Response Times...How to Improve

[REMSCHIEF]

Hi guys...I need some help. I am beginning to get concerned with our response times...especially at night. In 2003 our avg times were 4.9 min til on scene days, and 6.4 min on scene nights. A little background...we staff a medic during the day and 2 vol. EMT's to round out the crew. At night (6p-6a) we utilize an all vol. medic crew. Our coverage area is 10 sq miles...with abourt seven sq being very ruarl areas. My problem is now I am seeing a trend in response time increaseing and no apparent reason. (Last winter I could understand, but...?) Nights are hitting close to the 7-8 min range. I realize that it could be worse, but I take pride in the fact that our department rivals many of our full-time neighbors. Does anyone have any suggestions? How do you staff your sta. both days and nights? Am I way off base? I always look ahead to correct problems BEFORE they become problems...that is why this makes me upset. Help?!

Andy

[WTFD10]

How about a volunteer duty crew to sleep in the station?

This not only improves response time but takes the pressure off the rest of your members for those 3 AM "put the old man back in bed" type calls.

Certain calls such as an unconscious person would still need a home response from off duty volunteers but if your area is like mine 75 to 80% of the calls could be handled by a 2 or 3 person duty crew.

[REMSCHIEF]

I've seen very little on a "sleep crew" staffing idea...I'd appreciate any more info or ideas you have, especially concerning how it affects people from getting burned out or in trouble with the significant others for not being home...do they get any stipend or 'bennefit" for being at the sta. or what? I see possibilities, but I need more info. Feel free to email me at

Abaillis@rittman.com

Thanks ,

Andy

[Eng34FF]

We have had assigned duty crews since I joined the department. We currently have 7 crews that rotate Sunday through Friday. Duty times are 6:00 PM until 5:00 AM Monday through Friday. Sundays and Holidays are 24 hour duties. If you are unable to run one of those duty crews, you are required to run a Saturday crew (24 hours) or staff a daytime crew. This is just a requirement for being a member, no benefits or stipends.

One note, the policy is that if you can get to the station within 1 minute of the tones being dropped, you don't have to stay at the station. Other people make arrangements with the driver or other crew member to meet them enroute.

As for the morale issues, I can't comment since I have not worked under another system. I do know departments in this area that require you to work a certain number of hours, or nights a month and let you sign up when it's convienient for you. That may be better for morale and family sanity if it will work.

[Weruj1]

for us this problem seems to come and go .........right now we seem to be in the middle (my own perception). We have everyone coming from home after 1600 hours. It wasnt any longer than 6-8 years ago we sometimes used to have 2 qand 3 tone outs for help.We have an good influx of people and it goes away, We have discussed duty crews, but certainly there are to many variables in 35 peoples scheudels to try and and get that set up, also there was concern about getting a call that was going to need the whole dpeartment, or a non EMS call, what truck would then be on ? so we havent done anything......sleeping at the station maybe an option but past individual bathrooms we have no sleeping quarters etc. Good luck in your situation.

[firenresq77]

Chief, it might be best to set up some kind of schedule. Not necessarily set it up so ONLY those people can respond, but just maybe set it up so you have 2-3 people who would stay at the station so they can get out the door quickly....... Everyone else can still respond from home if they are available. Maybe work out some kind of "pager rate" you could pay those who are staying at the station (Maybe a couple dollars).........

[WTFD10]

Man 77 why you gotta be so negative all the time when replying to these posts!

I wasn't suggesting that nobody else respond, by all means the more the merrier. I'm just suggesting that some members may get burned out getting up for those middle of the night, not really an emergency EMS calls and wouldn't feel they had to respond if they know it's being handled by the night duty crew.

REMSCHIEF, I think crews sleeping in the station is a great idea. Unfortunately, we will probably never do it at my dept. because the budget money is not there and many of our members don't want to do anything for free. So I can't really give you the ins & outs of it like others could.

My brother Weruj brings up another good point that I never hammered out the logistics of: What happens if none of your members are available certain nights?

[firenresq77]

I know what you are saying, Moe, and I agree. There are some people who do not want to get up at 0 Dark Thirty to go see the regular who is looking for attention. Not saying it's right, but it happens. Even if you can't pay them, maybe you have a FF's Association or something that can get a "gift" for those who put in X amount of hours per year doing it.......

If you have nobody to cover, maybe your dispatch can advise everyone when they tone it out that there is "no duty crew available" or something to let people know there is nobody at the station......

[MetalMedic]

Gee Andy.. you never asked me what my ideas are? Seriously, Wooster Twp. is probably the only department in our area that could give you some usable ideas. As I understand, their operation has six duty crews for Sunday through Friday 7P-7A (maybe it is 6P-6A). These crew members are encouraged to stay at the station while "on-duty" but must at least be in the response area. Once every six week, each crew takes a turn covering a weekend from 7AM Saturday until 7PM Sunday. I am not certain about compensation, but I believe a crew member is paid for one hour during their on-call shift, but that is absorbed if they make a call.

It is not a perfect system, but it is close enough that you might be able to study it and "tweak" it some if you can find a better way.

Good Luck!

[Weruj1]

Ritchie ............hows it goin ? What been happenin ?> Anything shakin in Orrville ?

[MetalMedic]

Originally posted by Weruj1
Ritchie ............hows it goin ? What been happenin ?> Anything shakin in Orrville ?

Anything shakin in Orrville?? This town is fire proof (and I am NOT complaining!). Uhm.. do I know you???

[Weruj1]

not personally ..............just havent seen you postin in awhile ....thats all.......hows the cop shop ?

[MetalMedic]

Originally posted by Weruj1
not personally ..............just havent seen you postin in awhile ....thats all.......hows the cop shop ?

Awww shucks... you missed me!! Things are decent with the cop shop. Our fall quarter starts next weekend... so it is back the the ususal antics of freshman and sophmore students being turned loose on their own for the first time!