Was that really necessary???

[Resq14]

Originally posted by DED1645:
Now announcing the person has AIDS, HIV or Hep-B etc... is too much. That's why when they know they announce in the dispatching to utilize universal precautions.

I hope you weren't condoning dispatchers using "utilize universal precautions" as a code for AIDS, HIV or Hep-B. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding.

But if you are, I think that this has been struck down in many places as being just as wrong as saying "AIDS." You always use universal precautions, so why else would you be saying this on the radio?

I wholeheartedly understand the "protect our own" rationale behind this, but, I'd be careful.

[st34ff]

In my area, we dispacte a call like this
Squad XXX respond to 124 Main St for a possible experation (I can't spell!) Then there is a print out sent to the station for the squad to get to take with them. It works real well. I think some sensitivity does help when dispatching.

Kyle

[jmk271]

A reply to "Turk".....my entire point of this forum is to get an understanding as to why those particular elements of a message should be broadcasted over the air. Every Thomas, Richard & Harry seems to have a scanner these days. My concern is for sightseer's and onlookers sayin "hey...lets go take a look at what's goin on over at joe-bloes place!!" The general public, in my opinion, need not know about these types of calls. ESPECIALLY in small rural environments such as mine. I think that, and I am sure this is already being done, there should be tough standards about what can and cant be said over the ariwaves.

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JMK271
***Stay safe out there***
***These opinion(s) are my own, and not that of the department in which I serve***

[TruroFAO]

Turk II was talking about perhaps an assilant meeting the first arriving units on scene in a less than friendly manner...He makes a good point, and this is something we should be mindful of...In Central Ohio, when we go on calls like attempts, assaults, or something which could threaten the wellbeing of not only the injured party but also public safety personnel as well, we set up a staging point short of the scene until local law enforcement arrives on the scene and secures the scene. Then we proceed in....

Also, with regards to questionable language on the radio, why can't dispatch just say something like "attempt by hanging", instead of "hung himself in the barn next door to old man Jethro's place..."

JMK brought up "stabbed in the head with pliers by the father..."...Couldn't that just be "stabbing, scene not secure..."?

I realize many outlying departments don't have MDT's like many area departments here have, and that not every station has a printout they can grab on their way out of the station...But it has been mentioned that dispatch could use pagers, private call, or other methods to be more tactful...I'm not convinced it's entirely necessary to give as much information as was given in both of these examples. True, we need all the information we can get, but a good deal of the info was unecessary...Could dispatch wait until all the units are up, then give them additional info?

Just food for thought...

Be safe...

[jmk271]

In response to TruroAFO.....

I agree with everything you have said in your reply. I wish dispatchers would think more like that.

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JMK271
***Stay safe out there***
***These opinion(s) are my own, and not that of the department in which I serve***

[trumpeter75]

Our dispatchers, depending on who's working that shift, would either say "possible suicide" or, more likely, use the county code for a suicide. That way all the locals with their home scanners won't know what they're talking about.

[firenresq77]

It doesn't really matter if people have scanners or not. If they want the info, it's all public information anyways. I personnaly would like to know the method of the suicide attempt.

[snowmankw77]

Originally posted by jmk271:
Okay ....here is another example. I do believe that this was the same dispatcher only it was about a week earlier. This particular individual paged out a local ambulance squad for a domestic dispute that involved a stabbing. Pretty simple message, right? Well, here is what he added to it.
"so & so ambulance personnel, you have an ems call at such & such address. Nature is a 15 year old male that has been stabbed in the head with a pair of pliers by his father following a domestic dispute.."
Now...this is what I consider to be far away from professional. Nobody can honestly tell me that this didnt raise some eyebrows.

I don't see what the problem with this message is. If i was responding to this situation and they didn't tell us that the father stabbed the son I would be a little upset when I step out of the truck and am stabbed or shot. But i guess it is just a matter of ethics or something. But in my book your life is more important then the patient and if there is someone that is going to possibly cause harm to you or your fellow ff/emts then I want to know all of the facts before i get to the scene. That's just my two cents.


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Matt Briskey
Eastern Garrett County
Station 80
www.easterngarrettvfrd.hoemstead.com/home.html

"What's in it for me?

Hard Work
Injury
Possible Death
A deep and abiding feeling of personal satisfaction found in few aspects of life"

"Nobody ever called the fire department when they did something smart!!"

[F52 Westside]

I have to agree with the snowman on this one. I want to know the father is the guy who did it or might have did it. If I am staged a block away, waiting for the PD, I want to know if this guy comes running up to my rig yelling "MY SON IS BLEEDING, MY SON IS BLEEDING", that he is the one with the weapon. The extra info. in this case would not change my response any, I am still waiting for a PD unit to secure the scene.
It might however change the way I deal with this guy screaming at me. Lieut706 and M G seem to have the replies that I most agree with.

Just my opinion !

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Eddie C. - a.k.a - PTFD21
ECarn21's Homefire Page
Local 3008
"Doin' it for lives n' property"

[This message has been edited by F52 Westside (edited 01-04-2001).]

[thermal2]

I think that some dispathers forget that in this day and time everybody and his brother have a scanner. In the smaller communities this could create a big problem. The call could have been paged as a possible suicide and have them contact dispatch for further before responding.Its almost like I guess when they take their head off and put the phone on. I guess that didnt make much sense did it?

[AlexB892]

Well, we deal with this problem through the use of MDTs. For a sensitive call like this, we would (or should) dispatch it as a suicide attempt (or CPR, or probable DOA, depending on the exact info the caller gives), and we would refer to the MDT for the details. Although some dispatchers will never read the supplemental info over the air, and some will announce everything as they get it.

We had a call in this general area (not my first due) that I did think was dispatched unprofessionally though. What's everyone else's opinion on this one? It went something like this:

Dispatch: Probable DOA... Caller found neighbor (not seen for several weeks) DOA.

Nothing wrong with that, right? It's pertinent and not personal. But then the dispatcher comes back:

Dispatch: "Paitent is in a corner, there is blood everywhere, and the house has been ransacked."

WHOA! Was that really necessary? Especially since we have MDTs and station printouts. But even without any other means of communications, couldn't the dispatcher have simply said "Possibly violent scene, stage for PD"???

Other dispatchers do a much better job though, for example on a call I ran recently all we got over the air was "?? year old male minor injuries from a domestic" -- the suspect description, names, and other private information was kept only on the MDT where it belongs.

Do any of your departments have a well-defined standard of what is professional and what should not be said on the air?

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My opinions are not necessarily those of my department. I speak only for myself.

[jmk271]

To AlexB892,

My first question is, at the risk of sounding silly, what exactly is a "MDT"??

Also, I think you have the same train of thought as I do on this subject. My main concern is keeping away unecessary onlookers, etc. In order to do that, the dispatchers need to stop and think about what they are going to say BEFORE they say it..

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JMK271
***Stay safe out there***
***These opinion(s) are my own, and not that of the department in which I serve***

[HOTDOG]

Most dispatchers have their own style of dispatching, within the criteria set by the 911 center, which they hone over time. As a 911 dispatcher, on routine calls I dispatch as follows:

"Attention *** Rescue - Respond to 222 First Ave. - 64 y/o female having chest pain - time of alert 2147."

In the event of a sensitive situation, such as a possible homicide, suicide, or something similar in nature, when the page goes out I add for the responding unit(s) to contact dispatch by phone. This allows the agency(s) responding to know what they are going into so preparations can be made. As a FF/EMT I understand the importance of mental preparation in going on a call. Dispatchers should be oriented with the agencies they dispatch to understand the importance of obtaining certain information and relaying this information. To answer the question of "you have an EMS call" in the dispatching, it is kinda obvious when the information is given whether it is EMS or Fire related. The more simple and to the point the information is given the better. One doesn't have to filter out all the bull****. This is my feelings and mine alone. The most important thing a dispatcher can do is get the appropriate agency to the scene while maintaining the safety and welfare of all parties involved.

Faith in God, Trust in training

[hoseman16]

Being a 911 dispatcher for 13 fire depts. and 1 Pd we are under the control of whacker fire chiefs who "want the information as the dispatcher receives it". Biggest mistake that was made was terminating the codes and going definitive description. I can't wait for a medical event to take place at a chiefs residence, and believe me I'll be as descriptive as possible. Maybe after their embarassment, dispatch protocols and revert back to being simple codes and a street address.

[ffirefighter]

Originally posted by jmk271:
It's one thing for a dispatcher to announce that you have an ems call...patient having chest pains.....but is it really necessary for the dispatcher to announce that you have an ems call...29 year old male has hung himself in the barn?? I personally do not think that this is neither professional, nor appropriate,..especially in a small rural area. This did not happen to my department, but one not very far from here. I don't think that those kinds of announcements should be made over the air due to relatives and friends that may have scanners and things of that nature. I can understand maybe in a large city, such as NYC or Chicago, but not here in farmland USA. I just don't think it's right. Let me know what you think...

I personally would want to know what kind of call I was heading towards. I wouldn't want to walk into the barn expecting some overdosing on pills to find his body hanging from the ceiling. Also how could you come up with a stratagy to help the person? There are so many different ways a person can try to kill themsaelves all requiring different emergency techniques.