# Do you ever mess with dispatch to make ur night go by a little faster???



## jazminestar (Aug 8, 2008)

we did last night........just a little humor went somthing like this:

On our way to a GT, we hear one unit get canceld on a call, so we're about a .5 mile away from the hospital:

on the radio: San Diego, bls34 (that's us) confirm cancel

long pause 

Dispatch:  ummm, bls34 san diego, that's a negative

Tones go off, look at pager, "are you trying you jedi mind tricks on me?!?!?"

back on the radio:

san diego bls34, that's affirmative 
dispatch: (laughing as he comes one) bls34 san diego, copy 



omg, we were dying laughing in the rig.......it wasn't that big of deal, but we have been sooooo freakin' busy for the past 4 weeks or so, doing 6 to 7 calls easy a night, btwn GT's and level 4s (that's a lot for bls) that we were a little dillerious and i don't know why but i was pretty damn funny last night.......just thought i would share.......so do you guys mess with dispatch or other units at all to make ur nights go by faster???


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## mikeylikesit (Aug 8, 2008)

i don't mess with the dispatchers on purpose to avoid crying wolves and other mishaps. plus when you work a ton of 24 hour shifts back to back you don't want somebody messing with you when you're trying to sleep.


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## KEVD18 (Aug 8, 2008)

not too long ago, the private service i worked for wired up the trucks with gps locators. they didnt give us sat nav capability, just the tracking for them; which they promptly used to outright harass the crews. shortly thereafter, i happend to be down at fleet and the guy who did all the installs was down there troubleshooting an install that wasnt working. i saw him tracing all the wiring while i was smoking a cigarette. obviously the antenna was on the roof, but the interesting part was where they put the transponder box. behind the am/fm radio. well that was all i needed.

the next overnight, i brought in my tools and switched them all around. it was bloody hysterical the next day listening to dispatch arguing with crews about why they werent obeying their orders.

note: this didnt have any effect on pt care. those dispatchers werent using the gps to locate the nearest available unit for a 911 call. it was a transport company that didnt do much in the way of 911 work.


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## mycrofft (Aug 8, 2008)

*Well, no, but I used to do it the other way around (to firefighters).*

two or three  individuals were known to go out on flightline or "ramp" patrol in Patrol 13 at night, and coop up or turn the wheel all the way to one side and doze off in idle. If I didn't hear them for a while, I'd key up and say "10-4, 13". 

"Uh, uh, Control, 13, what was that?"

"13, Control, nothing".
hehhehhehhehheh.....


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## Airwaygoddess (Aug 9, 2008)

*Not a good idea.........*

Dispatch's  job is already hard enough to do.........


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## jazminestar (Aug 9, 2008)

Airwaygoddess said:


> Dispatch's  job is already hard enough to do.........



keep in mind everyone, this is bls dispatch, not als 911.......


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## KEVD18 (Aug 9, 2008)

Airwaygoddess said:


> Dispatch's  job is already hard enough to do.........



too true. that take out isnt going to eat itself(while it still hot mind you)

and having to pause that video game to answer or dispatch a call must be truly exhausting.

but the big question is, after i fininsh a 5 flight 385lb carry down, does my dipatchers back hurt too???


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## MedicPrincess (Aug 9, 2008)

You know, if your messing with your dispatchers just because your a buttnugget then you totally deserve what they send your way.....

However, if you get along with them and are having a slower day.... Its totally on!

AT LEAST once per shift, my trucks Next-Hell will have hysterical laughter come pouring out of it.  From our dispatchers who had spent the last however long messing with us.  But now that they are also recording our dispatches Next-Hell we have to be a bit more careful when we call them.  But it still can be done.  Especially when we have a new one up there!


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## mikie (Aug 9, 2008)

I don't quite remember the exact situation, but all I can recall is that when my collegue on the rig was about to go off air (radio, not O2), I'm pretty sure it came across as, "1u39 to d*ckscratch, we're clear"  

I was just waiting for hell to rain down on him for that remark but apparently they knew each other (the dispatcher and the person in the rig) and it was way late at night, no one else was on the air or heard it.


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## VentMedic (Aug 10, 2008)

Messing with a dispatcher is to the liking of making prank calls.  It should also be punishable as such.   

If anyone has ever worked BLS transport long enough they will know there are calls that should have been sent to ALS.  If the dispatcher is distracted by nonsense and misses some valuable information, bad things can happen especially to the patient. 

If you want to work in the world with the grown ups, accept the responsibility of your job and acknowledge that others may be trying to be professional on the job.  Your actions could also be a job ender for the dispatcher if they engage in child's play at work.   

There are also members of the public and PD who monitor scanners routinely and it is embarrassing to hear some of this crap on the radio especially if they are associated with the same company you work for.


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## Grady_emt (Aug 11, 2008)

VentMedic said:


> Messing with a dispatcher is to the liking of making prank calls.  It should also be punishable as such.
> 
> If anyone has ever worked BLS transport long enough they will know there are calls that should have been sent to ALS.  If the dispatcher is distracted by nonsense and misses some valuable information, bad things can happen especially to the patient.
> 
> ...




Nevermind tying up the radios for other units who may be trying to call for assistance.


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## Airwaygoddess (Aug 11, 2008)

*ALS and BLS, it does not matter......*

It is very true, the radio traffic is monitored more then you think......


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## ride2k (Aug 11, 2008)

Once two guys on the ambulance crew were speaking to one of the dispatch guys who was working but is also on our ambulance crew, were responding with fake nicknames... it was hilarious. Our budy on dispatch was like, wtf... who _are_ you? It gave a good laugh for a few days. 

Those on dispatch work long hours as well, they need a laugh too!!


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## mikie (Aug 11, 2008)

Airwaygoddess said:


> It is very true, the radio traffic is monitored more then you think......



Isn't it recorded in many places?


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## Grady_emt (Aug 11, 2008)

mikie333 said:


> Isn't it recorded in many places?




So long as it's not an encrypted channel on a traditional radio system, or a Nextel like service, then anyone can listen in also with a scanner.   As in, the general public, Media, etc...


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## VentMedic (Aug 11, 2008)

Other services and PD listen in to see who is running lights and sirens that they aren't dispatching to warn their units.  Often it is a BLS truck "expediting" a call that hits some 911 response unit when there is too much confusion with numerous sirens all blasting at the same time.   This means a dispatcher needs to be alert regardless of what type of service they work for and know what units they have out there for everyone's safety. 

With the recent national headlines, our dispatchers are put on notice that everything will be by the book which includes no goofing off on the radio.


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## Ridryder911 (Aug 11, 2008)

Making inappropriate or "prank" type radio conversations is a termination offense that I would suggest. Period. 

And yes, I do have a sense of humor. 

R/r 911


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## Airwaygoddess (Aug 11, 2008)

I like to say that San Luis Ambulance REQUIRES all EMT's and paramedics to sit at dispatch (up here they are called Med-Com) for a 12 shift as part of their new hire orientation.  This in turn, gives them a first hand view of what kind of stress that they encounter, and at the same time the skill and expertise that it takes to handle a critical  situation.  Every medic and EMT that I have spoken with say that it real was a eye opener  and they have a new found respect for that position.  I think that is a very good idea......


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## Jon (Aug 11, 2008)

My rig was hit out to assist a BLS rig the next town over (except that it was also in the next county). We went responding and were advised to use caution, there were multiple subjects onscene and at least one had been tased. I was tired... I replied with "sounds like fun".

No one's yelled at me... yet.


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## emt19723 (Aug 12, 2008)

our dispatchers tend to get a little pissy around here if they even THINK youre joking with them. then they call your sups., then your sup. rides your butt.....just gets ugly so, we tend to avoid it. We DO mess with the FFs though.   lol


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## MJordan2121 (Aug 12, 2008)

We have a couple of people on my shift who love to mess with the dispatchers. Two in particular always say "Meow" at the end of their radio communication with dispatch.


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## MMiz (Aug 12, 2008)

No one has ever asked for a wheel chair van intercept?  Come on.


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## TransportJockey (Aug 12, 2008)

MMiz said:


> No one has ever asked for a wheel chair van intercept?  Come on.



I've done that  My ALS unit will say 'Wambulance on scene'


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## PNWMedic (Aug 13, 2008)

*Meow?!?*

LOL I love that...

EMT: Hello sir, I am an EMT meow can you tell meow where you are meow?
PT: What?!?
EMT: I said can you tell me what appears to be the problem.... meow?
PT: Did you say meow???
EMT: Why would I say Meow? Sir do you think this is funny.... Meow?
PT: There you said it again!
EMT: Said what? Did you hit your head meow?
PT: Why are you saying Meow?!?

Fun game! How many times can you say "meow" to a patient on a call? lol just kidding!


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## PNWMedic (Aug 13, 2008)

BTW the "meow" thing is from the movie _super troopers_


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## rhan101277 (Aug 13, 2008)

MMiz said:


> No one has ever asked for a wheel chair van intercept?  Come on.



What is a wheel chair van intercept?  Is that like making fun of the older ambulances?


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## emt19723 (Aug 13, 2008)

WildEMT said:


> LOL I love that...
> 
> EMT: Hello sir, I am an EMT meow can you tell meow where you are meow?
> PT: What?!?
> ...




LMAO   thats some good s*** right there!!!


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## ride2k (Aug 13, 2008)

Oh gosh, gotta love "Super Troopers".


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## TransportJockey (Aug 13, 2008)

rhan101277 said:


> What is a wheel chair van intercept?  Is that like making fun of the older ambulances?



Since I work in a transport service, for us a wheel chair van intercept is a patient who does not need to be transported by ambulance, but the hospital does not want to wait for  family member or medivan to show up to transport back to SNF. If the patient has medicare and is not bed confined or have a medical condition requiring ambulance transport, I will refuse right then and there to transport and  call SMT (Our companies medivan service) (since medicare would thereby deny that claim sticking the bill to the pt. I refuse to make some little old lady on a fixed income go through something like that.)


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## IrishEMT (Aug 14, 2008)

Hah, no. But I have known some people to call in radio checks at 4 am to mess with the sleeping crew. Such was my first shift at the new company. Sigh.


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## daedalus (Aug 14, 2008)

VentMedic said:


> Other services and PD listen in to see who is running lights and sirens that they aren't dispatching to warn their units.  Often it is a BLS truck "expediting" a call that hits some 911 response unit when there is too much confusion with numerous sirens all blasting at the same time.   This means a dispatcher needs to be alert regardless of what type of service they work for and know what units they have out there for everyone's safety.
> 
> With the recent national headlines, our dispatchers are put on notice that everything will be by the book which includes no goofing off on the radio.


I like that. I used to get that all the time from my previous company. Unit 82, please "expedite". I got so mad, because they imply they want you to break the law, but do not come right out and say it. What does that mean? A unjustified code 3? Speeding illegally code 2? No no of course not it just means hurry but if you dont go code you will get written up, and if someone calls and complains you will still get written up. Private companies....


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