Another Black Eye For EMS

[tskstorm]

There is a background investigation and a psychological examination during the hiring process for the FDNY.

*Note*

ELEVATOR Keys are issued to all 911 Ambulances in NYC at this time. FDNY and otherwise, If they do not have them, they are supposed to. There was an "ops" order issued saying such with the directions on how to use them properly.

FYI Like Richard, I've had that key for a long time very common for people "on the job" to have it. It comes in handy on many an occasion.

[Richard B the EMT]

There was an "ops" order issued saying such with the directions on how to use them properly.

Oops, I forgot about that Ops order.

[tskstorm]

Oops, I forgot about that Ops order.

Yea, they slipped that one in there when no one was looking!

[Richard B the EMT]

Actually, I have a copy of the order, I just forgot I had that copy.

BUREAU OF OPERATIONS

EMS COMMAND ORDER 2009-023

February 5, 2009

USE OF FIRE SERVICE ELEVATORS FOR EMS

ASSIGNMENTS

1

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 In an effort to improve response to Segment 1 through 3 assignments in elevator equipped

buildings, the EMS Command is issuing 2 Fire Department 1620 keys to each

unit (FDNY and Voluntary Hospital) for use of the Fire Service feature in elevators.

2. FIRE SERVICE ELEVATOR OPERATIONS

2.1 Building regulations for Fire Service elevators vary based on occupancy, building height,

elevator distance and the number and capacity of the elevators in the building. In

high-rise buildings with more than 3 elevators, all elevators may not have Fire Service

controls.

Often Abbreviated as

Off *

On **

DO ***

Fig. 1A

Fire Service Lobby Switch Plates

Fig. 1B

Fire Service**

Normal* Door***

Open

Emergency - For Fire

Department Use Only

Normal

Fire

Service

Emergency - Fire Dept. Use

Door

Open

Button

FDNY EMS Command Order 2009-023

February 5, 2009 Use of Fire Service Elevators for EMS Assignments

2

SKY LOBBY

Elevator transfer point to reach

top or return to bottom of structure.

BALLROOM

1 ST FLOOR

Fig. 2 Elevator Configuration

KEY SWITCH AT

TERMINATION AREA

NORMAL

FIRE

SERVICE

DOOR OPEN

KEY SWITCH AT

TERMINATION AREA

NORMAL

FIRE

SERVICE

DOOR OPEN

NORMAL

FIRE

SERVICE

KEY SWITCH AT

TERMINATION AREA

FDNY EMS Command Order 2009-023

February 5, 2009 Use of Fire Service Elevators for EMS Assignments

3

2.2 Lobby Keyed Switch

2.2.1 A switch at the street floor or terminal floor for each bank of elevators. Terminal

floor is the lowest landing above the street floor of any elevator that does not

serve the street lobby floor, also known as a Sky Lobby. (Fig. 2)

2.2.2 The key switch is required to be within 4 feet of the lobby call button.

2.2.3 The key switch is operated by use of the Fire Department 1620 key, or by city

wide standard elevator 2642 key.

2.3 Switch Configurations

2.3.1 Three position key - Normal, Fire Service and Door Open. (Fig. 1A)

2.3.2 Two position key - Normal and Fire Service with a door open button. Door open

button is required to be located in the same faceplate as the key switch. Button is

only operable when key switch is in the Fire Service position. (Fig. 1B)

2.3.3 In both situations the cylinder face is approximately 1 1/2" in diameter and

colored red. The switch faceplate is required to be inscribed "For Fire

Department Use Only" or similar terminology.

2.3.4 The Normal and Fire Service position in the keyed switch permit the removal of

the key. The key is not removable in the door open position.

2.4 Elevator Car Keyed Switch

2.4.1 Fire Service keyed switch is provided inside each Fire Service elevator car.

2.4.2 This switch is identified by red lettering "For Fire Department Use Only" and has

either a two position key - Normal and Fire Service, or a three position key -

Normal, Fire Service and Hold

A. The Hold position has the following features:

1. Permits the member to remove the 1620 key from the switch.

2. Allows the member to leave the car without the danger of an

individual, without a key, moving the car to another location.

3. A member with a 1620 key can move the car by changing the

switch position from Hold to Fire Service.

2.5 Door Close Button

2.5.1 It is a momentary touch type button.

FDNY EMS Command Order 2009-023

February 5, 2009 Use of Fire Service Elevators for EMS Assignments

4

2.5.2 Once fully opened the elevator car doors close only in response to the Door Close

Button.

2.6 Floor Selection Button

2.6.1 When the car is in Fire Service, the car responds only to the floor selected by the

Floor Selection Button in the car.

2.6.2 All elevator landing call buttons are rendered inoperable on landings served by

this elevator.

2.7 Call Cancel (Reset) Button.

2.7.1 The Call Cancel Button allows the operator to change floor selection or direction

of travel prior to reaching the original selected floor.

2.7.2 When the Call Cancel Button is operated, the elevator car stops at the next

available floor landing (i.e., the first floor, in the direction of travel, that the

elevator is electrically and mechanically capable of serving). The doors remain

closed. A new floor selection must then be made.

2.7.3 It is recommended that the Call Cancel Button be pressed whenever a member

enters a car on Fire Service to clear the floor selection panel of any previous floor

selection that may have been made.

2.8 Door Open Button

2.8.1 The elevator door opens only when the Door Open Button is pressed.

2.8.2 The Door Open Button must be held until the doors are fully opened.

2.8.3 If the Door Open Button is released before the doors are fully opened, the doors

return to the closed position. This feature is provided so that the release of the

Door Open Button will automatically close the doors in the event the car

inadvertently stops at the fire floor.

2.8.4 Members leaving the elevator car must verify that the doors are fully opened. If

the member leaves the car before the doors are fully opened, the door will close

behind him, isolating the car and placing it out of service.

2.9 Emergency Stop Button.

2.9.1 The Emergency Stop Button is rendered inoperative when the cars are being

recalled.

2.9.2 The Emergency Stop Button should be operational when the elevator car is in Fire

Service mode.

2.9.3 Activation of the Emergency Stop Button in Fire Service mode will quickly stop

the elevator car.

FDNY EMS Command Order 2009-023

February 5, 2009 Use of Fire Service Elevators for EMS Assignments

5

3. POLICY

3.1 The Fire Service feature shall be used on all Segment 1 through 3 assignments.

3.2 The first arriving ambulance crew shall notify the dispatcher that they are utilizing the

Fire Service feature in the elevator so other responding units are notified.

3.3 If a CFR Company is assigned and not on-scene, one member shall switch to the

EMS/Fire Interoperability (IO) frequency (Channel 10 on FDNY radios, Channel 10 or

16 on Voluntary Hospital radios) and notify the CFR Company that they are utilizing the

Fire Service feature in the elevator.

3.4 The Fire Service feature is never to be used by EMS Command members and Voluntary

Hospital ambulance personnel at fire operations without prior permission from the

Incident Commander (IC).

4. PROCEDURE

4.1 When using the Fire Service feature, one member shall insert a 1620 key into the lobby

keyed switch and move the key to the Fire Service position. By placing the keyed switch

in the Fire Service position, all elevators in that bank will be returned to the street lobby

or terminal floor. When the Fire Service feature is activated, the following will occur:

4.1.1 An elevator traveling away from the street floor or from its lowest landing floor

will reverse direction at the next landing without opening its doors, and return

non-stop to the street lobby or terminal floor.

4.1.2 Doors opened at any floor will immediately close and the elevator shall return

non-stop to the street or terminal floor.

4.1.3 Door reopening devices for power operated doors, which may be affected by

smoke, heat or flame so as to prevent door closure, shall be rendered inoperative

except for those mechanically activated by a safety edge.

4.1.4 Emergency Stop buttons will be rendered inoperative.

4.1.5 When the elevator car reaches its terminal floor, one of the following will occur:

A. All elevator car and hoistway doors open and remain open. The car lights

in the Fire Service elevator cars remain on and the lights in the Non Fire

Service cars go off.

B. All car and hoistway doors open. The Fire Service elevator car and

hoistway doors remain open with the car lights remaining on. Non-Fire

Service elevator car and hoistway doors close between 8 seconds and one

minute after opening.

FDNY EMS Command Order 2009-023

February 5, 2009 Use of Fire Service Elevators for EMS Assignments

6

C. All car and hoistway doors open. The doors remain open for at least 8

seconds and no more than one minute and then close.

4.2 When the elevator cars return to the landing, the second member shall enter a Fire

Service equipped elevator car, insert the second 1620 key into the elevator car keyed

switch and move the switch to the Fire Service position while the car is at the landing

where the lobby keyed switch is located.

4.2.1 The lobby keyed switch must be in the Fire Service position prior to placing the

car keyed switch to Fire Service.

4.2.2 Once the car switch is in the Fire Service position it can not be overridden by the

lobby keyed switch.

4.2.3 Once an elevator car has been placed in Fire Service mode, it will continue in Fire

Service mode, regardless of the position of the lobby keyed switch. This feature

may be utilized to restore other cars in the elevator bank to normal operation,

while the members continue to use the Fire Service car or cars.

4.2.4 The 1620 key is not removable from the elevator car keyed switch when it is in

the Fire Service position.

4.3 The first member may then return the lobby keyed switch to Normal position and remove

the first key.

4.4 To operate the elevator car in the Fire Service mode, press the car Door Close button and

select a floor. It is not important which floor button is pressed first.

4.4.1 In some elevator cars there may be two floor selection panels. The one to use for

Fire Service is the one nearest to or the one with the Fire Service keyed switch.

4.4.2 If more than one floor selection is made, the elevator car will stop at the nearest

floor selection in the direction of travel.

4.4.3 When the car reaches the selected floor, press and hold the Door Open button

until the door is fully open, otherwise the door will close on its own. This is a

built in safety feature.

A. If the doors need to be closed immediately, the simple removal of the

finger from the Door Open button should enable the doors to close. If the

doors fail to close automatically, press the Door Close button and

manually assist the closing.

4.4.4 When the elevator doors have fully opened, the elevator car will remain at the

selected floor, with the doors open.

A To move from any floor, the Door Close button must be pushed, and

another floor selected.

FDNY EMS Command Order 2009-023

February 5, 2009 Use of Fire Service Elevators for EMS Assignments

7

4.5 If the elevator has a two position keyed switch, return the key to the Normal position and

release the elevator.

4.6 When the elevator has arrived at the selected floor, if the elevator has a three position

keyed switch with a Hold position, move the key to Hold and remove the key. The

elevator car will remain at the selected floor, with the doors open.

4.6.1 Members should evaluate the patient’s condition and if the patient does not

require immediate transport, one member shall return to the elevator car, move

the three position keyed switch from Hold to Normal and release the elevator car.

4.6.2 Subsequent arriving units shall follow the procedure for obtaining and using

another elevator car in Fire Service mode. Upon arrival at the selected floor, the

unit shall return the elevator car to Normal service.

4.7 Before leaving the building, ensure all elevators have been returned to Normal service. If

members are using the Fire Service mode to return to the street or terminal floor, return

the elevator car keyed switch to Normal and remove the key. Ensure that the lobby

keyed switch is returned to Normal.

BY ORDER OF THE CHIEF OF EMS COMMAND

[Lone Star]

It states he worked for the fire department.......Question for anyone, was there ever a background check (DCI, FBI, CIA, whatever....) performed on you at the beginning of your EMS class. I know that even cleared personnel can go bad, but I was just wondering if your programs made the initial check manditory to take/finish the class.

I know that part of the 'file review' that I had to go through to be able to be cleared to test for the National Registry involved a background check, as well as when I apply for state licensure, I'll have to submit to another one.

[Just Plain Ruff]

I cannot remember the last time that any employer conducted any type of background check on me.

Oh, I know, my last employer ran a child abuse check on me but no background check.

To adopt a child I went through 5 different background checks. Even though I had a background check, local ,state, and federal, I had to have them all over again for each state that my wife and I were trying to adopt from.

AS for EMS employment, most of the employers have run credit checks on me but background checks, not so much.

And this piece of shit doesn't just give his profession a bad name, he gives men a bad name. He is the kind of person that makes women afraid of men.

I say if he's found guilty, and most assuredly he will be unless he pleas it out, his nuts should be cut off. raping a 11 year old girl, not only is he a rapist but a pedophile also.

there is no room in society for this kind of garbage.

And if he's a member of these forums, shame on you dirt bag.

Edited July 26, 2010 by Ruffems

[P_Instructor]

Thanks to those responding. The idea of having a elevator key is good for cities where it's use is often needed. For further, we not only send in background checks, but require the necessary immunizations, adult/pediatric manditory reporter, health evaluation, and other items prior to be eligible for clinicals. This is required for both basic and advanced classes.

I say if he's found guilty, and most assuredly he will be unless he pleas it out, his nuts should be cut off. raping a 11 year old girl, not only is he a rapist but a pedophile also.

Bravo!!!!!!!!!

[Kaisu]

Extensive background check required for my current job, including background, criminal and credit checks. They contacted my high school, which I attended 30 years ago and out of state checks everywhere I had lived, including Canada. It made me happy, because I knew my colleagues and co-workers had gone through the same process. I felt good knowing I was going to be keeping good company.

[JakeEMTP]

The State of NC requires a background check before you can test. When I applied to begin my paramedic education, a background check was a requirement before being accepted into the programme.

I can't remember if I needed one before basic class. I do know I needed one before State testing, which was somewhat difficult because I didn't even have a SSN then.

[Richard B the EMT]

Just a thought, but BLS, at least in my area, don't handle drugs. Paramedics do, including Narcotics, hence, they probably get a higher level of scrutiny.