Response Card system

[Rickie Clark, Jr.]

Hey,

In New Castle County Delaware, our dispatch center (aka Fireboard) is changing over to a new emergency dispatch card system and I was wondering if anyone, anywhere, uses this type of system. The system go's as follows:

Fire dispatch codes 1-99, then priority of response based on caller information received by the dispatch center
A-alpha- cold response
B-bravo- hot response single (1st due) company
C-charlie- hot response 1st due company, ladder and engine from 2nd due and engine from 3rd due
D-delta- hot response 1st due company, ladder and engine from 2nd due, rescue and engine from 3rd due, RIT from 4th due
E-echo- Working Alarm assignment- hot response adds 2nd due ladder and 5th due engine

Then there is a number that provides misc. information for the call.

Example:

Reported Vehicle fire- 72A3
Reported Vechicle fire near exposures- 72B3
Reported Vehicle fire against a structure- 72C3
Reported Vehicle fire in a structure- 72D3
Reported vehicle fire involving/extemsion into the structure- 72E3

Thanks,

Rickie..

[ThreeEightyNine]

Nope, havent ever heard of it up here in the northeast,
I can see how you would want to confuse al queda with your codes, and eventually everyone in your county will know whats going on..

one question I have is what if its a car accident with fire that is partially inside the structure? would that be a DC? or CD? or would the dispatcher have to make a isision based upon verbal reports from the call whether
it was mmore a car fire into a house, a car in the garage burning, or a car buring in the garage that shorted out and drove into the interior of the house?..
what it the house was located close to a highway overpass or bridge? and the car was hit by a tractor trailer, burst into flames as it flew over the embankment landing smack in the middle of the house?

Lets face it Codes might sound all profesional and sexy and stuff, but plain english is often the only way to convey a message with out sounding like a retard...276392-0983203-02786 roger wilco over and out....

Note the writer is a 30 year veteran firefighter , 18 years Career as of 2/3/07 with a side in public safety communications including Police, fire, Ems..and speaks fluent FDNY, Boston, Providence, as well as New London County, Fairfield as well as New Haven Counties in Connecticut... :-)

[Rickie Clark, Jr.]

A bit misunderstood question apparently....

This is not our radio communications list (ie- 10 codes vs plain language). This is a National emergency dispatch card system (Fire & EMS) that deversifies information given by a caller to specify what is required for a call to be mitigated. This decreases the air time spent telling the units the problem and leaves more time in case of MAYDAYS.

Example-

Dispatch: Station 26, Vehicle into a strucure with fire, 65D7

Instead of-

Dispatch: Station 26, Tractor Trailer off a bridge and roadway, into a structure, with fire from the vehicle impinging on the structure, 4 engines, 2 ladders, 1 rescue, 2 BLS, 1 ALS and RIT 45 are due.

By the time all of that would be dispatched, multiple calls can add additional information that would not have time to be relayed (SUBJECTS TRAPPED, EXTENTION TO OTHER STRUCTURES) that could ineviteably change the response parameters.

Its not trying to fool al queda or anyone else...

AND by the way... This card system is the exact one set forth by DHS as the nationwide use system, that is why we went to it.

As far as everyone knowing the codes, doesn't have to happen. Only the First Due Officer and Engine are relayed the information.

65- Structure response
D- Amount of equipment dispatched
7- involving a Tractor Trailer

We do not use 10 codes, we have transferred to plain language as well, also as set forth by DHS.

If you don't understand what I am asking please private message me and we can clear it up.

Thanks and stay safe,

Rickie

Note: Don't care about your back ground, years of service (career/volunteer), or what your fluent fire service languages are if all you want to do is cut down instead of bettering the service by teaching your knowledge.

"You and your knowledge are useless if you don't pass it on to others." - The late, great Peter Lund FDNY Rescue 2 (ret.), Mentor and Teacher.

[Capt171]

Ive never seen a system like that here in Pa. it seems like its something that could get confusing. however as i always say in this business. Its about what works for your companies in your area.

[RescueFF]

The clawson system right, by NAEMD.

We've been using it for years. I was a dispatcher in my former life.


This is how we use it in Tampa.
A-BLS only 1 hour to get there
B-Engine emergency BLS non-emergency.
C-Rescue non-emergency
D-Engine and Rescue emergency
E-Engine and Rescue emergency

Good Luck.