unified call taker

  • Thread starter Thread starter mmattyphoto
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Boston - Just had a conversation with my son who is on the job in Boston.  One of the firefighters in his house just had a heart attack almost in the rear of a BFD firehouse.  He was off duty but lived near the firehouse. His father, who was with him, is a state trooper and immediately called it in as cardiac arrest and started CPR.  It appears the Boston 911 system downgraded it from "cardiac arrest" to an "unknown medical" and, incredibally, cancelled the engine response which would have been 30 seconds away.  The ambulance did not arrive for over 5 minutes plus. 
 
Does the term "justifible lawsuit" ring a bell?  Sounds like that, along with an investigative reporter who wont let go, are what's needed.  Hope the BFD member is doing well.
 
VB Capt - Good question.  I will have to ask.  From what I understand, the Boston Police and Boston EMS (a seperate agency) have co-located 911 emergency dispatch centers in downtown Boston(http://www.cityofboston.gov/ems/divisions/dispatchoperations.asp).  EMS "receives and prioritizes all incoming emergency medical calls, dispatches emergency units, coordinates with other public safety agencies".  The BFD has their own seperate fire alarm headquarters near Fenway Park.  The fire alarm division (68 reported personnel per their web page) includes dispatchers, call takers and communications personnel.  Many alarms, by the way, still come into Boston firehouses from pulled boxes the way they did many years ago as well as by a dispatcher directed system.  BFD engines and trucks rotate each month covering medical responses.  There must be some protocols for EMS or Police 911 call takers to contact fire dispatchers. 
 
Just spoke to my son after visiting the brother Boston firefighter from his firehouse who had the heart attack during which the first due engine response was cancelled by Boston EMS.  (earlier post.)  It has finally hit the news up there,  http://wbztv.com/local/iteam.boston.ems.2.1348849.html and investigations are underway.  It is unbelieveable that they (Boston 911 system) would not respond a BFD engine company with an AED 30 seconds away when someone (a firefighter no less) was in full cardiac arrest.  EMS appears to be battling the Boston Fire Department for medical responses for budget reasons.  In some cases, responding fire units appear to be cancelled by responding Boston EMS units who have not even reached the emergency scene yet, to take credit for the call.  This response was apparently coded wrong by the 911 call taker.  Stupid is as stupid does.  NYC is not alone with emergency dispatching problems.  The firefighter, 33 years old by the way, a really good guy, just had a breathing tube removed and hopefully appears to have turned the corner.   
 
Glad to hear the Boston Firefighter is doing okay. Whether a firefighter or not, they better straighten out that mess up there too. Never mind playing these stupid games with peoples lives. Somebody should have to answer for that and any other similar cases up there.
 
Another snafu this afternoon at 15:30

E293 and B39 were among units dispatched to Box 2099 - 95th Avenue and Roc kaway Blvd in Ozone Park - both units transmitted a 10-7 (verify address) and the Dispatcher (158) said she thought they had a problem with UCT - Sure enough the call was for a box on Rockaway Beach Blvd somewhere in B47's area.

Obviously this shouldn't happen but at least there is some correlation between the names of both streets. With that said, if FDNY was handling the call an experienced dispatcher would probably verify the name of the street or in this case may have been able, from the address number alone, to discern whether it was the Rockaways or Ozone Park.

Immediately after going 10-8 from this box B39 was given a Box in Brooklyn so their response probably took longer than their response from quarters. 
 
This has happened a few times. I posted one in August that they sent E293 to rockaway blvd and 86 street for rubbish. The call was really beach 86 st and rockaway beach blvd.
 
Ticket came over for the engine and the battalion:
R=EMERGENCY POSS SUICIDAL/PREVIOUS INCIDENT CODE 10-

1=STRUCTUAL UNK/ANI ALI LOC USED--NCB PP-----

UCT911- 1ST ALARM - RESIDENTIAL
E266 E265 T121 L137 BC47

BOX 1320 - 79-14 ROCKAWAYBEACH BLVD

BEACH80 ST  BEACH79 ST
E=MULT DWELL A 4 FLR/SMELLS SMOKES
COMING FROM VENT CB
CIDS:
MD 8 STY 240 X 65 SPKR THRUOUT
ELEVATOR RM 1ST FL BOILER RM ON ROOF
INCIDENT# 4
FDID: 09251-1320-01-5-0004

09/08/09 000637


1ST ALARM -UCT911(STRUCT)
E265 E266 T121 L134 BC47

BOX 1228 - 453 BEACH 63 ST

THURSBY AVE  BEACHCHANNEL DR
1=STRUCTUAL 311 OPR K4556/FC STS CROSS
ST'S THURSBY
INCIDENT# 254
FDID: 09228-1375-01-5-0254

08/16/09 164246

(This run they turned around everyone except the  first due engine and truck. After a few minutes they reassigned everyone because now UCT is saying theres a fire there.)


1ST ALARM -UCT911(STRUCT)
E266 L137

BOX 1334 - 88-18 ROCKAWAYBEACH BLVD

BEACH88 ST  BEACH 90 ST
R=EMERGENCY DANGEROUS COND/HAVE FD RESP
TO LOC D2156
INCIDENT# 276
FDID: 09170-1334-01-5-276

06/19/09 154419

(E266 to Queens, what is the dangerous condition were going to?
Disp: Its for live wires.)
 
Its telling them the elevator room is located on the 1st floor, and the boiler room is located on the roof.
 
QUEENS1985 said:
Its telling them the elevator room is located on the 1st floor, and the boiler room is located on the roof.
Click to expand...
And how often have we ever heard of a boiler on the roof?  ???
 
NYC DoITT Commissioner To Retire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A key official in charge of the city's problem-plagued 911 system upgrade has resigned.

Paul Cosgrave, commissioner of the Department of Information, Technology and Telecommunications, will retire on Dec. 31. "He made a commitment to the mayor to stay through the duration of his second term, and he's doing that," DoITT spokesman Nick Sbordone said. Under Cosgrave's watch, the 911 project, one of the biggest public safety efforts of the Bloomberg era, has ballooned in cost from $1.3 billion to $2 billion - and portions are two years behind schedule.

 
guitarman314 said:
What does: "ELEVATOR RM 1ST FL BOILER RM ON ROOF" mean? ??? ::)
Click to expand...





It means the elevator machinery room is on the 1st floor and the boiler room is on the roof.





This is CIDS information. It has nothing to do with UCT. Administrative company is responsible for CIDS.

All you buffs should know that.
 
guitarman314 said:
QUEENS1985 said:
Its telling them the elevator room is located on the 1st floor, and the boiler room is located on the roof.
Click to expand...
And how often have we ever heard of a boiler on the roof?  ???
Click to expand...

Many newer Class 1 buildings have the heating plant on the roof.
 
IN the Daily News on page23 is an article on how great the UCT is working!!!!!
 
This new temporary policy is a friggin joke. PD is interrogating the callers, transferring and a number of them are telling us to ask the questions. This is a bad situation, plain and simple.
 
In the Daily News another article on the UCT. try www.NYDailyNews.com,Gonzalez on dispatchers.
 
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