Chicago dispatchers asked to keep ambulance shortage quiet

[x635 4,066]

Pretty interesting way to deal with the shortage. The dispatchers should have systems to not need to make broadcasts like that. Sounds like they need a good CAD system with GPS ambulance locator. Besides adding more ambulances, dispatchers need to be able to optimize with the ambulances they already have. It seems strange that dispatchers wouldn't know where there ambulances are.

CHICAGO — A city-issued memo obtained by CBS Chicago asks dispatchers to watch what they say, calling shout-outs for available ambulances “not an acceptable practice” and instructing dispatchers to “avoid terminology like we have no ALS ambulances available” so as not to highlight the fact.

Full article: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/03/25/2-investigators-bga-ambulance-response-times-getting-worse-as-memo-aims-to-quiet-dispatchers/

[SteveC7010 58]

Fully agree with your assessment, Seth. Even a good CAD system with diligent operators should solve most of that problem. I've found that lazy dispatchers don't record status changes into CAD when a unit advises. Management and supervision lets them get away with it day after day until it becomes acceptable procedure. Thus the shout-outs and more.

I spent most of my career using one of the best CAD systems in the world in a very busy 911 center. As an instructor and mentor to many new dispatchers, we held them to a much higher standard while in training, and beyond. Luckily, our supervision and management agreed with and promoted an extremely high standard of dispatcher competence. It was nice to work in a center with everyone doing things correctly.