Calls coming in

[RescueYou]

I'm assuming most here have a scanner/radio of some sort to pick up calls and such that come in in their area whether when just on duty or at home or in your POV as well. (I have a scanner at home, a portable radio that latches to my belt, and a 2-way at the squad.) For us, as most places, when a fire/rescue call comes in, some sort of tone or pre-tone goes off when crews are being dispatched. Here, it is 2 long beeps. My questions are:

1. When a call comes in and you hear the tones while you are asleep, whether on or off duty, do you automatically wake up or do you sleep through it? I know some places, such as here, if you are in the crew hall building, EVERY light comes on (bunk rooms have flood lights put indoors) and a siren sounds and you just can't sleep through it. It's not possible. But I also find that I wake up at home every time a call comes in even if my radio's volume is on low.

2. When you are awakened at home (off duty) in the middle of the night by a call coming in and you know that you can reach the pt location before the on duty crew, do you respond? I know, I know. It can be tricky when it comes to insurance, scope of practice, call to duty, etc but if you know you can abide by your state laws and still help, do you go?
-I myself go only if it's trauma or severe medical and i'm fully
aware of our state laws, protocol, scope of practice, etc

Just curious...

 

[PapaBear434]

Um... No. I don't have a scanner, I don't listen for calls when I'm off duty, and I certainly don't plan on responding to a call I hear on my non-existent scanner in my POV wearing my jammies.

 

[Epi-do]

Um... No. I don't have a scanner, I don't listen for calls when I'm off duty, and I certainly don't plan on responding to a call I hear on my non-existent scanner in my POV wearing my jammies.

Yeah, what he said.

 

[daedalus]

Sometimes I think people are putting bait on a hook and dangling it in front of us for their entertainment. I think the correct term is "forum trolling".

I do not own a scanner. When I go home from work, the *last* thing I want to hear is one of my dispatchers while I am asleep or driving somewhere or with friends and family.

 

[Dominion]

I do not own a scanner, thought about it as I find radio traffic relaxing (any radio traffic, not just EMS...I know I'm weird). If I lived in an area and the EMS and/or Fire was volly based, and I was on that squad then I would respond. If I wasn't on a volunter basis and I had a scanner and I heard a call go out at night, I would go back to sleep.

 

[EMS49393]

I agree. I don't own a scanner either and when I'm not at work, I'm not working. I work enough hours and my free time is for my family and myself.

 

[Ridryder911]

I am a professional. When I am off duty, I am off duty. If they awaken me at home, someone have had better died or they will later when I get there.

Don't own a scanner; I do have a radio that is usually turned off unless a unique event occurs (we have management emergency text msg. that Supervisors can contact us in Administration for extraordinary events).

R/r 911

 

[RescueYou]

Um... No. I don't have a scanner, I don't listen for calls when I'm off duty, and I certainly don't plan on responding to a call I hear on my non-existent scanner in my POV wearing my jammies.

hahaha We have 3 stations set up around the city, but truth be told, my neighborhood is on the far side of the suburbs where, with lights and siren, it'd take our closest crew about 10 minutes to arrive with light traffic...my neighborhood is middle-upper class and is filled with everything including families with kids/young adults and retired/elderly folks.

As for the jammies LOL... I've mastered speed changing. I have to be an early riser because of school and I'm not a morning person and so I normally have a set of clothes for the next day either set out or in a place easily accessable. I won't go in uniform though unless the shirt I randomly grab is my squad shirt.

**Note, I am a volunteer. Our night crews are all volunteer run.**

Like I said, I only take urgent calls. If they ain't bleeding severely, in labor, or they don't have imminent arrest (or are already there), I don't go. Basically, if ABCs are good, I'm staying home.

 

[46Young]

Are you supposed to(authorized to) respond to calls when you're off duty and out of station? I know that in PWC most of their houses have paid daytime crews, and vollies who ride at night and live there for free. The catch is, in addition to having set shifts, they're required to respond at any time if they're in station.

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

Are you supposed to(authorized to) respond to calls when you're off duty and out of station?

Plus One...

Unless you are authorized to respond in a POV, are requested to respond, and are equipped to do so, then the question is moot... If you can not say yes to all three then you are a whacker... (FACT not opinion).

But, yes, I have a scanner (common in my neck of the woods), but it is not used to whacker respond to calls that I have no authorization to respond to... However, if I am paged out for a SAR Call, then the scanner and or portable radio comes in handy as I do have the authorization to respond in POV under certain circumstances... But if I were to here of a medical call or something else in my neighborhood... I am not on duty to respond to medical calls, whereas I am "on duty" 24/7 for Swiftwater Calls, Rope Rescue Calls, and Wilderness Medical Calls...

 

[Canoeman]

Ahhh --- Rescue (you) -- If I were your chief I would tell you to take a chill pill - Just take a night or two on duty at the station. When you are off duty - do something besides listening to the scanner -- try a nice county music station instead

 

[akflightmedic]

Like I said, I only take urgent calls. If they ain't bleeding severely, in labor, or they don't have imminent arrest (or are already there), I don't go. Basically, if ABCs are good, I'm staying home.

This is a HUGE problem...especially in a volunteer system. A lot of times, NO ONE, (not even the paid guys) know what they have until they are on scene. Therefore, you are doing one of two things:

1: Limiting much needed resources due to you weighing someone's needs versus your sleep

2: Limiting your own exposure to more complex medical or interesting cases again due to saying, "it is only...., they do not need me".

 

[akflightmedic]

To answer you original question, I owned a scanner for about my first 6 months of being an EMT. After that, I sold it and have not ever had one since and do not care. (That was in 1994)

Your off time is that, your time to live life and enjoy. There will always be emergencies whether you are there or not. They will always be dealt with whether you are there or not.

If your system is volunteer, maybe you should think about having teams on call. For example, you know you have staffed trucks at the station, but there should be a roster of if we need help, only Jim and Andy will be showing up because Bob is off completely.

 

[PapaBear434]

I just feel like this entire post was a setup for a "You might be a whacker if" series of jokes.

I'm not normally one to come in and be purposefully offensive, but... Seriously, Mr. RescueYou, turn off the scanner, get a hobby and a good night's sleep.

 

[Akulahawk]

I'm assuming most here have a scanner/radio of some sort to pick up calls and such that come in in their area whether when just on duty or at home or in your POV as well. (I have a scanner at home, a portable radio that latches to my belt, and a 2-way at the squad.) For us, as most places, when a fire/rescue call comes in, some sort of tone or pre-tone goes off when crews are being dispatched. Here, it is 2 long beeps. My questions are:

1. When a call comes in and you hear the tones while you are asleep, whether on or off duty, do you automatically wake up or do you sleep through it? I know some places, such as here, if you are in the crew hall building, EVERY light comes on (bunk rooms have flood lights put indoors) and a siren sounds and you just can't sleep through it. It's not possible. But I also find that I wake up at home every time a call comes in even if my radio's volume is on low.

2. When you are awakened at home (off duty) in the middle of the night by a call coming in and you know that you can reach the pt location before the on duty crew, do you respond? I know, I know. It can be tricky when it comes to insurance, scope of practice, call to duty, etc but if you know you can abide by your state laws and still help, do you go?
-I myself go only if it's trauma or severe medical and i'm fully
aware of our state laws, protocol, scope of practice, etc

Just curious...

When I'm on-duty, sleeping in quarters, and I hear the tones, I wake up before the lights come on and the alarm bell rings. When I'm working, I sleep very lightly and it's not restful. If I'm off-duty, regardless of where I'm located, I am OFF-DUTY and someone had better have an EXTREMELY good reason for waking me up before it's time for me to wake up. I'm not a happy camper if woken up too early.

Off-Duty means that I'm Off-Duty. Someone else will handle the call. If I need to be brought in, certain people know how to get in touch with me... The rest of the post, doesn't apply to me.

While I do own a scanner, and occasionally listen to Fire/EMS/PD traffic (like every great once in a third blue moon), it's not something I really pay much attention to... it's background noise, for the most part. If I'm going to have my radio on, it's going to be because I want to chat with some fellow HAMs...

 

[TransportJockey]

When I'm on-duty, sleeping in quarters, and I hear the tones, I wake up before the lights come on and the alarm bell rings. When I'm working, I sleep very lightly and it's not restful. If I'm off-duty, regardless of where I'm located, I am OFF-DUTY and someone had better have an EXTREMELY good reason for waking me up before it's time for me to wake up. I'm not a happy camper if woken up too early.

Off-Duty means that I'm Off-Duty. Someone else will handle the call. If I need to be brought in, certain people know how to get in touch with me... The rest of the post, doesn't apply to me.

While I do own a scanner, and occasionally listen to Fire/EMS/PD traffic (like every great once in a third blue moon), it's not something I really pay much attention to... it's background noise, for the most part. If I'm going to have my radio on, it's going to be because I want to chat with some fellow HAMs...

Sounds about like me. THe only reason I even have a radio that can pick up local EMS/FD/PD channels is because it's my 2m mobile in the Jeep (also keep a handheld in there for when I go hiking), or my 2m base in the apt.

 

[wyoskibum]

2. When you are awakened at home (off duty) in the middle of the night by a call coming in and you know that you can reach the pt location before the on duty crew, do you respond? I know, I know. It can be tricky when it comes to insurance, scope of practice, call to duty, etc but if you know you can abide by your state laws and still help, do you go?

Does your department have any policies regarding "Self dispatching"? My old service did not allow it. It one thing to be driving by an incident and being a good Samaritan. Its another thing to be ambulance chasing.

Does the risk outweigh the benefit? How much can you do in the few minutes before the ambulance arrive? Do you have a jump bag? How about PPE? What about scene safety? The on-duty crew may have information about the incident that wasn't out there in "Scanner Land". What about accountability? Does anyone know that your responding?

My opinion is that you do not respond. Turn off the scanner and get a good night sleep so you are rested for when you are on duty.

 

[bunkie]

My husbands grandfather is a retired (volly) fire chief, he has radios everywhere. I think its an old habit that will never pass after 25+ years. He has them in the dining room, his bedroom, his truck and the garages outside. I could sit and listen to that radio chatter for hours. It's so addictive.

Now I'm done adding absolutely nothing of value to your post. ^_^

 

[ResTech]

THe only reason I even have a radio that can pick up local EMS/FD/PD channels is because it's my 2m mobile

jtpaintball70,
What kinda 2-meter rig you use? I am looking into the Yaesu FT-7900R which has wide-band receive that I can also pick up local fire and EMS.

 

[TransportJockey]

jtpaintball70,
What kinda 2-meter rig you use? I am looking into the Yaesu FT-7900R which has wide-band receive that I can also pick up local fire and EMS.

My mobile is a Yaesu FT-1802M. Works great in the Jeep, and has withstood more bumps and jolts than anything else. This is actually the second Jeep I've mounted it in. And if you get a ham set, make sure you're licensed and be aware that it is illegal to modify the 2m radio's to transmit on public service frequencies.