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May 31 Information
USA emergency service response
Why is it that in the USA, emergency services will respond to other emergency services calls. For example a police unit might respond to an ambulance call or a ambulance unit might respond to a fire call, if they are nearest to the incident. In the UK, it never happens. Only the emergency service that was called will respond and they call other services if necessary.
194.66.246.51 (
talk)
22:54, 31 May 2015 (UTC)reply
When you call 911, the dispatcher decides what services are likely to be needed based on your description of the incident and dispatches them all. Most places do not have separate emergency phone numbers for different services. Additionally in some locations first responders are multiply trained. In my town every fireman is a trained paramedic and a couple are trained reserve police on the SWAT team. In some cities all police are firefighters.
Rmhermen (
talk)
23:10, 31 May 2015 (UTC)reply
(
edit conflict) Police may respond to a fire call for a few reasons: A) Direct traffic, B) give first aid (CPR, etc) if the officer is trained, C) Calm the residents of the structure who are wondering "When is help going to come?", etc.
Ambulances may respond to a fire for things like smoke inhalation or other more serious injuries.
Police may respond to ambulance calls for, again, first aid, traffic control, etc.
The police can often respond the quickest since there are already officers in vehicles out patrolling whereas the fire trucks and ambulances have to come from whatever garage they are in. Dismas|
(talk)23:12, 31 May 2015 (UTC)reply
Makes a huge amount of sense to me to send whichever service is immediately available/closest. I think Dismas & Rmhermen have already said a lot of what I say here. In a lot of 'emergency' situations, the police would likely be required (or at least very helpful) in addition to the fire brigade /ambulance requested.
First aid training is required even for
security guard licensing in
New South Wales, Australia, and I am quite sure it is required for police applicants here too.
I came across a situation where police were called to a nearby
domestic violence incident, and an ambulance also arrived. I was told it was then standard practice to send medical aid (ambulance) as well to domestic violence calls.
There is also the fact that a lot of
911 or
000 calls are fake calls, so sending the nearest 'emergency responder' of whatever type, means that the veracity of the incident can be confirmed quicker.
I also recall watching an American TV series in the 1970s(? I can't remember the name! Emergency ?) where the 'firies' seemed to be very involved in providing treatment to injured persons. That may not be a realistic portrayal of course. I had an idea that US firies are often also trained
paramedics, as
Rmhermen mentions above.
220ofBorg05:41, 1 June 2015 (UTC)reply
The postman is a "postie" in Australia and sometimes also in Britain. When police attend a traffic accident an ambulance often attends as well even though there may be no injuries. That seems to be sensible advance planning. The police will often ask someone involved in an accident if they want an ambulance. They're actually trained in midwifery in case a baby arrives unexpectedly. I think all the emergency services have basic training in the others. The basic training is widespread - the inspectors in my local street market go through a course in first aid.
87.81.147.76 (
talk)
11:38, 2 June 2015 (UTC)reply
Welcome to the Wikipedia Miscellaneous Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the
current reference desk pages.
May 31 Information
USA emergency service response
Why is it that in the USA, emergency services will respond to other emergency services calls. For example a police unit might respond to an ambulance call or a ambulance unit might respond to a fire call, if they are nearest to the incident. In the UK, it never happens. Only the emergency service that was called will respond and they call other services if necessary.
194.66.246.51 (
talk)
22:54, 31 May 2015 (UTC)reply
When you call 911, the dispatcher decides what services are likely to be needed based on your description of the incident and dispatches them all. Most places do not have separate emergency phone numbers for different services. Additionally in some locations first responders are multiply trained. In my town every fireman is a trained paramedic and a couple are trained reserve police on the SWAT team. In some cities all police are firefighters.
Rmhermen (
talk)
23:10, 31 May 2015 (UTC)reply
(
edit conflict) Police may respond to a fire call for a few reasons: A) Direct traffic, B) give first aid (CPR, etc) if the officer is trained, C) Calm the residents of the structure who are wondering "When is help going to come?", etc.
Ambulances may respond to a fire for things like smoke inhalation or other more serious injuries.
Police may respond to ambulance calls for, again, first aid, traffic control, etc.
The police can often respond the quickest since there are already officers in vehicles out patrolling whereas the fire trucks and ambulances have to come from whatever garage they are in. Dismas|
(talk)23:12, 31 May 2015 (UTC)reply
Makes a huge amount of sense to me to send whichever service is immediately available/closest. I think Dismas & Rmhermen have already said a lot of what I say here. In a lot of 'emergency' situations, the police would likely be required (or at least very helpful) in addition to the fire brigade /ambulance requested.
First aid training is required even for
security guard licensing in
New South Wales, Australia, and I am quite sure it is required for police applicants here too.
I came across a situation where police were called to a nearby
domestic violence incident, and an ambulance also arrived. I was told it was then standard practice to send medical aid (ambulance) as well to domestic violence calls.
There is also the fact that a lot of
911 or
000 calls are fake calls, so sending the nearest 'emergency responder' of whatever type, means that the veracity of the incident can be confirmed quicker.
I also recall watching an American TV series in the 1970s(? I can't remember the name! Emergency ?) where the 'firies' seemed to be very involved in providing treatment to injured persons. That may not be a realistic portrayal of course. I had an idea that US firies are often also trained
paramedics, as
Rmhermen mentions above.
220ofBorg05:41, 1 June 2015 (UTC)reply
The postman is a "postie" in Australia and sometimes also in Britain. When police attend a traffic accident an ambulance often attends as well even though there may be no injuries. That seems to be sensible advance planning. The police will often ask someone involved in an accident if they want an ambulance. They're actually trained in midwifery in case a baby arrives unexpectedly. I think all the emergency services have basic training in the others. The basic training is widespread - the inspectors in my local street market go through a course in first aid.
87.81.147.76 (
talk)
11:38, 2 June 2015 (UTC)reply