What happens when I call 911 for help in Niagara?
Here's a possible scenario:
A house fire is spotted. The residence are reported to not have
come out yet, and the fire has been burning for some time. A neighbour
saw some kids taking off in a pickup that smelled like alcohol and gas.
Let's assume this takes place in Port Colborne.
The neighbour calls 911 and explains the above situation.
Upon calling 911, the caller hears "Niagara Emergency, do you need
Police, Fire or Ambulance, and for what city."
You then say what you need.
In our above scenario, the 911 dispatcher would then call the Ambulance,
Police and Fire dispatcher.
Ambulance Response
The dispatcher would look it up on here ARIS system (Computer Dispatch
system). She would type the address and it would tell her it was
in Port Colborne. She then would page Port Colborne Base. The
page would sound something like this: "Port Colborne Base respond Code
4 to Anystreet and Whoknows Avenue, Code 4. First Page" Then
would repeat a second time in a few seconds.
Meanwhile, the dispatcher is collecting information for the dispatch,
including the UTM (a way of locating the scene in their map-books), GEO
Code (another locator), Run Numbers (just what it says), and the time of
the call.
The Ambulance would then respond "Hamilton, 2120 is Mobile Code 4 to
Anystreet and Whoknows Ave.".
Dispatcher: "2120, you are responding Code 4 to the the area of Anystreet
and Whoknows Ave for a house-fire. Unknown occupants still in building.
You have Fire and Police with you. Responding Code 4"
Ambulance: "2120 Roger, Code 4 to Anystreet and Whoknows Ave for a
house-fire"
Dispatcher: "Roger, at 1315 (or whatever the time may be).
After the ambulance is sent, they would then call Welland on a Code
8 standby. Since Port Colborne is manned by one ambulance crew, Welland
goes to the southern most point to over-lap coverage for Port Colborne
(In this case, Highway 58 and Forkes Road).
Fire Response
The Dispatcher would look up the address and see where in Port Colborne
the call is, so she knows which station to dispatch (Port Colborne has
three, one on the West Side, one on the East Side and one in Bethel).
Let's assume it is on the West-side (Station #1).
The dispatch would go something like this:
"Port Colborne :Pumpers One and Two, Rescue One, Arial One, Tanker
One respond to Anystreet and Whoknows Avenue for a reported housefire,
occupants trapped in building. That's Port Pumpers One and Two, Rescue
One, Arial One, Tanker One respond to Anystreet and Whoknows Avenue for
a reported Housefire. Police and Ambulance en-route. Control
out, 1315 (or whatever the time is).
Police Response
Again, the dispatcher would look it up and see it is in Port Colborne.
Port Colborne units start with 32.
The dispatch would go something like this:
Dispatcher: "32-21 Call 933 (933 is the call for dispatch)"
32-21: "Go ahead"
Dispatcher: "Take a 927, suspected arson at Anystreet and Whoknows
Avenue"
32-21: "10-4"
Dispatcher: "32-11 to back 32-21"
32-11: "10-4"
Dispatcher: "32-21 and 32-11, call came in from 911, neighbours report
seeing a group of possibly 31-4 kids fleeing the area, possible person
trapped in building"
Okay, explaination time :-)
933 is what the Police call their dispatch.
A 927 is the NRP code for a Fire
31-4 is a drunk (Section 31-4 of the criminal code describes an intoxicated
person).
Ambulance (Upon Arrival and during investigation)
Amb: "Hamilton, 2120 arrived scene going to 4 (ALS)
Disp: "2120, at 13:18 (time)"
-----time------
Amb: "Hamilton, 2120"
Disp: "2120, go ahead"
Amb: "We have an engulphed building. Whe have extricated a female
with advanced CO posining symptoms and second degree burns. Will
be transporting to Port Colborne General Code 4, stand by for the patch"
Disp: "2120, that's roger"
-----time-----
Amb: "Hamilton, 2120, can we have that patch to Port Colborne"
Disp: "2120, stand by"
(Tones are heard)
PCGH: "Port Colborne General, go ahead"
Amb: "Port Colborne Emerg, this is Port Colborne unit 2120 mobile to
your facility with a 45 year old female patient of Dr. Smith. Patient
was inside a house which was on fire. Upon our arrival, fire had
extricated the patient and was administring O2 (Oxygen). Upon arrival,
Patient was showing advanced symptoms of CO (Carbon Monoxide) poisoning,
as well as second degree burns to her face, neck and outer extremeties.
Her Pulse was 55, Stong and Regular. She is a Sinus Tach on the monitor.
O2 is being adminsitered, and we will be at your door in 4 to 5 minutes.
PCGH: "Message Received, Thank You"
-----time-----
Amb: "Hamilton, 2120 arrived Port Colborne General, switching to District"
Disp: "2120, roger at 1338"
Fire (Upon Arrival and investigating)
Pump 1: "St. Catharines Control, Port Pump 1 proceeding to Anystreet and
Whoknows Ave for a structure fire"
Disp: "Roger Pump 1"
Pump 2: "St. Catharines Control, Port Pump 2 responding"
Disp: "Roger Port Pump 2
Rescue 1: "St. Catharines Control, Port Rescue 1 responding"
Disp: "Roger Port Rescue 1"
Arial 1: "St. Catharines Control, Port Arial 1 responding"
Disp: "Roger Arial 1"
Tank 1: "St. Catharines Control, Port Tanker 1 responding"
Disp: "Roger Tanker 1"
-----time-----
Pump 1 :"St. Catharines Control, Port Pump 1 on location, 44 will be
command. We have a fully engulphed building"
Disp: "Roger Port Pump 1 on scene, 44 command, structure fire"
(Same deal for the other trucks)
-----time-----
-----more time-----
(Lots of tactical messages)
(Eventually all trucks report clear and returning to station)
Police (Arrival and investigating)
32-21: "933, 3221 on location"
933: "10-4"
32-11: "933, 32-11 on scene"
933: "10-4"
(a bunch of boring tactical junk)
(depending on situation, they may dispatch the ETU (Emergency Task
Force) if it is an arson, or also the ATF (Arson Task Force)
