911

there are tens of thousands of law enforcement agencies in this country. we hear about a few idiots working here and there that doesn't mean the system is broken in fact the vast majority are doing their jobs well.
it's never the 999 things you did right it's the 1 you did wrong that you are remembered for.

 

^^ agreed

 

I heard about that on Two Guys Named Chis a couple days ago.

First thing I thought of was "here we go again"

 

And don't forget about the STUPID PEOPLE wasting EMS and law enforcement time over things like they are constipated or silly things like that. Sometimes the 911 dispatchers are stuck and have to dispatch someone for anything called in, and that can lead to the delay in fire, first responders, or police.

We just had a local new cast talking about the EMS and 911 issue for upstate SC persons, and I remember years ago when I worked in health care, listening to the EMS drivers talk about some of the crazy things they get called for and they basically eat the costs because someone is on welfare.

 

we had a huge problem down in Orlando where the welfare crowd would call 911 complaining of chest pain or dizzyness just so they could get a ride downtown to the hospital... once there, they would leave the hospital and go do their thing... unfortunately there was nothing that anyone could do to prevent it from happening...

 

The thing about it is that you never know what you are going to find once you get on scene. Yes we have had our share of weird calls. Anywhere from someone's feet tingling to their infected pierced body parts. Of course, we have also been toned out for "flu like symptoms" only to get there and find subject not breathing and no pulse. :shock: The bottom line is that it can sometimes be difficult to get good information from callers, so you have to go see for yourself no matter what the call is. Trust me, things can go downhill FAST and callers have a hard time relaying information.
Yes, we do get a lot of non-emergent calls, and it seems to me that most "non-emergent" calls are from folks that just want a house call instead of a ride to the hospital though. They want someone to check their temperature, or their blood pressure, or they want someone to apply a band-aid or some gauze or something. They just want their particular ailment looked at by someone without having to go to the doctor. Sometimes they fell and have a bump on their head, or a sprained ankle etc. A great number of patients will refuse transport however because they have to pay for EMS services, they don't pay for the services of the rescue squad. (We are both dispatched at the same time).

While sometimes it is an abuse of the system, I would rather be toned out for "nothing" as I had to be toned out when it's too late to help.
If you even *think* you need us, call 911.

 

Well said rasj, one of my favorite calls is always the "unknown medical", thats the dispatch for all the odd sh*t that doesn't fit in any other medical category :shock:

 

About 2 years ago we got called out for a "Bleeding" and we get there to find a man that had his throat cut by his brother who was still in the house with the knife and the closest LEO was about 30 mins out. Talk about scary situation this man had just killed his brother right in front of his dad.