911 bystanders bill

[Medico]

Is anyone aware of services that bill bystanders who call 911 and do not remain on scene?

I was speaking with a provider from Florida who mentioned an ordinance allowing services to bill bystanders if they leave the scene. This is to encourage them to stay on scene and direct responders to who they had called for.

I have not been able to find any reference material.

 

[DesertMedic66]

That is a horrible idea that will prevent people from calling 911

 

[StCEMT]

I haven't, but it sounds like a **** idea.

 

[Jim37F]

How would they even know who to bill? Are they gonna get a court order to subpoena phone records to try and figure out the billing address for the cell phone? Somehow I doubt they'll have a successful means of actually billing these people...

 

[Summit]

Good idea fairy strikes again

 

[Peak]

What would you even bill them for? What if the bystander called for a violent psych patient? What if the scene had hazardous materials exposure and you mandated the bystander stay, who is going to cover the medical bills and civil payout when the bystander gets harmed from you law? What are proposing is essentially a fine for calling 911 if they don't stay.

I've called 911 and non-emergency lines for various incidents back when I was responding to the station or when going to the hospital for call, should I delay the care of my patients in the hospital so that I can babysit the bum fight?

You can bet lots of dollars that I'm not going to do anything for self extricating parties from MVCs, but I'll happily fill out a witness statement for PD so that the jerk who drove like an idiot gets the ticket and not the law abiding victim; almost guaranteed someone is going to complain that their ankle/shoulder/neck hurts.

 

[Medico]

I dont believe it is necessarily a bad idea. It should be reviewed in context of the system implementing such a policy/ordinance. For example, in a system that has a large homeless population and commuters who call 911 for the "unresponsive, not breathing" person for the third time that day who is sleeping or the psych patient in a group of 30 other individuals standing around under am overpass, it isnt a bad idea to have a caller remain on scene. This is of particular importance with limited resources. If someone is confident an individual needs help, it is not unreasonable to request they stay.

The provider from Florida explained that the fee is added to their cell phone bill, similar to text message rates/fees.

 

[DesertMedic66]

I dont believe it is necessarily a bad idea. It should be reviewed in context of the system implementing such a policy/ordinance. For example, in a system that has a large homeless population and commuters who call 911 for the "unresponsive, not breathing" person for the third time that day who is sleeping or the psych patient in a group of 30 other individuals standing around under am overpass, it isnt a bad idea to have a caller remain on scene. This is of particular importance with limited resources. If someone is confident an individual needs help, it is not unreasonable to request they stay.

The provider from Florida explained that the fee is added to their cell phone bill, similar to text message rates/fees.

So if I call 911 because I see a car accident on the freeway and don’t stop because I don’t feel safe means I get charged? All this is going to do is prevent citizens calling 911 in the first place. I would rather have someone call 911 for something that looks odd than not call 911 at all and it turns out to be something critical. What if I let someone use my phone to call 911? Technically I did not call 911 which means I shouldn’t get charged for something I didn’t do.

There are many other ways of dealing with abuse of the 911 system. Charging citizens who call 911 and leave is not the answer.

 

[CCCSD]

It’s completely unreasonable to require them to stay. As has been said already, and should they try and add some type of fee, I’m sure that can be taken to court and be removed. Not to mention a class action lawsuit and a dampening of citizens calling for help if they are now worried that they will be charged a fee for not staying.

I’d really like to see this bill/Law/regulation, and also how the “fee” system works with existing cellular providers and contracts. Please post them.

 

[Chimpie]

I was speaking with a provider from Florida who mentioned an ordinance allowing services to bill bystanders if they leave the scene. This is to encourage them to stay on scene and direct responders to who they had called for.

I want to know what county/city/town this is from. You can PM if you'd like. I can quickly confirm or deny this.

The provider from Florida explained that the fee is added to their cell phone bill, similar to text message rates/fees.

Stop. Just stop. There's no way this is logistically possible. Who would get the money? The cell service provider? The 911 center? The responding department? What about if multiple departments responded?

 

[DrParasite]

I think that law was passed around the same time that requires an off duty EMT to stop at wrecks.... or the one that says if you have an EMT sticker on your car, you can have your certification yanked if you fail to stop and assist at a crash scene. Or how you can be sued successfully if you fail to provide aid to someone in need if you are certified and off duty....

You should ask that provider to actually show the actual law, because it's likely an urban legend that has been passed on from senior provider to new provider, with no basis is facts or reality.

 

[chriscemt]

...because it's likely an urban legend that has been passed on...

This.