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El Paso Begins Priority Call Screening Dispatch
MAGGIE YBARRA
El Paso Times
EL PASO - Fewer firetrucks and firefighters will be dispatched to emergency calls after the Fire Department changes the way it responds to calls, officials said.
Fire Chief Otto Drozd said he plans to institute a new call system, named Priority Dispatch, in six months. The system, which cost about $500,000, has already been purchased by the El Paso County 911 District. The system will help dispatchers send the appropriate amount of manpower to fire and emergency calls, he said.
"We're already doing the training and we expect it to be implemented properly by January," he said.
Right now, a firetruck, ambulance and five firefighters respond to every emergency call.
But in six months, after all the department's dispatchers who staff the call center at 200 N. Kansas are trained on the new system, only one emergency vehicle will be dispatched instead of two, depending on the nature of the emergency call, Drozd said.
The system helps break down calls into five priority levels. Now, all calls are given the same priority.
The dispatchers will prompt callers to answer a series of questions before dispatching a firetruck or an ambulance, he said.
Fire Inspector John Concha said that 80 percent of the calls made to the call center are medical. Only 1 percent of the calls received at the center are about fires, he said.
Drozd said he has been looking at changing the city's dispatch and response system for more than a year.
"It's just a smarter way of doing business," he said. "We want to match the right resource to the problem."
In addition, the system will save money by conserving resources, Drozd said.
But the public is still the department's priority, he said.
"We're not really looking at it from a cost-saving perspective," he said.
"We're looking at it as a life-saving perspective: For every minute that a fire continues to burn, it grows exponentially. On the medical side, they say, 'time is tissue,' in terms of a heart condition."
Copyright 2010 El Paso Times, a MediaNews Group Newspaper
All Rights Reserved
July 28, 2010
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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Sounds like our system. 5 levels - Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta and Echo Levels. We've been using this for a few years now. Our state enhanced 911 system uses the coding system. All EMS calls are call coded after a series of questions are answered. If you are calling for a medical issue, they triage you over the phone, with a series of questions, then dispatch the call with the supposed correct priority level of seriousness.
I have been to many Delta and Echo level priority calls - these are usually very serious or critical patients - that were ultimately no transport sign offs. The problem with the system is the dispatcher uses lead in questions, you know the one's we the EMS providers are trained not to ask.
What this does for area's that offer multi-level "tiered" EMS responses, is it will start a paramedic unit when the call warrants the medic and send a BLS unit when it is a minor emergency.
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Permalink Reply by Beverly on
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Sounds like a nice idea but...
1) Are we relying too much on information given by the public that has received all it's "education" from reality TV and the internet? Will they be able to accurately and appropriately answer the questions?
2) What about language issues and nuiances in meaning? This may not be a problem in urban areas with more access to translators but if this becomes a national standard what happens in rural areas, will it delay response? Better to send it and not need it, then need it and not have sent it.
3) Will they have a "when in doubt, send them out" protocol?
4) Are they going to do a good PR campaign prior to implementation so the public is aware of the new protocol and the fact that they (the public) will be responsible for answering more questions?
5) Will the additional questions cause any delays in dispatching the appropriate units?
Good luck. Hope it works
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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We have the same system here and I do echo much of what FETC said.
Personally, I have not really seen this as a great system which it is stated to be....I have had callers state the dispatchers ask too many questions and there does seem to be too many "leading" questions.
For example we have had numerous calls for a difficulty breathing, when arriving on scene the call had nothing to do with difficulty breathing, but because the pt is on home O2, one can consider that difficulty breathing.
There have been numerous issues which we have identified and had changes made. One area was being dispatched for a seizure, the computer recommended an "A" Alpha call....meaning no lights, no siren, go with traffic. Problem is a seizure should be a higher priority call. When the issue was brought up, the response was "we're working on it"
Yes, there is basically a "when in doubt protocol" and we have had numerous times no dispatch code given and a pump and ambulance sent priority.
Here really is the bottom line, what is recommended by this system can be either upgraded or downgraded, one does not have to follow the dispatch recommendation. If you believe a call is more serious, you can go lights and siren, also if you feel the call can be downgraded or other rig cancelled, that can be done too.
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