Croton - Subject pinned under car

[BFD1054 1,552]

Just wanted to give kudos to Croton 119-1 (Capt. aka Remember585, WCDES 642, 8860) & 119-3 (Lt. Fergie) for a job well done today! 119-1 for realizing that the ambulance wouldn't have been able to do jack s**t if someone was trapped & requesting (and i believe driving), R-18! 119-3 for a hell of a job of getting there & giving a great size-up. I'm not quite sure, but i believe we've had discussions about dispatching before, but i'll bring it up again! Person trapped under a car, supposedly confirmed, and an ambulance only is dispatched...not good! A respected FD Lieutenant/EMT requested Stat-Flight on stand-by and E118 on s/b, neither was done as stated by 1075thebox. Something needs to be done, but hell of a job to both the Capt. & Lieut. of 119!

[CFD320 35]

Croton Fire & EMS Dispatch is a shambles, and has been since a paticuar CPD sargent retired.

It is a complex problem with a very simple solution. (Now that the tones have been changed)

You know who I am, so if you have a problem with my above statements, come see me about it.

[Remember585 815]

Police Officers aren't dispatchers, and dispatchers aren't Police Officers. That's the simplicity of it.

Our PD is very good at doing their jobs as Police Officers. On scene we almost always work well together, and help one another out when we need to.

To say they are horrible at dispatching is kind of harsh. One person is manning the desk. This is usually the Sergeant. If we get any kind of call involving a roadway - they are overwhelmed immediately. The phones ring off the hook from all of the passer-bys reporting an incident someone usually is already at. Then our FD and EMS have to be dispatched and monitored on one radio. The PD units are on another. If our IC needs something - chances are he is calling at the same time a PD unit is - and generally the PD radio traffic is more closely monitored then ours.

Easiest solution - give 'em a break. Get the FD and EMS out of their already busy headquarters, and pass it off to an agency that "Specializes" in the field.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Even more simple. Switch to an agency that focuses on emergency services dispatching. I've heard time and time again from a few that I know (not as well as those mentioned in the post, or those who have posted) the excuse that "we like having control of our dispatching" and "we tried and they had things all screwed up." BS comments # 1 & 2.

The first step of having a problem is admitting it. Which from knowing most of the guys there, they have, except for the ones that actually have to get up and make the change. The second is just like Nike says...just do it.

[x635 4,066]

Just an interesting persepctive to consider, would you let Firefighters dispatch a police agency? Then why is it the other way around?

Cops aren't firefighters, nor are they fire dispatchers. This is 2004, almost 2005....it's not the 1950's.....FD/EMS dispatch is a whole new ballgame now. I agree with Remember585 and ALSFirefighter

[Guest WolfEMT]

I'm not entirely sure what the entire story is regarding the Croton incident, but I'd like to share some insight. As some of you know, I'm an EMT in Monmouth County NJ and I reside in NY while I go to school (Pace Westchester). I also work for the Monmouth County Sheriff's Department, which has a communications division that handles the County 911 System. However, not all of the 52 Monmouth County municipalities are dispatched by County. For instance, my hometown is Manalapan; EMS and Fire are dispatched by County, where as PD isn't, but whenever you call 911, it goes to County first. You speak with a call taker and state the nature of the call - crime, fire, or medical - and depending on the nature of the call, it is routed appropriately. If it is a 911 call for PD, then the call taker taps a button on their control panel and it immediately rings a hotline at MTPD headquarters. If it is a 911 call for EMS or FD, then the call taker taps the button and the call is routed to the EMS or FD dispatcher.

As far as cops being dispatchers, such is not the case. Although the County 911 System falls within the jurisdiction of the Sheriff's Department, the call center staff are all civilian personnel who are merely overseen by a law enforcement officer.

Conversely, the town next to mine, Marlboro Township, dispatches themselves for everything - PD, FD, and EMS. If a resident in Marlboro calls 911, again, it rings County Dispatch who will in turn instantaneously route the call to Marlboro PD. This process is instantaneous so the caller does not have to wait. From there, the PD dispatcher will tone out the appropriate agency depending on the type of call.

However, communication is key. I'm sure everyone here knows that some callers will state erroneous facts while on the line with 911, and if the dispatcher acts on such erroneous facts, then he or she cannot be faulted. A dispatcher's job is to act based on what the caller is saying; it doesn't matter if the dispatcher is a cop, a fire fighter, or an EMT, so long as the dispatcher does his or her job effectively and with the interests of the community at heart.

[Guest]

Dispatch Protocol, Protocol, Protocol! Establish them!

PD's should not be dispatching FD's. If you know there is a

problem stop talking about it and CORRECT IT!

Ask yourself this question, Are you and your family members

receiving the best service available? (911 Dispatchers)

[roeems87 0]

Worked for us. It wasn't so much FD dispatching, but EMS just recently switched from PD dispatching to 60-Control along with the FD. It works much better. Our Operations and dispatch frequencies are the same with the FD, it allows for better communication between us (being we are on many of the same calls). We still have easy radio comms with the PDs (Eastchester, Tuckahoe, and Bronxville), but when it comes down to it, having better (more accurate, faster, and people that answer you when you are calling them) dispatching truly provides for a safer environment--not to mention, much better for the people in need of our services. All-in-all, if there is a problem with being dispatched, more than ANYTHING else, that needs to be addressed. Not to mention, it is not safe for one person to be on the desk responsible for PD, FD, and EMS. It's not safe for anyone on scenes or the people calling. Someone mentioned an instance where there is an accident on a roadway. One of those phone calls that is coming in (amidst the "passers-by") could be a woman having a heart attack, or a man calling because someone is waving a gun in a bank, or because their house in burning down. Despite it all, there needs to be more help in that room. If not, dole out responsibility, 60 CONTROL!!! Or whatever needs to be done, but for your safety, and those you are helping, please, do it.

[Guest WolfEMT]

I'm not too familiar with 60 Control, but do they have designated FD and EMS dispatchers? Also, Westchester is a fairly large county - is it broken down into smaller sections with a FD and EMS dispatcher for each section? That would make more sense...

[BFD1054 1,552]

Ahh, glad to see that people actually responded to my post, great points by all!

I just want to say that i am in no way bashing this particular PD agency. I am sure that they are a good police department and have good officers. As i have said in the past, as well as other posters, PD's should not be dispatching FDs/EMS, they have enough on their plates as it is! I was a dispatcher, so i know how hard & overwhelming it can get, its definately not easy & i give dispatchers a lot of credit. As Remember585 said (and he would know), dispatchers (PD or FD) have enough going on, their work load should be lightened, not increased. As stated, in most cases where PD dispatches FD, there is only one person at the desk, usually a supervisor. Not only do they have the PD radios, multiple phone lines, computer work & civilians coming in, but add FD/EMS dispatching responsibilities on top of that, its just nuts! Its not fair to anyone involved because the PD has way too much to worry about & theres times when they can't possibly give 100% attention to the FD/EMS radios. As x635 said, we're in the year 2004, lets take advantage of the resources we have! Let the PD stay concerned to police matters & let them devote 100% to PD issues. Let FD/EMS dispatchers dispatch the FDs & EMS because they are trained to do so! We (Westchester County) have a wonderful agency known as Westchester County Fire (60)Control & they do a hell of a job, so lets take advantage of the opportunity and use them!

[ja3kfd 34]

hey guys while we are at it lets not only get everyone dispatched byone FD/EMS agency

but lets get all the base stations off 46.260 and lets start using all the alternate frequiences as well if we are going to talk about lets start doing it. As an Ex Chief that used to be dispatched by a PD and than switched to 60 while I was 2nd Asst. it really does work a lot easier having them there we all need to push the issue with your powers that be and get switched over to them. That is just my opinion though please no one take it personally