NYC 911 Emergency To Be "Fixed"

[Guest SpecOps]

From:www.officer.com

NYC 911 Emergency To Be Fixed

 

............  

LARRY CELONA and DAN KADISON  

New York Post

February 2, 2004 -- Mayor Bloomberg wants to merge police, fire and EMS dispatchers into one unit, The Post has learned.  

Bloomberg, looking to streamline the 911 system, appointed a task force that includes members of all three groups to work out the details, a source said.  

The task force, set up in late November, is under orders get a unified system up and running as soon as possible.  

The dispatchers belong to different unions, and one source said he anticipates no layoffs.  

But labor leaders did not rush to endorse the idea.  

David Rosensweig, president of the fire-alarm dispatchers' union, said, "I'm suffering from anxiety waiting to hear how they will divide up these jobs.  

"Until that's resolved, I can't either endorse it or support it until I hear my people's jobs will continue and be protected."  

There's a possibility that FDNY and EMS dispatchers could be brought into the NYPD's 911 Metrotech headquarters in Downtown Brooklyn by the end of this year.  

The FDNY and EMS have never completely merged dispatching operations, even though EMS has been absorbed by the Fire Department.  

The FDNY has five dispatching offices - one in each borough - and EMS has its own center in Metrotech.  

The NYPD is also hoping to open a second 911 center in Long Island City, Queens, although a site hasn't yet been determined.  

 

[x635 4,066]

Wouldn't this be putting "all their eggs in one basket"?

Their dispatching operations are certainly fragmented, and most FDNY Fire Alarm Offices are in a need of a major overhaul and upgrade, but I don't feel Fire/EMS/PD dispatch consolidation (For NYC) is the best way to go. Their are certain benefits to the concept, but I think that having one Fire/EMS dispatch center for each borough is the best idea. The dispatchers know the area,apparatus, and crews better, and if one dispatch center goes down or is incapacitated, the other can pick up the slack.

[RWC130 594]

I was working a few weeks ago and involved in a MVA with my Armored Truck. AKA "Super SUV" I was not the driver and no one on board was injured however the car that cut us off was not so lucky.

The driver was a little shook up and complaining of neck and back pain. Pretty good MOI if you ask me but she was AOX3 all that good stuff.

Anyway... I called 911 and I got the NYPD operator. Things got worse. I don't think the operator finished English as a second language class yet. I gave VERY CLEAR directions and information. Armored Car vs. Car on Morris Ave between E167 and E168 St.

Neck and back pain, No pin. Everyone is alert. I even told the PD dispatcher it was in the confines of the 44 Pct. This dispatcher must have asked me three or four times my location and if anyone was injured. I gave the information over and over and over...

After 25 min. later and about 8 calls to 911 from myself, my partner, injured parties, and bystanders a Metro EMS Bronx Leb. EMS unit showed up. They were great and took the patient away who was still on her cell phone with 1-800-Lawyers. haha

2 NYPD 44 Pct. cars rolled up as the patient was being loaded.

I was told the Pct was on shift change and in back log. OK.. I can understand that. We were not a priority job.

The professionalism of the PD dispatcher was at best horrible.

I think the NYPD needs to do some serious evaluations of the 911 call takers and the radio dispatchers.

I monitor NYPD-SOD and they good, very good. Does anyone have horror stories like this? i.e. Boys who died out on the water after calling 911 for help.

NYPD you can buy all the modern technology toys you can afford but you need QUALITY people to operate it effectively.

I think Monroe College offers ESL English as a second language class. Maybe it can be made part of the NYPD 911 dispatcher training?

OK... Now that I got that off my check I feel better.

[Guest DG795]

You have to remember, English is now the second language of the united states....

A similar story;

I was on the Westside Hwy N/b @51 st when I witnessed what appeared to be a serious MVA in the s/b lanes...I called as i passed 56th st, and after several tranfers, waiting, and inchoherent call takers, I finally finished the call on the SMRP @ cityline. Think about that...started at 51st, finally finished at cityline!

Rob, I feel your pain!

[RWC130 594]

On the topic of 911 I must mention this.

If you have a Nextel DO NOT try and Dial 911 on a Friday or

Saturday night anywhere in the NYC area. I don't know if it's

a Nextel problem or a NYC-911 System problem but you won't

get thru. Better find an ERS Box.

I placed a call to Nextel and I was told they are aware of it and

"Looking into the problem". Not to bash Nextel, I have one and I like it a lot but I think maybe this problem could ONLY have a real bad ending someday if not already.

911 "System Busy, Try Later" WONDERFUL!!

[Guest dave237]

If you *MUST*(*,) unless of course you are next to a Dunkin Donuts.

Personally I have given up on dialing 911 in the city but if you must call you can ask the 911 operator to transfer you to the Fire Dept

GOOD LUCK

[Guest alsfirefighter]

This is one of those topics where I can't pinpoint where I stand on the idea. On one hand, I see many problems, but on the other, I like to be a problem solver, need the challenge, anyone can just say it won't work. In fact a single answering communication center is what is recommended. Perhaps it would be even easier to have 1 per borough and fragment it that way with roll over to the others during busier times.

[Guest dave237]

Sorry I would have to disagree with the "1 per borough" because the FD has that now and it works great for them. When something major goes on between them, Citywide freq is used to notify the proper personal. On the other had for PD they have 1 central dispatch @ Metrotech Plaza. When you have to deal with them, most of the time they do not have any idea of the area you are relating to. That is not helpful during an emergency.

So once again, if you dial 911 in the NYC #-o ..GOOD LUCK

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Ummm, Dave, you say you disagree with my 1 answering point per borough, then you say the FD has that now and it works great. Which one is it? You disagree with it or it works great. I'm well versed in the FD system, if it works for them, maybe it would work for all. Merging Transit & Housing PD into one NYPD worked just fine, perhaps retraining all dispatchers under one agency and then splitting them up per borough would help. Multiple PSAP's do not work and cause more problems, look at Westchester...our 911 system is a joke, citizens in this county do not get an equal level of service when 911 is called, they do not get the basics that could increase our survival rate in this county...why...politics, and "control." I'm glad I have 1 PSAP now, and my family would get EMD if I wasn't here in an emergency, and I was glad to live in a community in Westchester before I moved to Dutchess that received EMD when calling 911.

[RWC130 594]

Just to pour some salt on my wounds of "911 System Failure" and the Nextel problems I attempted to call 911 tonight and report a Car Fire on 87. (Within NYC limits)

5 times dialing 911 on my Nextel... "System Busy Try Later-22"

GOTTA LOVE THAT, HUH? Good job Nextel!!

How does it go.. "Nextel...Done!"