What Happens When You Call 911 in Washington, DC?

[emtsteve87]

I don't know if anyone has seen this, but my brother sent me the link this morning.

http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/11153.html

 

[JPINFV]

One reason that EMS calls in upper Northwest DC are light is because of a long-standing agreement between the District and the Bethesda–Chevy Chase (B-CC) Fire and Rescue Squad. Instead of calling 911, residents and some institutions in upper Northwest DC often dial the ten-digit number for B-CC Fire and Rescue. According to Chief Ned Sherburne, B-CC makes 500 or more runs into Northwest DC every year.

You know your system is screwed up when the public is willing to learn a 10 digit phone number to avoid calling you via 911.

 

[javajunkie]

Rosenbaum was the retired New York Times journalist who, attacked and severely beaten near his home, died after emergency medical personnel mistakenly assumed he was drunk and failed to provide appropriate care.
--------
When a fire truck with firefighter emergency medical technicians (EMTs) arrived, they asked if Yin had been drinking. They were told no. A firefighter asked Yin her name. When Yin didn’t answer, the firefighter told her, “I’m going to tell them at the hospital that you are uncooperative, so when you die it will not be my fault.”

And just like the North Carolina article, here are more cases of altered-mental-status-equals-drunk. Good reminder to us all to not assume anything...

 

[firecoins]

This is horrible.

 

[Sasha]

You know your system is screwed up when the public is willing to learn a 10 digit phone number to avoid calling you via 911.

You know the system is screwed up when there's a.. .what..five page article? on how much the system sucks.

 

[Sieldan]

You know the system is screwed up when there's a.. .what..five page article? on how much the system sucks.

Try 14 pages, Sasha!

 

[emtfarva]

Read this:

http://www.jems.com/news_and_articles/articles/jems/3401/from_worst_to_first.html

This is about the article you have there.

 

[Aidey]

Ok, So I haven't had time to read the whole article yet, but the more I learn about other systems the less and less I like fire departments that do EMS 1/2 way. Maybe I just haven't heard about a system that gets it right, but ALS Engines that respond, but then have a separate agency transport seem to be a huge problem in a lot of places. I agree with the comment made that it is a way for FDs to justify themselves without actually having to transport.

Hopefully the information in the other article is correct, and DC really is making the drastic changes needed to turn their system around.