Here's an Idea
Back in the days of O.W. Wilson, a policy was in place that if a citizen called the 1950's equivalent of 9-1-1, they got a police officer to respond....every single time. Politicians loved it, citizens came to expect it, and cops hated it - the Department was stretched thinner than was ever thought possible.
It continues pretty much until this day, although there is some minor "filtering" that happens at various levels - you might not get an officer for a number of hours for low priority calls since no one wants to be the one to tell citizens, "That's not a crime, police aren't coming." But it happens here and there.
Here's a concerted effort in the burbs:
Multiple fire departments in Lake County have launched a program aimed at reducing 911 calls from people who routinely call for an ambulance in non-emergency situations.
The Wauconda Fire District created a Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) program in August in conjunction with the Round Lake, Antioch, Countryside, and Libertyville fire departments. Wauconda Fire District Lt. Erik Christensen said the program is a proactive and preventative approach to prehospital care.
An MIH program identifies patients who are chronically ill and use 911 services and the hospital emergency department as their primary level of care. Christensen said the goal is to identify those who are chronically ill and high utilizers of the 911 system.
Once identified, the fire department will provide treatment and intervention to the patients in an attempt to decrease 911 calls and hospital emergency department use.
You know what people can use instead of an expensive ambulance for a non-emergency situation?
- friends or relatives
- Uber or Lyft
- taxi, bus or public transit
As thinly stretched as the CPD is, CFD ambulances are light years worse. Serious reform needs to be undertaken so that when grandma has a stroke on the south side, all the neighborhood ambulances aren't transporting people (or folks) with tummy-aches on the west side.
We've heard the stories.....and so have you.
Labels: we got nothing
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
21 Comments:
Wagons used to bring shit birds to the hospital and kept the bambulance up for mee maw’s stroke. A simpler time.
Shit-show!
CFD’s second in command created a “nobody left behind” policy which isn’t a General Order that every caller no matter what gets an ambulance if they request it no matter how non-urgent it may be. That completely neutered the fire communications call takers at OEMC leaving them unable to deny ambulances using the Triage method or even to suggest alternate modes of transportation. Basically made the required EMT Basic and Emergency Medical Dispatch license issued by the state for employment null and void. Now they essentially have to work like pizza order clerks over the phone. Address? What’s wrong? Okay we are on the way. Next!
Chicago Fire Dept doesn’t need a team of paramedics doing house calls to frequent 911 abusers to prevent them from calling they just need to be told No. It may work in rural hick towns but it won’t work for the animal that is Chicago.
First aid calls and non emergencies need to be told No allowing fire call takers to use their training and determine what’s an immediate life threat and what isn’t. The std check, bug in the ear, ring stuck on finger, hurt toe and inability to reach a tampon string needs to be checked right then and there. “This is not a life threatening emergency. You need to seek alternate transportation. Have a good day.” That’s it. A little backbone a reliance on their medical training and taking the calculated risk is what’s needed. Maybe then it will curb the gross abuse and maybe if your wife, grandma or son is having a medical emergency and needs help the closest ambulance will be available and ready. Otherwise you’re waiting 10-15 minutes because they’re transporting the common cold and sniffles in the usual neighborhoods.
We absolutely need to reduce what we are dispatched too. Far too much time is spent going to bullshit. Some white lady will call in a suspicious person because you guessed it, he’s a black male walking down her block. When there is only 1 call and it’s pretty vague as to what is happening, we should not be going to that.
I’m sure you must have noticed this, all my years of handling jobs at Holy Cross . When ambulances bring someone in they don’t have to wait!!! So why take yourself when you can roll right in!!!
We can't let The Great Unwashed Democrat Welfare Voters be self reliant.
Dats what I'm about....rolling in.... in style.....
This is racist....possible hate crime talk...might even be a crime to read it.
Vote democrat ......Trump's going to take your free ride in the amber lamps away
Great Idea for the suburbs but Unfortunately in this City, The idea will NEVER happen.
You may be brought in but you'll be pushed off to the side, depending on your chief complaint.
The 911 system was supposed to be revamped yrs ago, what happened? Lets stop these non-sense calls wasting our time. Citizens need to be aware they can make police reports by calling 311 or do it themselves on line at cityofchicago.org. 911 is supposed to be emergency ONLY!
I can't tell you how many time I took someone to the ER in the ambo, with lights and sirens blaring, while a family member jumped in their car and followed right behind. They would blow through red lights and nearly get themselves killed. All someone with a tummy ache or a little cut on their finger.
IF they paid for it, it would stop. The problem is they don't.
My Section 8 neighbors used 911 and the FD as their primary care professionals. One could start by comparing those lists.
What happened to "If you see something, say something?"
The local Chicagoland Suburbs are guilty of this too. Big waste of Taxpayer Dollars as usual, Ambulance sitens all day and night long, ambulances loaded with patients with no life threatening injuries or diseases. Local Mayors not monitoring, just wasting Taxpayers money like drunken sailors on l48 hour Leave.
OT but today a female SGT said if you want to go home early you should make SGT! Huh?????
I could see this for the fire department with ambulance responses stretched thin. In regards to police calls for service take them all. The more calls the longer people wait for a response which will lead to complaints and a need to increase manpower. If schools can have twenty teachers in a building with 60 students then the police department can also be fully staffed.
Often medics ask for their link card in back of the Ambo and swipe it along their portable computer telling them it’s a $10 charge which immediately prompts them to change their mind leaving the ambulance but asking to reverse the charge “okay no problem I’ll cancel the payment.” Hahahaha.
All the time I’m a medic and this happens 2-3 times a day I’m taking a 20/f to the hospital because it burns when she pee’s and her family and friends will pile into two different vehicles and follow us. I love looking at their faces when the charge nurse tells me to put them in the waiting room. Lol! Lol!
Does this hold true for the illegal aliens too. Asking for a friend.
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