Radio Emergency Button

[Richard B the EMT]

If this is in the wrong forum, please move it. I figure it to be a "Tactical" issue.

In my Union newsletter, I saw a mention of an incident where the Union Executive Board member, in his capacity as a Dispatcher, overheard a colleague ask a unit over the air if everything was OK, as one of the portables assigned that unit had it's "Emergency" button activated. The crew person replied to effect, all was well. The button went off again a few minutes later, and the conversation was repeated.

5 minutes later, an "Officer needs Police FORTHWITH" was transmitted by the unit.

It seems the partners had separated, as one went into a building next to where the ambulance field-stages, on some kind of personal business, and ended up in a beat-down. The Tech inside had hit the portable radio's Emergency button, twice, but the person outside didn't think to check out what was happening with the partner! After the second denied Emergency, the person went inside to check on the partner, and found him in a badly hurt status, which was when the Outside person called the Emergency over the air.

If you and your partner are separated, and you hear your unit being asked if there is an Emergency, due to the button being pushed, until and unless you can confirm with your partner that there is NOT an Emergency, presume that there IS.

(As per the Union Exec member, both of the crew are doing well at this time)

[WolfmanHarris]

Our protocol says that in the event of a Emergency Button activation the only accepted response is "[unit #] Alpha Charilie, 10-2000 Alpha Charlie"

Saying "I'm fine" or "Sorry accidental activation" will receive an acknowledgment but PD and Back-up will still be dispatched.

[Richard B the EMT]

On presumption that the "bad guys" may have the possession of the portable, removed from the service member, a code phrase actually seems a good idea, as you just described.

[CBEMT]

Medic I used to work with did a few years at Austin/Travis County EMS. Their procedure for an emergency button activation was that BOTH partners had to reply with the approved response. Otherwise, lots of blue suits would be heading their way fast, quick, and in a hurry.

Complacency kills. These guys were lucky.

[Don1977]

When I was with the volly FD I hit my "oh shit" button like 4 times, all by mistake, not hard to bump, there is no code name, they just ask you if your okay. A code name would be clever.

[Dustdevil]

A code name would be clever.

I think more correctly, not having one is pretty retarded, and reflects very poorly on the administration of any given system.

The concept is at least as old as I have been in EMS, so I have to say that any agency that does not currently have one sucks arse.

Edited May 5, 2010 by Dustdevil

[usmc_chris]

Of course, then you have agencies where the Emergency Button does nothing other than make the portable make loud annoying noises...

[Don1977]

I think more correctly, not having one is pretty retarded, and reflects very poorly on the administration of any given system.

The concept is at least as old as I have been in EMS, so I have to say that any agency that does not currently have one sucks arse.

Dust, The system in PA, well western PA, at least is retarded. Im not a big fan of how its ran here. Hopefully Illinois is better...

Edited May 5, 2010 by EMTDON970

[armymedic571]

Of course, then you have agencies where the Emergency Button does nothing other than make the portable make loud annoying noises...

YUP..... I started asking other providers in my area to include some PD guys I know if thiers worked. Answer...NOPE. I guess saving a few bucks in the software is worth the possibility of loss of life.

This is definitely somthing I am going to look into further for my agency.

[Dustdevil]

YUP..... I started asking other providers in my area to include some PD guys I know if thiers worked. Answer...NOPE. I guess saving a few bucks in the software is worth the possibility of loss of life.

I worked for a police department that had a CW (Morse Code) identifier that sounded every hour. Talk about retarded. It was really nice to be searching a building for a burglar in the middle of the night, trying to be stealthy, and suddenly your radio starts beeping with pointless Morse code. I got the sergeant to unlock the radio closet, and I disabled the CWID module and all was good for three days. Then it started beeping again. Some idiot dispatcher noticed it wasn't beeping and called radio service, who came in and "fixed" it, insisting that it was an FCC requirement. Dumbasses.

Then there was the first 800mhz trunking system we got. If you keyed the radio and another unit was already talking, your radio would start beeping at you. Again, really great if you're trying to be stealthy.