NYC 911 system

[Kiwiology]

Each individual orginisation

[Richard B the EMT]

The NYC 9-1-1 system is primarily NYPD communications personnel (civilian), who get the call first, enter the information into the "Sprint" system, and forward, as nessesary, to EMS or FDNY call takers. EMS call takers are all EMT-B or EMT-P personnel, who determine (or attempt to do so) what type of medical or trauma emergency it is, confirm the location, and give first aid instructions for the caller to attempt until the ambulance's arrival. Using a Computer Assisted Dispatch system, called MEDSTAR, they may still be talking with the caller when the system delivers the assignment to the dispatchers (also either EMT-B or EMT-P personnel), who then, on CAD reccommendation, dispatch the nearest BLS, ALS, or when required, both, ambulance(s) to the location.

FDNY Dispatch is a mix of civilian (read as non uniformed) personnel operating under Lieutenant and higher ranked uniformed fire fighter personnel. They use a different computer system (FIRESTAR) that is not always compatible with the PD SPRINT system.

Got to mention the SPRINT system sends the location to the EMS call taker's position, via the SPRINT/MEDSTAR linkup, to link up the NYPD and EMS assignments, even when the call won't require a Police response.

There is also a program for the Police operator to enter the information into the SPRINT/MEDSTAR or SPRINT/FIRESTAR links, going directly to the respective dispatchers. This has led to both ambulances and Fire companies being sent to wherever the switchboard used by the caller is located, even when the call location might be miles away. The same has happened when the nearest location is just a cell phone tower.

Disclaimor: I have not worked as an EMS Call Taker from shortly after the March, 1996, merger of EMS into the FDNY. System updates and names probably have changed from my 11 year stint in what now would be called EMD, and the physical location of EMD has already changed 3 times since then.

Disclaimor #2: I'm using the computer that doesn't have the spell check on it today, so there might be misspellings in this posting

[ERDoc]

To work for the 911 system in NYC do you have to be 21 or is that a rule that every agency makes up for the self?

I have no idea what the requirements are but besides working for FDNY there are also hospital based services. From my understanding, they pay better than FDNY so they are more competitive.

Where can't you get a slice at 4am? Oh wait, here in west MI.

Edited April 9, 2012 by ERDoc

[Richard B the EMT]

Pizza at 4 AM? Not available outside certain sections of Manhattan. Delivery pizza after 11 PM is not available in my section of Queens.

As for the Hospital-based services, some run their own ambulances as a part of the NYC 9-1-1 system, others sub-contract out to proprietary ambulances. Not all hospitals in the 5 boroughs of NYC run ambulances. Hospital based services have the name of the facility on the ambulances, the sub-contractors have both the service name and the hospital on them. Hospital based ambulance crews are mostly union people, with good health care plans, the sub-contractors mostly Non-union, and no medical plans available to them.

I believe there is, as a part of the contract between these "Voluntary" hospitals (so named, because they "volunteered", in the 1970s, to supply ambulances to the then fledgling 9-1-1 system, when municipal EMS crews were being laid off as a budget cutting procedure), a policy that states that both municipal crews and "Voluntary" crews have to follow the field orders of either a municipal or "voluntary" hospital supervisor, and fall under either for a case review, where something goes wrong, and a complaint raised. However, the sub-contractor crews don't seem to fall under such supervision. If a "muni" or "Voluntary" crew messes up, they get called on the carpet, usually within 72 hours, and the call information is still fresh in their minds, but a sub-contractor crew gets to wait until the complaint bounces through the main offices of the DoH in Albany. That could be over a month after the allegation of wrongdoing.

(I had a complaint put in against me, before I became municipal EMS. The patient complained that I was making fun of him, simply because I was being formal in addressing him. The only reason I even recalled the incident, was, I went to a facility with that patient I'd never been to, before or since, and later that shift, my partner and I were wrecked in an intersection collision. It was over 2 months later when DoH contacted my employer, and the owner spoke with me.)

[EMTDenny]

Jeez. You have to be 21 to work FDNY. Some companies also. But not all. Simple

[Arctickat]

Jeez. You have to be 21 to work FDNY. Some companies also. But not all. Simple

Huh?

http://www.nyc.gov/h...q.shtml#emt_req

You mean I can't believe everything I read on the interweb?

Edited April 10, 2012 by Arctickat

[EMTDenny]

Huh?

http://www.nyc.gov/h...q.shtml#emt_req

You mean I can't believe everything I read on the interweb?

Ahh looks like it was. Sweet

Weird, I worked for with some one last month and he told me he was waiting until 21 to apply FDNY.

[Richard B the EMT]

I worked for with some one last month and he told me he was waiting until 21 to apply FDNY.

Notice the one word I altered, and you might have your explanation.

[EMTDenny]

Notice the one word I altered, and you might have your explanation.

I understand. What I forgot to mention was they told him to wait until 21.

Maybe I misunderstood him.

[Richard B the EMT]

I became an EMT at age 19 in 1974, in the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation EMS in 1985 at age 31, "grandfathered" in to the FDNY with the EMS "Merger" of 1996 at age 42.

Already posted, was a link to the job requirements, which stated it was OK to apply at age 18, to the FDNY, yet someone stated to the poster that one had to be 21 to do so. Therefore, I have no difinitive answer. I suggest you contact the FDNY and specifically ask (then post the answer here).