The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Car Accidents
Maybe a stupid post, but here it goes.
When we get a MVA in our county our dispatchers use their discretion to page out Fire and EMS. Our dispatchers don't have medical training neither do some our Deputies.Yet they are the ones making the decision to cancel us. It has happened on rollovers and multicar accidents. I feel it is going to bite someone in the rear soon. just looking for some thoughts on this..
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Doug on
-
Your dispatchers should be asking two critical questions to determine what is dispatched; Are there any injuries, and is there any entrapment? If the answer from the caller is in doubt what-so-ever(i.e. saying "maybe" or "I don't know"), PD, at least one bus and an engine/rescue should be dispatched. If the answer is a definite "No" from the caller, then only PD is dispatched.
-
Permalink Reply by Norm Tindell on
-
Mike, you pretty much restate what I'm thinking: If in doubt check it out. Everybody's SOP's are different. Sometimes you just go on instinct. I feel worse when cancelled if we were needed than I do when we make the scene and are not needed.
-
Permalink Reply by masonfire30 on
-
we have one dispatcher on at a time, usually. They are not emd's. A lot of it is budget which I don't understand we are the second biggest county geoghraphicly in the state.
-
Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
-
Good point Jack. We did the same and resolved the issue. Besides, we dont need to be dispatched to calls. You know where your response area is and you know what you do. Dispatch does not cancel us either.
-
Permalink Reply by Jay Nicholson on
-
I'll agree with this. Responses should be based on the information available at that time. Committing resources for non-injury MVA is not in the best interest of those we serve. If in doubt, empty the barn. But when the information provided is that fire/ems is not needed, then I say stay put.
-
-
Yeah, at least, that's how we do it hear, it works well. And, it leaves it out of the dispatchers hands to use their own discretion. We are dispatched by what the caller(s) tell the dispatcher. I can't believe it's done the way it is where the OP is located.
-
Permalink Reply by Casey on
-
Our department gets called out alot for MVA's we have 2 sets of jaws....We do alot of mutual aid because of our jaws....some people on our department are Ems. We still send someone to the scene if we are told to turn around by police ( if its in our town).
-
Permalink Reply by Bull on
-
We are trying to get it were if an ambulance is dispatched to an accident, fire will be paged as well, no matter how major or minor, for traffic and scene safety at the minimum. Our dispatchers and LEO's have no medical or fire training, so how can they make that decision ??? Several times the ambulance has requested fire and dispatchers have declined stating its not needed, and 15-20 min later when crews arrive, now we need fire for something...another 15-20 min wait. This just happened 3 nights ago here again. I live in a very rural area so response time is crucial. Its not like the bigger cities were you can have a 5 min response time wherever you go in your district. The hospital itself is a 45 min drive. I believe only fire or ems should be allowed to cancel. We had dispatch refuse to page ambulance by the chief before he got on scene, stated LEO says its not needed for standby at a structure fire....sure the occupants may have been out of the house, but what if a FF goes down ??? Again...what training do they have to cancel ????
-
Permalink Reply by Bill Anderson on
-
A lot of this we have the cell phone to thank. Someone ses something on the side of the road and calls it in. They see a car beside a bridge, overheating, someone taking a nap, etc, and we get a call. Good intentions, but not enough info gave to the dispatcher. The old "I don't want to get involved, but you might want to send someone out" mentality.
-
Permalink Reply by Steve Wonegeshik on
-
masonfire30 I agree with you. Any accidents should have a fire unit dispatched. All rollovers have potential for fire (leaking fluids, etc.) Law enforcement without medical training should request EMS just to be safe. Better to have them and not need them, than to need them and not have them.
-
Permalink Reply by James Mclennan on
-
in an MVA, both the fire dept and EMS are called. neither can be cancelled. the only time a cancel can be called is if another dept in the mutual aid system has been called or put on stand-by. otherwise its a go
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next ›
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
