Police/Fire/EMS - What First Responders Do When First On Scene: Car Accident, Fire, and Medical Emergencies

Personally, I hold an extremely high level of respect for all men and women serving our country against crime. From local emergency responders to military personnel, all should deserve respect from the citizens they protect day in and day out. Since middle school, one of my passions has been learning about and keeping up with my local Police and Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services. My police scanner has been a great item to keep me informed about the happenings around me. I have learned so much from it including codes, signals, and even what first responders do when first on scene.

(All examples below are based off the Arlington/Dalworthington Gardens Police/Fire/EMS)

There are several types of car accidents: minor accident, major accident, hit and run accident, and DWI accident.  Minor accidents are usually fender benders with little to no injuries, major accidents range from one vehicle to multiple with heavy damage and confirmed injuries, hit and run accidents involve one party in the accident running from the scene, and a DWI accident is a car accident where one is intoxicated.  Here are the steps officials take when receiving a call of an accident:

1. The dispatcher says over the radio, "ALL UNITS, STANDBY FOR TONE".  A loud tone is sounded over the radio, meaning emergency information follows.  This tone is heard from all personnel.

2. The dispatcher calls out the emergency information after the tone. For example, "ALL UNITS (or unit numbers called out), BE EN ROUTE TO A MAJOR ACCIDENT, INTERSECTION OF SOUTHBOUND BOWEN AT MAYFIELD. WITNESS ADVISING 3 VEHICLES, HEAVY DAMAGE, CONFIRMED INJURIES, EMS IS EN ROUTE. 18:56 (6:56PM, the time is always called after emergency information on the radio).  

3. Once TONE is activated and incident is alerted, responding units "run code", meaning lights and siren, to the scene.  The very first official on scene, whether PD or FD, takes command of the situation.  Anything dealing with the accident goes through Command.

4. The official first on scene says, "885 (or first responder's call number) I'LL BE ON SCENE AND TAKING COMMAND."

5. Then, the official in Command gives the Sizeup.  "856 I'LL BE ON SCENE AND TAKING COMMAND. LOOKS LIKE WE GOT 3 VEHICLES, HEAVY DAMAGE, TRAFFIC LIGHT DOWN AND NO POWER AREA, AND LIQUIDS ON THE GROUND."  The Sizeup is pretty much a detailed description of the scene by the first responder on Command.

6. The following units running code and responding to the accident come on scene and handle the situation.  If liquids are on the ground, FD is first to lay down sand on the liquids just in case.  PD takes the report from witnesses and drivers while EMS takes care of the injured.  Once the witnesses and drivers are released, tow trucks are called in.  If the traffic accident involves a fatality, progression of the incident will be slow as an investigation must take place.

There are several types of fires, but the main ones are residential and commercial.  Residential fires are in some type of residence or house and commercial fires are in some type of business or shopping center.  Here are the steps officials take when receiving a call of a fire:

1. The dispatcher says over the radio, "ALL UNITS STANDBY FOR TONE. *TONE*. ENGINE 5, ENGINE 6, ENGINE 7, ENGINE 8, QUINT 8, ENGINE 9, QUINT 9, BATTALION 1, BE EN ROUTE TO A STRUCTURE FIRE, 1500 MAIN STREET, 1500 MAIN STREET, CROSS STREET OF WEST LANE. 18:56."

2. The FD officials en route respond code whether from their station or other location.  The first FD engine, quint, or Battalion on scene gives a sizeup of the structure, "ENGINE 7 WE WILL BE ON SCENE. WE'VE GOT A 2 STORY BRICK HOUSE, HEAVY SMOKE SHOWING, SMALL FIRE SHOWING FROM SECOND STORY WINDOW."

3. Other responding units step up their response as a fire has been confirmed. Engine 7 fire fighters suit up and start attaching hoses to fire plugs. When its time to start fighting the fire, other units should be on scene and ready to help.  The Battalion always takes Command of the situation and any unit who goes into the structure checks in with him first.  The fire fighters work to put out the blaze before it destroys the whole house and spreads.  

Appropriate alarms are given to each fire to describe its level of intensity.  1 alarm are small-medium sized fires easily controllable, 2 alarm fires are a bit more intense with fire showing and hard access, 3 alarms and 4 alarms are heavy fires that spread quick. Additional units are requested as alarm rises. 

There are also many different types of medical emergencies, easily the most diverse category of emergencies. Chest pains, heart attacks, falls, and a whole lot more are medical emergencies.

1. As always, the dispatcher tones the incident out. "ALL UNITS STANDBY FOR TONE."

2. The dispatcher tones out the incident and describes the details, "ALL UNITS, BE EN ROUTE TO 200 FLOWER LAND, 200 FLOWER LAND. I HAVE A CALLER ADVISING HER HUSBAND IS HAVING SHORTAGE OF BREATHE AND NEEDS AN AMBULANCE QUICK."

3. EMS is en route immediately as well as PD and FD for assistance. All officials arrive on scene and EMS treats the patient. If patient needs to go to the hospital, the EMS ambulance will transport to the nearest hospital.

Not much to a medical emergency.

Well I hope you learned a lot about how first responders do their job and protect YOU! Thanks for reading.

JohnB0127

My website: www.NorthTexasLuxury.com
Twitter: @JIBurg4