Get ready for radio confusion!

[JBE 328]

As of 0700 Monday, the FDNY Fire Alarm Dispatchers will have new numbers. All the way from the newest probie to the crustiest old salt on the platform.

100-499 are permanent civil service

500-699 are provisional appointments on more than a year

700-up are Probationary/Provisional with less than a year.

So, you'll have to learn all the new numbers of some familiar voices. Have fun all you scanner buffs out there!!!

Edited October 2, 2005 by JBE

[CPAGE 2]

What the hell is 330 in Da Bronx going to do now.

[JBE 328]

He's going to have to deal with being Dispatcha 125, K. I'm one of his bosses, so I am just waiting for his reaction when I see him next.

[CPAGE 2]

He would go easy the beef likes his 330 k

[Guest]

im sure the guys in the fdny dont even care about the #s , except the buffs on here , i see no confusion

[JBE 328]

Not entirely true. I have slipped a few times and given my old number when I was on the radio. Old habits die hard. And as for the guys out in the field, many of them do listen to hear who is working.

Edited October 2, 2005 by JBE

[doingit21 0]

im sure there will be confusion on ur guys part , not to any fdny members in the field , they dont care

[JBE 328]

Once again, not entirely true. Do you know how many times I got asked what my number was when I was a dispatcher?? So the guys out in the field would listen up. Do you know how often I and many of the others I work with get phone calls from members in the field asking to speak to a dispatcher by number??? So believe me when I tell you that there are people out there who DO care. And you are correct, there has been some confusion on the part of the dispatchers. Like I said old habits die hard.

Edited October 3, 2005 by JBE

[doingit21 0]

if u say so

[Guest ChuChu]

I would agree with doingit21 and dkbugs...somehow, I don't think that the FF's are thinking of the number who has dispatched them. I would imagine its probably the last thing on their mind.

[mfc2257 464]

JBE.. I agree with you.

Many (not all... for those waiting to jump) firefighters, emergency medical providors, and police officers are accustom to the style, tone, and actions of specific dispatchers. A sense of comfort and confidence is present for many of us when we speak during chaotic incidents with dispatchers that we've been though tough situations with before.

If you go into the deli in the morning and you've been ordering coffee your way from the same girl for the past 10 months, you probably don't need to be concerned with her messing it up. If you are used to hearing the same voice at the end of the radio for many of your complicated incidents (and it's attached to the same ID number) and you roll up to a hairy situation and transmit that you’re on location, with that trusted dispatcher you're probably going to feel pretty confident that you're getting what you need when you need it, and if something goes wrong, that the guy on the other end of the radio can handle it.

The issue will come when for the first time, someone rolls up to a big job, and they hear that familiar voice answer with a strange #... Now confidence can be shaken because they're not sure if it's really who they think it is talking to them.

Will this create downright confusion in the field, probably not. Does it create an issue with some people’s comfort level based on prior experience, yes. Will everyone be able to adapt and move on… if they can’t then they’re in the wrong business.

[Guest aussiegeorge]

wouldn't the guys in the field just know who u are just buy your voice and not need to hear a number,i know over here when i talk to firefighters they know most of the guys by the sound of there voice,it does help that we are all firefighters here in dispatch so a lot have worked with 1 dispatcher at some time(and that is in a dept with 6500 firefighters)do you have to give a number so the guys in the field know who to b**** to if a dispatcher stuffs up.

[Guest aussiegeorge]

gee it blanked out bit.ch didn't know that was a swear word.