispatchers, who have not one ounce of field time, read every single thing in the notes. makes us sound real intelligent

[xfirefighter484x 234]

We have the PRIORITY SYSTEM up here in Dutchess.

I HATE the priority system, it always seems wrong. I can't blame the dispatchers, they just go on what info they receive.

It still sucks though.

There are no set policies to conform your response to it, it is a departmental decision. All response levels are recommendations, I assume to remove most if any liability off of the dispatch center (i.e. they recommend a Code 1 response yet the responding agency goes Code 3, and gets involved in an MVA, liability is now on the agency and not the dispatch).

Priority 1 - Immediately life threatening - ALS and Code 3 (lights and sirens)

Priority 2 - Less Life threatening, but serious - ALS and Code 3

Priority 3 - Moderate hazards BLS, usually not life threatening, still Code 3

Priority 4 - BLS - Lift assists, stubbed toes, Little Johnny fell and scraped his knee, etc...recommended Code 1

Dispatches usually would go like this:

"Dutchess 911 to Arlington, 32-71, 32-89, respond Priority 1 for a 57 year old male with chest pain, difficulty breathing, with a cardiac history, 1234 XYZ Street, cross streets of Main St. and Maple Ave. Repeating to Arlington......"

Other pertinent information may be included "...patient had a stent put in 2 days ago..."

The dispatchers do a good job of keeping dispatches as short as they can (well, most do).

Upon response of any unit, further information may be given:

"...patient requests no lights or sirens upon approach..."

"...police are enroute, recommend you stage away..."

"...use the side entrance..."

Sometimes, only the very basic info is given on dispatch, and the dispatcher waits for response of a unit to give update, just to keep the dispatch channel open, and utilize the response channel to not tie up dispatch channel.

Thats how the game goes up here.

Edited May 31, 2007 by xfirefighter484x

[firemoose827 324]

We have the PRIORITY SYSTEM up here in Dutchess.

I HATE the priority system, it always seems wrong. I can't blame the dispatchers, they just go on what info they receive.

It still sucks though.

There are no set policies to conform your response to it, it is a departmental decision. All response levels are recommendations, I assume to remove most if any liability off of the dispatch center (i.e. they recommend a Code 1 response yet the responding agency goes Code 3, and gets involved in an MVA, liability is now on the agency and not the dispatch).

Priority 1 - Immediately life threatening - ALS and Code 3 (lights and sirens)

Priority 2 - Less Life threatening, but serious - ALS and Code 3

Priority 3 - Moderate hazards BLS, usually not life threatening, still Code 3

Priority 4 - BLS - Lift assists, stubbed toes, Little Johnny fell and scraped his knee, etc...recommended Code 1

Dispatches usually would go like this:

"Dutchess 911 to Arlington, 32-71, 32-89, respond Priority 1 for a 57 year old male with chest pain, difficulty breathing, with a cardiac history, 1234 XYZ Street, cross streets of Main St. and Maple Ave. Repeating to Arlington......"

Other pertinent information may be included "...patient had a stent put in 2 days ago..."

The dispatchers do a good job of keeping dispatches as short as they can (well, most do).

Upon response of any unit, further information may be given:

"...patient requests no lights or sirens upon approach..."

"...police are enroute, recommend you stage away..."

"...use the side entrance..."

Sometimes, only the very basic info is given on dispatch, and the dispatcher waits for response of a unit to give update, just to keep the dispatch channel open, and utilize the response channel to not tie up dispatch channel.

Thats how the game goes up here.

←

Yah, we use a similar priority dispatch and I think its useless...

Alpha-stop at dunkin donuts for a coffe on the way.

Bravo-BLS emergency, broken leg, cuts, etc.

Charlie-ALS call, may not be life threatening, chest pain, abd pain, etc.

Delta- ALS code 3 response, diff breathing, unresponsive, unconcious, etc.

Echo- Everyone in a five mile radius please drop your donuts and get here now.

I still respond like I used to untill I get my assesment and find out what we are dealing with.

I dont know about the rest of the state, but we used to be dispatched to structures and chimney fires, but since the response to chimney fires were very poor they finally realised something...chimneys are part of the structure! So now they just dispatch for structures and let the first responding chief know its "In the chimney" and even sometimes say "Possible extension to wall."

I know, I know....we should respond to ALL calls as if it were serious, and believe me I know chimneys are serious, but there are the glory seekers out there who will actually not respond to them. How does your county handle dispatching chimney fires?

EMSJunkie712.......shhhhhh.....I think that recording was ACTUALLY from schoharie county.... Just kidding, but it sound pretty close!

[Monty 35]

Actually, you can be too brief - especially if it's not too clear on the address.

Nice to have cross streets it helps you picture where the address is, especially if you're not too clear where the actual incident address for whatever reason.

Also, if you utilize box response - it's nice to know upfront what box is being dispatched. You know straight away whether to jump out of bed or wait for them to go through the whole spiel before deciding to squelch the pager

[AFS1970 504]

A bit of history that may explain why we get long winded when we probably shouldn't. This kind of started on EMS calls but has bled over to fire and some PD calls. Basically dispatchers get long winded, because we were told to be long winded and that has been passed down.

For years Stamford dispatched by signal. All ambulance calls were signal 12's and all fires were signal 4's. You might get cross streets, or a box number, but there was no nature of the call. A typical dispatch for Turn of River would be like this:

Attention all units, Base 600, Signal 4, Box 448, Northeast School.

That was it, could be a false alarm, could be a multiple alarm, you'd find out when you got there.

In the late 80's Stamford started giving out the type of fire or EMS call. The problem is that people with no medical training were told that "they need all the information you can give them" Which in the pre-EMD days lead to all sorts inconsistant questions and calltakers that didn't really know what they were typing into a call. That lead to dispatchers who had the same low training level and being told that the medics need all that stuff.

The same thing happened with fire calls, when some well meaning folks with just enough knowledge to be dangerous started comming up with wacky questions to ask. I once heard a senior dispatcher scream at a calltaker because when taking a report of a structure fire in an occupied housing complex, with reported children trapped, he failed to ask what she considered to be the two most important questions: What color the smoke was that was comming from the windows, and How old the children that were trapped were. Neither of those questions would have effected the level of response.

With the advent of plain language, which has been good for the most part, we have lost sight of the brevity part of dispatching. We now read the book that has been typed, instead of giving the basics that are needed to get the right units to right location prepared to do the right thing.

One thing that is bringing back the brevity are the MDT's we are begining to use in Stamford. The majority of PD units and probably about half the FD units have the capability to read the cal as typed. So that even if a brief dispatch is given, additional information is avalible on the MDT. The FD's have embraced this for the most part, but the PD is still slow to adapt to these new tools.