FDNY forbids dispatchers from using the "E" word.

[10512 214]

"Ebola"

http://nypost.com/2014/10/16/dont-say-ebola-on-the-radio-fdny-to-911-dispatchers/

Just do not mention it, no one will know......

Remember, The first rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club. The second rule of Fight Club is: You do not talk about Fight Club.

[AFS1970 504]

We just got a similar memo. I think this puts us up to 4 memos on this, not all of which comply with each other.

It brings me back to the days of what we used to call "Signal 46". This was officially the communicable disease signal but was commonly called the AIDS signal. It was phased out because it had only one common use that some found distasteful and because with BSI becoming part of the standard protocol, it was felt that telling people to use precautions when they should be doing so on all calls was a bit redundant.

I met a Battalion Chief from down south who ran a large county wide dispatch center. They had a signal (I forget the number) that was then followed by an A, B or C. A for Airborne, B for Bloodborne, and C for Combination or Unknown. Basically this was broadcast anytime the dispatcher was aware of the presence of such a disease. The three varieties meant that it was not only an AIDS signal, and I can't help thinking that such a signal in place now would make this recent epidemic a non issue as far as dispatch goes.

[10512 214]

It is a ridiculous rule no matter how you look at it.

No matter what code you come up with, it will be broken or leaked by noon on the first day.

Or the code would be so inconclusive as to be meaningless or so complicated that anyone who needed to use it would be stymied by it.

This memo was put out to make some boss feel good about himself. It is meaningless in the real world.

Edited October 16, 2014 by 10512

[tbendick 27]

NYC will dispatch as a call with fever / travel

[FFEMT150 214]

Annnnd it's leaked.

[SOUSGT 357]

We just got a similar memo. I think this puts us up to 4 memos on this, not all of which comply with each other.

It brings me back to the days of what we used to call "Signal 46". This was officially the communicable disease signal but was commonly called the AIDS signal. It was phased out because it had only one common use that some found distasteful and because with BSI becoming part of the standard protocol, it was felt that telling people to use precautions when they should be doing so on all calls was a bit redundant.

I met a Battalion Chief from down south who ran a large county wide dispatch center. They had a signal (I forget the number) that was then followed by an A, B or C. A for Airborne, B for Bloodborne, and C for Combination or Unknown. Basically this was broadcast anytime the dispatcher was aware of the presence of such a disease. The three varieties meant that it was not only an AIDS signal, and I can't help thinking that such a signal in place now would make this recent epidemic a non issue as far as dispatch goes.

We had a similar system. Since we were prohibited from using the A word on the radio.

When you were dispatched to a known A word patient, often over the radio a little voice would announce

“universal precautions” Funny, we never found out who the little voice was.

[AFS1970 504]

Yes the "Universal Precautions" method is still used on our police radio, as a matter of fact I heard it tonight from a field unit. I always wondered why the much more code heavy police side did not have a code for this while the fire side that was heading towards plain language at the time made one up.

[SOUSGT 357]

Yes the "Universal Precautions" method is still used on our police radio, as a matter of fact I heard it tonight from a field unit. I always wondered why the much more code heavy police side did not have a code for this while the fire side that was heading towards plain language at the time made one up.

Under regulations we were not permitted to say Universal Precautions when going to a specific location or to a specific person, it the same as saying AIDS over the radio. You are supposed to use universal precautions every time in dealing with a sick person.

Therefore you cant have a radio code for it as it would be the same as saying it. But somehow someone would make a comment to warn the responders. Fortunately they discontinued the radio identifier system a few years ago.

[Bnechis 3,961]

In my opinion giving these 'hints" that its an "A" patient or "E" or whatever, causes crews to be come more lax in protecting themselves on all the other calls. You should be just as cautious on every call. How many patients do not know or will lie about it?