Baltimore City FD Dispatch Policy for MVAs

[als365]

Question:

Someone told me that when BCFD dispatches a wreck, it's confirmed by PD before they get dispatched. Is this true? If someone calls in a MVA with injuries, FD and EMS don't get dispatched until PD gets on scene and confirms the wreck? Seems weird to me.

Thanks,

-Austin

 

[mlevin]

I've been listening to BCFD for years and don't believe this to be the case. However I have called 9-1-1 in Baltimore City many times and I have always initially been connected to a police call taker who has then transferred me to the FD dispatcher/calltaker.

 

[ocguard]

Question:

Someone told me that when BCFD dispatches a wreck, it's confirmed by PD before they get dispatched. Is this true? If someone calls in a MVA with injuries, FD and EMS don't get dispatched until PD gets on scene and confirms the wreck? Seems weird to me.

Thanks,

-Austin

Not true at all. In fact, often times, the fire department and medics arrive long before PD.

Maybe the confusion lies in the fact that the Baltimore City Police Communications Center initially answers all 911 calls. If the caller reports a vehicle accident with injuries (or any other type of fire/EMS related call), the caller must then be transferred to Fire/Ambulance dispatch (in a totally separate center) for that half of the call processing.

If an accident is reported without injuries, or unknown injuries, only PD is sent. This is common in most jurisdictions in metro Baltimore -- an unknown injury accident is a police matter until injuries are reported.