Can't belive they won't answer

[ma2va92]

:angry: :angry: OK .. hope this one will go in this area...

I'm in a rural area.... so all rescue squads are vol. ..... so around the county line's there there is alot of over laping in calls... we are all set up with 1st , 2nd 3rd. and so on... but for the past couple of weeks.. the EGO seems to be getting in the way of the county next to us.... ya here the call ...... elderly m or f needs help getting up from a fall.. not uncommon ..... pt' vomiting doctors what them transported..... ie: lots of simple calls... they get toned out 1, 2, 3 time then last call before turn over to the next squad .. they our pager goes... we respond.. with out problem... not have a call on the same street with intrest .. ie: MVA .. pt in full arrest... and interesting case ... they answer before the for address is givin.... maybe it's just me... every call form the person maying the call is a emergency... it's not up to the squad to decide weather or not to respond .... someone has called for help... and I have decided to vol. to help those that need help.... not to decode what dispatch has said and pick only calls that would be of intrest... this just tick's me off so much.....I have spoken with my capt. and he say really there is nothing that can be done.. they to a vol. and all they have to say is no one was around.. they didn't hear the call .. I would like to be able to pick and choose.. but i will not lower myself to that level..... I hope none of these pt's that are call have scanners ... in there homes... when they hear on the private channels .. "never mind that one"... sorry for going on and on.... JUST PO'ED

 

[ffemt8978]

Unfortunately, I think you are faced with a growing problem for volunteer squads nationwide.

Without getting into a discussion of volunteers picking and choosing the calls that they want to respond to, I agree that this is a serious problem. I just don't have the answer for it, but have heard of some other things that have been done to improve call response.

1. Quota Calls - Each member will be required to respond to a minimum percentage of calls during a fixed period (usually one year). Failure to meet the quota may result in corrective action, including probation and/or removal from the department.

2. Scheduled Shifts - Members sign up to work specified shifts, and are required to respond to ALL calls during that time.

3. Mutual Aid Billing - Re-write your mutual aid contract to include billing their department for you having to respond to "No Show Calls". It is important to specify that this will only be for calls when their department does not request your assistance, but only when you're called out because they don't respond.

These changes must obviously be implemented by the problem department, except #3. I wouldn't hold my breath for any of them, though.

 

[ma2va92]

I do know for a fact that they have people per shift... because they stay at the station... .. always though that was great being they vol. .... and we have set up a quota for our dept.. that has help us alot.. hmmmm billing... I will have to rember not to hold my breath..lol...
thank you for the reply...

 

[rescuecpt]

There's always the old standby (last resort) of contacting the State Health Department. If these other companies "can't" seem to get a crew to every call, the State needs to step in and implement procedures that will either insure that they can, or disband them and send the tax payer $$ to squads like yours who can respond. A little bit of State (or County) involvement goes a long way towards improving response turnouts, response times, and level of care, regardless of the interest or lack of interest in the call.

 

[lastcode]

I do not think you can blame the vollies for missing day calls. Maybe night calls. I ride for a vol. station that does not have set crews during the day due to lack of membership. Alot of people on squad are farmers or factory workers and are not allowed by there bosses to respond unless its serious. I know it pains everyone in my squad when we can't get a crew. Maybe the vollies you think are picking and choosing have jobs that allow them to get out for serious calls. I know my squad would have a paid squad during the day except our call volume is not high enough to pay a crew. And we recieve no gov. funding on any level.

 

[TTLWHKR]

Ya know... Everyone has this problem. We want our service to be the best... The best for us and the best for our community. We have no paid members, we all volunteer. For two ambulances; 24/7/365 we have 8 EMT's and 4 drivers. We always get both ambulances out on the first set of tones. Usually with in 2-4 minutes.

An ambulance service that we usually have to cover for, is paid on call. They always go 1st, 2nd; sometimes 3rd set of tones before responding. Sometimes they don't respond at all. They lost their license for a year for not responding at all.

Another service 6 miles away with one ambulance; has 19 EMT's and 1 EMT-P on the roster. They can NEVER get out unless it's between 5pm-12pm. And most of them don't even work. :blink: They pick and choose their calls big time.

Another service refuses to respond, on every call. And nothing gets done about it b/c they have the leaders of the EMS region wrapped around their fingers.

Now with all these services not doing a damn thing; here we are-taking all the slack; and they get all the EMS grants for more equipment... pisses me off.ONE CALL... WE CAN'T ANSWER ONE CALL B/C THE AMBULANCE DIES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.... and we get abused and treated like the red-headed step child and why? because someone had to help us out for a change? No, it's b.c they hate us for doing a better job than they do, and enjoying what we do. We respond quickly, we do it with equipment we worked to buy ourselves, we do it with legal crews, we don't charge as much, and we have about 600 more calls than everyone else-not including the ones we have to take of theirs.

I say, if they don't want to respond. Great, step down, let us take the area. Add more crews, more ambulances; pay people... :angry:

 

[ma2va92]

Originally posted by Blueeighty8@Aug 27 2004, 05:36 PM
Ya know... Everyone has this problem. We want our service to be the best... The best for us and the best for our community. We have no paid members, we all volunteer. For two ambulances; 24/7/365 we have 8 EMT's and 4 drivers. We always get both ambulances out on the first set of tones. Usually with in 2-4 minutes.

An ambulance service that we usually have to cover for, is paid on call. They always go 1st, 2nd; sometimes 3rd set of tones before responding. Sometimes they don't respond at all. They lost their license for a year for not responding at all.

Another service 6 miles away with one ambulance; has 19 EMT's and 1 EMT-P on the roster. They can NEVER get out unless it's between 5pm-12pm. And most of them don't even work. :blink: They pick and choose their calls big time.

Another service refuses to respond, on every call. And nothing gets done about it b/c they have the leaders of the EMS region wrapped around their fingers.

Now with all these services not doing a damn thing; here we are-taking all the slack; and they get all the EMS grants for more equipment... pisses me off.ONE CALL... WE CAN'T ANSWER ONE CALL B/C THE AMBULANCE DIES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.... and we get abused and treated like the red-headed step child and why? because someone had to help us out for a change? No, it's b.c they hate us for doing a better job than they do, and enjoying what we do. We respond quickly, we do it with equipment we worked to buy ourselves, we do it with legal crews, we don't charge as much, and we have about 600 more calls than everyone else-not including the ones we have to take of theirs.

I say, if they don't want to respond. Great, step down, let us take the area. Add more crews, more ambulances; pay people... :angry:

WOW you hit the nail right on the head....almost exact for us..well we will still deal with it... the problem has beeen address to some degree...in our squad.. it's in our heart if we are 1st 2nd or 3rd due.. to be there and do the best we can....nad when the others of another squad do show up.. {IF}... we jsut say thanks for coming we got it....

 

[croaker260]

If they made your availablilty for grants based on your % of response vs call outs, that would give some incentive

 

[ma2va92]

just a bit of a update.... it would seem that the county in question.... screw up a bit.. .... when then had made the comments about not this call lets wait till the next one it was heard on the radio but the right person(wrong for them).. the paper work got moving... the complaint's were filled... and the stuff(u know ) hit the fan.. well now ... what they do now... first the first due is toned.. if they do not respond.. it goes to a complete county tone... calls are now being answered... and the problem has been correct.... thanks for ya input... I took some of your things to our meetings.....
.. but ya know... if ya give a person enough rope.. they will hang themselfs

 

[ffemt8978]

Originally posted by GVRS672@Sep 13 2004, 06:54 AM
if ya give a person enough rope.. they will hang themselfs

Giving you guys another call to respond to in their area. :blink: