# Unbelievable 911 Dispatcher gets fired



## EMTrigger (May 15, 2008)

Woke up this morning to watch CNN and came across this story

http://video.ap.org/v/Legacy.aspx?p=truveo&g=7c17f86b-46f4-4f5e-8605-c73e9b1c0364&partner=en-ap


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## Kimmy Schaub (May 15, 2008)

WOW OMG how crazy is that??


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## Guardian (May 15, 2008)

I saw nothing unbelievable or crazy in that clip.  Just a typical city dispatcher who was letting off a little steam AFTER hanging up the phone.  They have to take hundreds of these B.S. calls every day.  In the city I work in, this happens every day, and they say much worse things once they hang up.  

Police are sent to thousands and thousands of these types of calls.  If you can call 911 20 times and the mayor, I doubt your life is really in danger.  Quit crying wolf and expecting the police to smooth over problems with your lover.  And yes, police are usually only useful after a crime has been committed.


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## Tincanfireman (May 15, 2008)

This is the PD version of what goes on in the EMS world when you're providing taxi rides to the ER for our "Urban Outdoorsmen" and dispatch gets a reported multi-car MVC with a traumatic arrest or some other priority call. In a perfect world there are unlimited resources and no delays.  In reality, finite resources=prioritized response.  Does that mean the dispatcher was providing professional service to the caller?  Not for a minute, and the fact that the person is no longer with 911 indicates that it was probably not an isolated occurance. By the same token, it's not in the dispatcher's ability to do more than provide the updated information to the person making the decisions.  An unfortunate situation all the way around, but it's going to happen with greater frequency as people continue to consider emergency services as a personal valet service and resources dwindle in the face of a declining tax base.


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## VentMedic (May 15, 2008)

Guardian said:


> I saw nothing unbelievable or crazy in that clip.  Just a typical city dispatcher who was letting off a little steam AFTER hanging up the phone.  They have to take hundreds of these B.S. calls every day.  In the city I work in, this happens every day, and they say much worse things once they hang up.



This guy was still in training.  

1.  What would his attitude have progressed to after a few hundred more calls to his experience?

2.  Where was his preceptor?


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## BruceD (May 16, 2008)

So it's my understanding that that phrase was stated AFTER the caller hung up?  It appears to me that, since the caller spoke to "several" dispatchers without results, the city decided it had to fire someone so the newest guy got it.  

Surely no one out there thinks that an employer can't find some reason to fire anyone they want to?

-B


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## Guardian (May 16, 2008)

There are a lot of unknowns.  The dispatcher could have had 20 years experience somewhere else for all we know.  Or maybe, he had a bad attitude and deserved to be fired.  I'm just trying to offer a different point of view.  I've worked ems and dispatched in an inner city.  Right or wrong, I know exactly how this guy felt.  It upsets me when some outside news media comes flying in and makes us look bad.  Sadly, and ironically, we are amongst the only people that actually care about making a difference.  We are the only ones who are physically willing to get out there and do something.  When we get a little upset, the media is quick to pounce on us.  The media doesn't care about that stupid lady at all.  Neither does anyone else in a position to do anything about the problems faced in inner cities.  Except of course the virtually worthless politicians looking for votes and the few people like us who actually put our time and effort where our mouth is.  And what do we get for it?  When is the last time you actually saw the media address one of the real root causes of these problems?  They do not.  They are cowards.  They pander to the lowest common denominator.  They do more damage than good.  I’m glad the dispatcher acted the way he did to bring a major issue we face into the mainstream.  Instead of picking up on it, they focus on demonizing the lowly dispatcher as the source of the problem.  Shame on them.


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## Guardian (May 16, 2008)

And here is a fun little recording to show what I'm talking about...



http://youtube.com/watch?v=mL5P4tkOpTA


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## VentMedic (May 16, 2008)

It takes a special temperament and a genuine professional attitude to not let personal feelings make the judgment on calls.  Protocols should also be in place to prevent that. 

Luckily there are people out there who don't have a burnt out or racist/inner city attitude after just a few weeks or many years on the job and who can still function professionally without cursing before, during and/or after each call.    

Yes, this type of thing did make news not just because of the dispatcher swearing but also because of the whole time delay. And , yes, the media right now is discussing this at great length on CNN Prime News.  And no, they are not singling out EMTs and Paramedics to bash.


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## jazminestar (May 16, 2008)

i think that it was unprofessional......if u hate your job so much or are that jaded, then get out.......i understand we'll all hit burn out at some point (i did about 3 times in my previous career) but when you get to that point of just being mean about it, maybe it's time to rethink you're career or job choices.....we have to remember that peoples lives can be in the balance right? what if it really was a life threating call, or what if you were the one calling and you got some jaded dispatcher who thought you were another person crying wolf.........gawd i hope that never happens to me!!


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## Jango (May 16, 2008)

There are always two sides to every story.....I would like to hear more of the city's side rather than the caller.....The guy made the comment AFTER the call disconnected, so what?  Let the guy vent.


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## LE-EMT (May 16, 2008)

I have to agree.....  I want to hear the other side of the story.  Why was LE diverted, what other call were they responding to that took precedence over a woman with a knife to her neck,  How many officers are on duty, Why was she on the phone at one point for 15 minutes or more, why so many calls,  why did it take calling the mayor to get LEO's out there, how if her life was so threatened could she proceed to spend so much time on the phone.  I personally would like to see and investigation into all of these things.  It is illegal to call 911 for false claims.  It became a false claim when she wasn't found bleeding out on the floor and she called the mayor.  
Sounds to me like some one messed up and this dispatcher (new or old) took the burn for it.   His actions were unprofessional at the least.  But I also understand them.  I have many a time cleared a call, Patrol car and have had several "very nice" things to say about the vic, subject, and so on.  I hate to say this but his main error was he was on recording.  CYA take your head set off,  step away, smoke  a cigg, what ever but don't get caught saying that crap on recording.  
For the record it isn't EMS under scrutiny here it is Police and at worst all dispatchers.  I wouldn't be surprised to see more situations like this pop up over the next couple weeks.  Its unfortunate because it brings unneeded attention to all of us.


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## VentMedic (May 16, 2008)

The dispatcher did not take the rap for this. His remarks were made public when the incident was being investigated as to why it took 3 hours and the mayor's involvement to get this call taken care of.   It was during that time that they heard the dispatcher's remark which then skewed the attitude of the call which may not have been representative of all of the dispatchers involved.   It just was not the best to hear "I don't give a sh%$" when investigating a serious delay.   The other dispatchers displayed appropriate professionalism and attempted to get help to the caller without attitude.  

There are other reasons for this dispatcher's dismissal since it did come a month later and other incidents.


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## el Murpharino (May 16, 2008)

CNN reported on Headline News that the dispatcher got fired because he failed his final exam - he was in fact a trainee.  

The press seems to have a hard-on lately for 911 mishaps - perhaps this will be their new soapbox, or "shark bite" story for the time being...until another blond haired girl goes missing.


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## LE-EMT (May 16, 2008)

Thank you for the clarification.


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## mikeylikesit (May 28, 2008)

ooops. slip of the tounge there.


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