unified call taker

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mmattyphoto

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Just saw the dept. Oder's and starting May 4 2009, nypd unified call takers will go into effect. what a SHAME.
 
A question for our Fire Alarm Dispatchers.  I just read a Department Order (#34) that states a new communication procedure where "most 911 calls requesting the FD will be processed by PD 911 Call Takers."  It goes on to say the info will then be routed to the CO where FADs will then dispatch the alarm, etc.  What is the "story" behind this?  I can't believe that this will improve FD dispatch operations.  Thanks!
 
Sounds like another disaster waiting to happen. We have a unified Comms system, you don't want it.
 
Under the current FD system, all calls to 911 are first received by a PD 911 call taker, who then forwards the call to either EMS or FDNY depending on what the caller states.  The FD call dispatcher then takes all the relevant information (address, type of fire, etc.) and enters it into the system for the decision dispatcher.

From the sound of it the new system trains the PD call taker to take the relevant info and enter it directly into the system, thus bypassing the FD call dispatcher.  I can see it reducing dispatch time in that it will shave seconds between the transition from PD to FD, but at the same time I can also see a lot of important information being left out.
 
It means that 911 callers will no longer be conferenced into an FDNY Alarm Receipt Dispatcher, unless they are trapped and requesting instructions. PD will be handling all fire calls into the 911 system and routing them via computer to FDNY Dispatchers. FDNY Alarm Receipt Dispatchers will still answer the 7 digit emergency phone, administrative phones, and Class 3 phones. The rub of this is that our processing times begin as soon as we get the alarm through the computer. Doesn't matter that the PD calltalker was on the phone with the caller for 5 minutes prior, thereby delaying the FD response. You will probably also hear a lot more collapse responses, because a ceiling fell due to a water condition. For you guys out in the field, things are going to get really crazy. You're going to see a lot of stuff that you've never seen before. Thank you, Mayor Bloomberg.
 
That's why they put more collapse units in service!  They knew this was coming. LOL!
 
  I foresee lots of caller information misunderstood and units sent to the wrong locations. ??? ::) There's the potential for major delays and more apparatus accidents.
 
guitarman314 said:
 There's the potential for major delays and more apparatus accidents.
Click to expand...

And who will get blamed for this? The guys riding the rigs of course.
 
The potential for major delays in assigning units is there. Accidents, I don't think so. Like I said before, the response time for FD starts when the alarm comes to us via computer link. It takes us maybe 2 seconds to read an alarm and turn em out. Now, what you don't know is that the UCT was on the phone for a few minutes interrogating the caller, etc.

So, you may have a total 10 minute response time to an alarm, but FDNY records will show it took 5 minutes for the units to get 84 from time of dispatch by the FDNY dispatchers. My own personal opinion, yet again, is that there are going to be things on the tickets that the guys out in the field may not understand, which is going to lead to a lot of confusion, and there are(I hope not) going to be people dying. According to some of the classes I have attended for this, it hasn't worked in any major city it's been used in.

For any of you who need the FD, I suggest you get the 7 digit numbers for each borough and call that instead of 911 for a fire or emergency.
 
"....are going to be things on the tickets that the guys out in the field may not understand"
By this you mean their going to put the text of everything the PD dispatcher types onto the FD ticket?
 
That's very possible. In our system, we receive pages & pages of supplemmental (useless) information on our MDT's. For example: a single patient you may get 4-5 pages with supplemental information in addition to the run page.
 
Time for the UFA/UFOA & FADBA to start a publicity campaign urging people to use the 7 digit boro numbers for FD matters.

 
Good luck on that. The UFA/UFOA has pretty much been silent on it. In other words, our union was told to go pack sand.
 
I believe your Union Pres. sold you down the tubes, he is in favor of this plan, so how would UFA/UFOA help when your own union is for this. Dont think the UFA/UFOA would ever tell you to go pack in sand. Look inside before you blame outside
 
This will be interesting. 
The EMS MDT's will get pages of info per call, and they can update the MDT as needed.

On the Fire MDT's will get one splash screen and thats it.  There are alot of times that the needed info is on of those pages of text that we can't see and we can't update the screen.

Thank god I am off on Monday, because it will be interesting.
 
tbendick , They are going to add the PD supplements for EMS runs onto the EMS ticket just like EMS MDT's do?
 
The tickets the fire side will be getting, will look like the current CFR runs.
59 codes and the 911 lingo.  Such as FCS house on fire HU NCB PP.
Only the BC can pull up the full history of the job similar to the EMS MR command.
 
Ok...this sounds like a mess....it probably will be annoying to even read it:
E=MULT DWELL A FIRE 2 FL
          --will look lke---
FEM APT 5C...5 FLR..STS FIRE IN APT
5B N HU NCB ..............



 
I'm working tonight into tomorrow, The UCT kicks off at 0720. I'll let you know how the trainwreck goes.
 
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