Did Michael Jackson have only Paramedics attending to him, or also EMT's?

[PeterB]

Here in Los Angeles, it appears that the Fire Department works with ambulance companies, so each 911 call gets both FD Paramedics and Ambulance Company EMT's, am I right?

But I didn't see an ambulance on the news yesterday. Usually I can spot the McCormick or Care or Schaefer Ambulance in the background on a news story about an accident around here.

Michael Jackson lived right off Sunset Blvd about a mile from UCLA. I think it is the city of Westwood.

I am just curious if EMT's went to his house. Maybe in some areas there are no private ambulance companies assisting LAFD.

AND, when a 911 call comes in, does the dispatcher know if it is a celebrity? Is there any list of certain addresses? I know they don't give the name of the person over the phone.

Are us EMT's sent to celebrity's houses?

Peter

 

[Sapphyre]

Peter, LAFD transports for itself. Their rigs are all red, just like the fire trucks. Yes, LAFD ambulances are staffed by EMTs.

The news, generally, knows where the celebrities live, when they hear the address, they go, hoping it's the celebrity.

As far as MJ specifically, I don't know, and, I assume that if someone here DID transport/attend to him, they wouldn't say so.


I just want to add on, no, I most definitely not there, I was still in bed, asleep

 

[MMiz]

I can answer one question:

AND, when a 911 call comes in, does the dispatcher know if it is a celebrity? Is there any list of certain addresses? I know they don't give the name of the person over the phone.

Sometimes celebrities and the like call and have "flags" put in dispatch systems so that it registers the address as "special" to some degree. It's also common for diabetic patients, schools (location of AEDs), and large complexes. The flags will pop up both when the call is taken and at the dispatch console.

What is more common is that the call provider will provide the information over the phone to the call taker.

Of course EMTs are sent to celebrities houses. It happens all of the time.

 

[Scout]

With out knowing LA, I'd say once you give your address they have a very good idea of your income.


You saying every call gets 2 ambulances?

 

[ClarkKent]

Since Michael was staying at a rented mansion, I do not think that they know it was him. Plus if you look at some of the photos on the net, it is LAFD that took him to the ED

 

[Sapphyre]

You saying every call gets 2 ambulances?

No, Scout. In LALA land, ambulances are handled one of four ways. Private basic/basic rigs who transport for fire, fire basic/basic rigs, private rigs with at least one of the two crew members being a medic, and fire rigs with at least one of the two crew members being a medic.

If you've got a basic/basic rig, the medic comes from a squad or the engine, which follows the ambulance to the hospital. In LALA land, fire owns the scene....

 

[Sapphyre]

Since Michael was staying at a rented mansion, I do not think that they know it was him.

News was obviously there, someone tipped them.

 

[PeterB]

I have only done one ride-along

I have only done my ride-along, so I could be wrong. That day, we responded to six 911 calls. At that company, both the LAFD AND McCormick respond to the 911 call. Sometimes we beat the LAFD there, and sometimes they beat us there. But we transported the patient every time. Two times that day, a paramedic jumped into OUR rig to do the ALS on a patient. The red LAFD rig followed us to the hospital to pick up their paramedic.
I did look at the Paramedic rig, it seemed they could transport a patient in there, they had those big doors. But they had us do it.

So I am not sure about all this. Why does it seem that in some areas only the LAFD is responding and no ambulance company?

I also thought that here in Los Angeles, only Paramedics work for the LAFD. I have never heard of them having EMT's on their rigs.

Straighten me out, people.

Peter

 

[PeterB]

Thanks, Sapphyre, I didn't know about the four transport ways in L.A. I am starting to understand the system.

Peter

 

[VentMedic]

Celebrities are entitled to the same response from EMS as any other citizen. No more and no less. However, the dispatch may notify PD for additional resources. Many times it may be the celebrity's security system or personnel doing the notification.

We have had celibrities' "people" and sometimes hotel management try to tell use to come in very slowly and quietly through the back alley to the service entrance as to not attrack attention. We would only do that if it did not delay our arrival time and it was actually possible to move a patient from that entrance. For some, we have tried to get in and out as quickly as possible or we would have to wait for PD to clear the way if a large crowd gathers. That can get dangerous for the EMS crews and the bystanders. You end up with more patients than just the celebrity.

We also depend on our transport personnel, be it contract or staff, to respect privacy. Occasionally we will move a high profile patient to a different location at another hospital just ensure safety. While our security guards and LEOs are excellent, crazed fans and reporters will find a way inside even if they have to bribe someone to use their name badge.

 

[minneola24]

Celebrities are entitled to the same response from EMS as any other citizen. No more and no less. However, the dispatch may notify PD for additional resources. Many times it may be the celebrity's security system or personnel doing the notification.

We have had celibrities' "people" and sometimes hotel management try to tell use to come in very slowly and quietly through the back alley to the service entrance as to not attrack attention. We would only do that if it did not delay our arrival time and it was actually possible to move a patient from that entrance. For some, we have tried to get in and out as quickly as possible or we would have to wait for PD to clear the way if a large crowd gathers. That can get dangerous for the EMS crews and the bystanders. You end up with more patients than just the celebrity.

We also depend on our transport personnel, be it contract or staff, to respect privacy. Occasionally we will move a high profile patient to a different location at another hospital just ensure safety. While our security guards and LEOs are excellent, crazed fans and reporters will find a way inside even if they have to bribe someone to use their name badge.

I agree however I really don't understand why the camera followers film celebrities when they are in a life/death emergency. They were sticking their cameras in the back of the ambulance windows when they were transporting Michael out of the residence.

 

[ClarkKent]

News was obviously there, someone tipped them.

The paparazzi definitely knew where he was, but as far as dispatch knowing, I don't think so. But hey that is only my 2 cents

 

[daedalus]

Peter, LAFD transports for itself. Their rigs are all red, just like the fire trucks. Yes, LAFD ambulances are staffed by EMTs.

The news, generally, knows where the celebrities live, when they hear the address, they go, hoping it's the celebrity.

As far as MJ specifically, I don't know, and, I assume that if someone here DID transport/attend to him, they wouldn't say so.


I just want to add on, no, I most definitely not there, I was still in bed, asleep

The rig that responded to his house was a paramedic unit.

 

[JPINFV]

No, Scout. In LALA land, ambulances are handled one of four ways. Private basic/basic rigs who transport for fire, fire basic/basic rigs, private rigs with at least one of the two crew members being a medic, and fire rigs with at least one of the two crew members being a medic.

If you've got a basic/basic rig, the medic comes from a squad or the engine, which follows the ambulance to the hospital. In LALA land, fire owns the scene....

Although to be fair, there are some areas immediately south of LALA land where you will see two ambulances and an engine or truck on scene. Oh, sorry, it's not an ambulance, it's a rescue that doesn't transport. Strange, it looks like an ambulance and carries a gurney like an ambulance, but it's not.

Medic Van: An ambulance type vehicle staffed with two certified paramedics. This unit carries a full complement of paramedic equipment. Under extreme conditions or when fire personnel are injured, these units are used to transport patients.

http://www.ocfa.org/pages/ocfa.asp?filename=fireterms.asp

 

[VentMedic]

I agree however I really don't understand why the camera followers film celebrities when they are in a life/death emergency. They were sticking their cameras in the back of the ambulance windows when they were transporting Michael out of the residence.

This is so members of the many EMS forums can analyze the photos to death.

 

[JPINFV]

Vent:

Like when Britney Spears was placed on a psych hold? Good times... good times.

 

[AnthonyM83]

At that company, both the LAFD AND McCormick respond to the 911 call.

Here is where the confusion is coming from. On your ride-along, you were running with LACoFD. LA County Fire uses private ambulance companies to transport. The paramedics arrive in a "squad" (looks like a modified pickup utility truck). Santa Monica and Torrance also use this system.

LAFD (FD for Los Angeles City proper) have their own LAFD ambulances. ALS and BLS ones. In the news clips, you can definitely see the ambulance on-scene, both backing out of the scene and when they arrived at the ER.

As far as everyone knowing it was the Jackson residence. People DO give that info over the phone to dispatch. Dispatch would then assign extra resources (for media, crowd control, safety, etc). The information wouldn't be given over the radio or MDT, though. There are many celebrities in LA, so the department's gotten a hang of what is needed for such calls. Paparazzi were likely posted outside the home or in close vicinity anyway. For someone like MJ, there's always a trail on him.

 

[Ridryder911]

You can listen to the 911 dispatch tape on TMZ. One can hear that no name was given except a 50 year old male with breathing problems and that a physician was administering CPR.

I do doubt the arriving crew knew who it was PTA. I am sure there was some heated conversation as it was the physician on the scene that "demanded" that they work him. From some reports it appeared he had been down for a while. As well, now the reports are coming out that this "cardiologist" was not licensed in the state of California (or yet still being reported).

Sounds like a cluster, and glad it was one call I missed. Sympathy to the crew...

R/r 911

 

[EMT007]

Here is where the confusion is coming from. On your ride-along, you were running with LACoFD. LA County Fire uses private ambulance companies to transport. The paramedics arrive in a "squad" (looks like a modified pickup utility truck). Santa Monica and Torrance also use this system.

LAFD (FD for Los Angeles City proper) have their own LAFD ambulances. ALS and BLS ones. In the news clips, you can definitely see the ambulance on-scene, both backing out of the scene and when they arrived at the ER.

As far as everyone knowing it was the Jackson residence. People DO give that info over the phone to dispatch. Dispatch would then assign extra resources (for media, crowd control, safety, etc). The information wouldn't be given over the radio or MDT, though. There are many celebrities in LA, so the department's gotten a hang of what is needed for such calls. Paparazzi were likely posted outside the home or in close vicinity anyway. For someone like MJ, there's always a trail on him.

This is correct - and the company that responded (71's) has both a paramedic rescue and a paramedic assessment engine (3 Firefighter/EMTs and 1 Firefighter/paramedic). 71's has a huge first-in area including the north-east corner of UCLA's campus and a massive area north of Sunset basically up to Mullholand. They cover the playboy mansion and a lot of other celebrity homes, so I'm sure this wasn't anything unusual for them.

 

[Sapphyre]

The rig that responded to his house was a paramedic unit.

Thank you, didn't know LAFD staffed medic rigs, only ever ran into basic rigs....