Volunteer Fire Departments

[Stephanie.]

Hello all! I live and work in a rural county, as an EMT, dispatcher, and volunteer fire fighter.. I am new to the area and learning alot but one thing I have realized is alot of fire departments get upset and irate when they aren't sent on a really bad call 'in their district' when it's one of those on the line, whose closer toss up.. But I'm sure they wouldn't waste their time to complain if it was a 'BS' call.. I personally don't use that term, simply because I feel that someone called 911 for a reason, it may not seem like a true emergency to us, but to them it is... And it can even be a cry for help. But when they bring in pictures of a rollover with two entrapment and a child involved.. Of course they are going to complain, that they think they are closer... I'm not sure why some are soo stingy 'about their district' when really it should be about the patient... Did they receive the services they needed..But I, as a dispatcher and EMT feel like that IS every call.. All wrecks, chest pains, S.O.B... Etc.. Are THAT call.. I'm not sure where I'm going with this.. But I just wanted to say that and see how everyone else feels..

 

[MrBrown]

Do they get irate when they aren't sent out as first responders to a toe pain or "feels unwell" or perhaps a cat stuck in a tree too?

My guess is no.

Because Fire Rescue here is nationalised (and we're the only nation in the world to have such a service) we simply send whoever is closer and they can call on other stations or resources as needed.

 

[Stephanie.]

Of course not...

 

[NYBLS]

This is the major problem with FF's mixing with EMS. They do not care about the patient, they care about the "cool wreck" or all the blood and guts they got to see. When you care about medicine, that "person not feeling well" can be your most challenging case, not the MVC w/ entrapment.

 

[46Young]

Simple solution, if you can get this written into your SOP's:

Dispatch what is believed to be the closest unit. If the first due unit thinks they're closer, ask them for their ETA. If they can beat the responding unit's ETA, then let them have it. But, if they aren't truthful in giving their ETA and arrive later than they said they would, then have your supervisor generate ppw on progressive discipline for that unit's officer. A verbal warning, a written one, then some LWOP if it continues will make everyone straighten up and fly right. A minute's difference is debateable, but being 2 or more minutes off of your ETA should be punishable.

Buffing jobs in NYC EMS is a frequent occurence. Dispatch started making us give ETA's to compare with other units. It works well, and keeps us honest. If you BS the dispatcher to buff the job, then you can get an NOI (notice of infraction) and possibly lose time off and such.

 

[46Young]

This is the major problem with FF's mixing with EMS. They do not care about the patient, they care about the "cool wreck" or all the blood and guts they got to see. When you care about medicine, that "person not feeling well" can be your most challenging case, not the MVC w/ entrapment.

If you're competing with another unit for the right to run a call, that's like resources, the same type of units responding. How are you trying to turn that into a FD vs EMS argument?

Also, when I worked NYC EMS, we all tried to buff the cool trauma or MVA rather than a Cx pain or diff breather, and we were all single role EMS, not fire. That mentality is common, and certainly not exclusive to FF's by a longshot.

 

[MrBrown]

That mentality is common, and certainly not exclusive to FF's by a longshot.

Indeed it seems to be

 

[CAOX3]

This is the major problem with FF's mixing with EMS. "In my opinion" They do not care about the patient, they care about the "cool wreck" or all the blood and guts they got to see. When you care about medicine, that "person not feeling well" can be your most challenging case, not the MVC w/ entrapment.

There I fixed that for ya.

 

[Stephanie.]

I wouldn't say it is all fire fighters that do this, but most of the ones that don't, are the ones that have a roll in EMS...

 

[akflightmedic]

I wouldn't say it is all fire fighters that do this, but most of the ones that don't, are the ones that have a roll in EMS...

Is there butter or jelly on that?

 

[TransportJockey]

Is there butter or jelly on that?

Why not both? Both is good

 

[Stephanie.]

Is there butter or jelly on that?

Haha.. My bad. Role**

 

[Stephanie.]

Why not both? Both is good

I agree.

 

[LucidResq]

The E stands for Emergency. Not ours, but other people's. As a result, the emergencies that we face will always be defined by their owners, and not by us.

The M stands for Medical. It doesn't stand for Me, and it has nothing to do with More Money for fire trucks, More political power or More public recognition. EMS is not just a public service; it's medicine. It needs to be driven by MDs, and not MBAs.

The S in EMS stands for Service. It has nothing to do with self esteem or any other kind of selfishness.

-People Care: Career-Friendly Practices for Professional Caregivers by Thom **** & Friends


I'm glad that you recognize "BS" calls for what they are, and that there is often something else going on beneath the surface of the toe pain call or what not. Unfortunately, there is likely little you can do to change the attitudes of the responders who don't get this. We can't stop people from getting in to this field for the wrong reasons and with misguided expectations. You can only keep up your own good work.

Ugh... it's revolting to me that they're acting like small children fighting over a toy. Sorry you have to put up with that.

 

[emt835]

I work in an are that has the same problem, more often then not i request the fire department to go with us and when we arrive if they arent needed we send them home, this way they cant complain about not getting called

 

[Trauma Chaser]

The real problem why we get upset going to some BLS calls is because those people are often well enough to get themselve to the hospital but because they can get a free ride and they think that they will be seen faster in the hospital and will not have to wait. So now you have resources that are being wasted out on a crap call because some dumby (I'm being nice) didn't want to drive or call a friend or cab. Now if there is a horrible accident or if someone really needs help it might not be there or might take longer to get there. You have to work on the other side for a while to understand what goes on.