luke
Junior Member
Posts: 22
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Post by luke on Mar 16, 2007 23:09:00 GMT -5
Why does it seem that the responding officers have to ask the EOC so many questions when responding to calls. (Example Name of the residence they are responding to) I recall this happening 3 time in Smithfield, 2 for the fire dept and once for our ambulance service. Are we are are we not aloud to have that information? I know that the dispatchers can only relay information that they were given. I give the dispatchers alot of credit for what they do, don't get me wrong I bet at times that is a difficult job. I am just asking.
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Post by Medic13 on Mar 17, 2007 2:30:34 GMT -5
Not to poke or prod, but could you be more specific as to what questions you feel always have to be asked? Is it a county wide issue, or is it just extra information that your department wants?
As for your example... yes, you are entitled to the name on the residence. On medicals, I rarely give it on dispatch because it typically isn't needed. I just don't see the sense in throwing someone's name out in scannerland if it isn't needed. It doesn't take long to ask... and compared to the rest of the crap on the radio, it's actually valid traffic.
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luke
Junior Member
Posts: 22
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Post by luke on Mar 17, 2007 6:39:31 GMT -5
I have only really heard it for our department, do to the fact that I don't really listen to other departments being dispatched.
When you get out in the rural area where your addresses are RR1 Box 123 Milan if you don't know which way the box # run then it is easier to have the residence name. Another example is your department is dispatched for box 234 Locust Rd, well locust road runs from the Springfield Township line to the Milan east Smithfield road ( road length approx 6 miles long) It is not like Sayre, towanda where you actually have house numbers and on that certain street. The dispatchers should have the residence name from the 911 screen.
You talk about all the crap on the Radio, then why wouldn't the dispatchers let the departments responding officers know the residence name on dispatch then have to tie up the air to ask, then that cuts down on radio traffic. I am not pointing fingers I am just asking why
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Post by Medic13 on Mar 17, 2007 9:27:35 GMT -5
I have The dispatchers should have the residence name from the 911 screen. Not necessarily. It is, at best, a 50/50 chance that the info on the screen is correct. Regardless, we always ask who's calling. What I said in my first post is that asking the name on the residence doesn't tie up the radio, unlike the other crap. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I really don't see this as a big issue. If the dispatcher doesn't give the name right off the bat, and you feel it will help you locate the residence...ask. I'm not trying to be mean... I just don't exactly consider that to fall under the realm of "responders have to ask the EOC so many questions when responding to calls". Now since it was brought up, I'll probably have that mental note in my head next time I dispatch your QRS, but given the nature of the beast it's impossible to guarentee we have all the information you want.
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Post by chief322 on Mar 17, 2007 11:23:58 GMT -5
This has nothing to due with what the Chief has posted, but I believe could fall within this category.
Although it is not county protocol and thus not a requirement of our dispatchers to do so, why isn't the command officer notified if his/her apparatus requirements have been met, based on "our" box assignment; either local or a multi-department responce.
I do know that some of our dispatchers have "freelanced" from protocol and notified the IC that the assignment has been filled out, which I personally think is great. The county is tracking which unit is responding and should be able to verify to the IC what he has on the street and can help him formulate a gameplan.
I remember years ago, the late Chief King asking the county after a second alarm assignment if the second alarm tankers were responding. His answer was "I don't know" so he proceeded to pull a third alarm based off of the reply.
I realize that this would require a dispatcher to remain committed to this individual incident. That being said though, why is it that other County Comm. centers in this state can replace OOS units on original dispatch, replace units with next due during a "scratch" or failed to get out and can still mangage to give the IC an accoungability as to what is on the air (responding). Now lets add PAR checks to the equation. We in the BCFS seem to be more worried about how long we have been on an incident or how cold/hot it is at our operations.
What is the opinion of our dispatchers? You all are expected to work within the guidelines dictated to you. You should have an opinion on these guidlines and offer up ways to improve and simplify the requests as submitted.
Tim
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Post by canton1 on Mar 17, 2007 13:18:03 GMT -5
Wow, so much to type and so little skin left on my fingers!!! ;D
First off, There is nothing that says we cant give a name on Dispatch. There are to many different type of responses to say one way is better than the other. I think the best way is ask if you dont know. We repeat names and address' 20 times before somoone arrives. It is so hard to get it the way "you" (the responder) wants it and get it right for all the different types. PAID want it this way, BLS this way. Country this way, Town this way. It is easier to give it to you if you need it. All I am getting at is this, we will page anyway (almost) you want, but we need to have some type of uniformity to it. to me, it shoudl be basic info the when the "RIG" responds, we give ALL information we have available to the dispatcher.
The best solution to this is------------- Get a group of people bad together like we used to have in the ambulance association and come up with the way it should be done on a agreeable basis. I think way to many decesions are made in this county based on what the "paid" people want and not what works for the volunteers. You all need to sit and talk about it and come up with what will work for you all, both BLS and QRS.
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Post by canton1 on Mar 17, 2007 13:55:01 GMT -5
Tim, Why would the incident commander not know that it is filled if we do not page replacement equipment to it??? I guess as a commander I have faith in them (always have) that they will get what ever is requested on thier own or will ask for the replacement. Why would not NOT get everythingthat is on your box? It is not about Freelancing. I know I have asked if anything else is needed!!! I woudl hope that if something get missed a fire chief will be calling to get to the bottum of it!!! The incident with Jim should have been a rare case, or should I say---it better not happen now!!!!!!!!!! We have a very good CAD system and as long as we can keep up with the incident or hear the UNITS responding we will have that info at our finger tips. There again, this may come to be a radio traffic issue but if we dont hear a truck enroute we should be repaging it or asking... We are committed to a call. Maybe not 100% of our attention but we are still trying to get all the info as fast as we can!!!! The dispatchers are TOLD TO AUTOMATICALLY fill response holes in autmatically if they have to. I as a Dispatcher, and a Fire Chief ussually know it is COLD out, or Hot out and I for the most part know I have been there for 5 hours all by myself. I think that most of this is done cause it has away from what the original intent was. It was my understanding that it was for big fire and extrication where time can get lost. I am sure I am the one that has the biggest issues with it. The dispatchers do have input into these things. I have tried to instill that in them. Even if it can nto be changed today, I will try to fix it or make it better.
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luke
Junior Member
Posts: 22
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Post by luke on Mar 18, 2007 1:45:24 GMT -5
Once the new 911 readdressing is all finished then it will be easier to find a house on a certain road. Out here in the stick not everyone on has a mailing address at there house, alot of people have a Post Office Box, and not everyone has numbers on there mailbox.
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Post by chief322 on Mar 18, 2007 20:27:49 GMT -5
Kim:
I know that blind faith has always been important to you and to the best of my knowledge nothing can prove me wrong.
However, I cannot belive that you or any Chief in this county is willing to sit back and wait for a unit to go one the air after 10 minutes or more without being notified as IC.
How many dispatches or how long are you, as an IC, going to allow a manned unit to get out? How long can we allow it and yet still be constructive to our operations?
From prior experience, a deparment was given one dispatch. After four minutes it was given an additional dispatch for units due, but not on the air. After an addtional three minutes, another dispatch was given, plus next due for the replacement piece.
Now in the rural area we all live, this might not be practical. As an IC, whom at times has to work from multiple channels, I certainly would like to know that I have a contingent of apparatus that I have assigned per my boxes or per request, per alarm.
As far as freelancing a box, well yes I guess that I am probably the most guilty of it as a CFO. I and you know that we've probably sent each other more than what has been requested, but in the end has been greatly appreciated.
That being said though, when on one alarm New Albany (for example) calls for a tanker and on the next it asks for an engine and that piece cannot get out manned for 10+, who suffers? Yes, that engine will get out at some point, but at what benefit to the incident commander and his operational gameplan?
Tim
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Post by chief322 on Mar 18, 2007 20:42:11 GMT -5
Kim;
Another thing and probably most importantly, I personally have noticed an immense improvement in the qualtiy of our services from the EOC. Being an arm-chair quarterback, I would at this point put our EOC services as one of the best in not only the Commonweath, but against those on the Southern Tier as well.
As you personally know I have been extremely critical of the EOC operations. You must excuse me while I pull my foot out of my mouth as again, per the usual, I have been proven wrong; big time.
There are other things or other people that I should apologise to on this forum. I will in due time as I know that needed and is appropriate.
Stil my brother, always!
Tim
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Post by Medic12 on Mar 19, 2007 9:57:46 GMT -5
I can see the point in asking the name of the residence, but on the same token I wouldn't want all of Bradford County knowing that there is an Ambulance going to my house for a behavioral or rectal bleeding.
Also having the last name of the residence may be helpful for you (the home team), but if I'm (the away team) on the road and ahead you, knowing that the call is at the Fred Jones residence is of absolutely no importance to me. I feel that Bradford County is heading in the right way with the Colorado addressing system and hopefully it alleviates everyones female doges and gripes.
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Post by chief322 on Mar 19, 2007 13:47:15 GMT -5
LT - you are absolutely on the mark! With our County spending the huge amounts on this system, we should be able to find that needle in the haystack. Lord knows that we have enough of them here.
When the system is fully instituted, getting from Sayre Borough to any road in Union or Ward Twsp should never be a problem or a unit coming out of the Gilette/Fassett area should have no problem finding Highland Lake in Warren Twsp.
Given this new information, based off of GPS and entered into our County's database should enable all responders to have accurate and precise directions to any incident within the borders of BC. Once fully implemented, using the lack of information from the caller should no longer be an excuse. Any entity outside the county lines will also benefit from knowing an exact, precise of any incident that they are assisting on.
should cut down on air time requesting directions, don't you think? Imagine when your brush is called to assist in Wilmont Twsp and you will never have to ask for an exact addy or directions to the scene.
Some day we will be there.
Tim
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Post by FIREFIGHTER16 on Mar 21, 2007 16:18:53 GMT -5
and to all that day is coming sooner than u think
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Nick
Full Member
OIF Veteran 2006
Posts: 46
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Post by Nick on Jun 23, 2008 4:29:31 GMT -5
Kim: That being said though, when on one alarm New Albany (for example) calls for a tanker and on the next it asks for an engine and that piece cannot get out manned for 10+, who suffers? Yes, that engine will get out at some point, but at what benefit to the incident commander and his operational gameplan? As a dispatcher, we have to give every department the chance to cover what they are responsible for, whether we believe they can crew out or not. As a former IC, I would reconsider at who is on my box alarms if I don't think they provide what I need when I need it.
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