Norman FD/EMS notes

[plaws]

Here's the latest pictures of the new NFD Engine 1. It's pretty much complete minus the lettering on the doors and front.

Identical to 3's new piece?

Glad to see that the actual company number is marked on the rig and not those old sequential numbers! Now I'll be able to tell who's who! :lol:

 

[eharlow]

From what I can remember it is identical. I think the only thing we changed is something not visible to the naked eye and that was the addition of Independent Front Suspension. That comes with bigger brakes too.

I agree with you on the numbering! The old 20's were hard to figure out who was who!

 

[plaws]

Norman Engine 5 rolls

Actually, it's hard to tell from the article in the paper if it was Engine 5 or Brush 5. Two FFs hurt, one minor, one screwed up his shoulder.

I hope it was Brush 5 and not the engine because E5 is a tanker (2500 gallon?) and since it's first-due at my house, I don't want the NFD replacing it with some puny 500-gallon engine ...

 

[PolarBear25]

E-29

It was unit-29 http://www.ci.norman.ok.us/fire/apparatus.cfm#

 

[plaws]

I hope it was Brush 5 and not the engine because E5 is a tanker (2500 gallon?) and since it's first-due at my house, I don't want the NFD replacing it with some puny 500-gallon engine ...

It was E5, neither FF will miss work, and it only had a 1000 gallon tank as does it's replacement.

 

[eharlow]

Sorry for the delay in getting a comment about this.....
They were already planning on TRYING to buy 2 more pumpers in July...
We guaranteed the contract price on E-1 until July so they were going to tag on with 2 more if the Council would allow it.

Now theres no question...the plan is for sure to buy 2 more.

 

[plaws]

EMSSTAT south station

NRH is *finally* building the new EMS station on 12th Ave SE. Whatever the drug company is (Astrellas?) in the old Shaklee facility gave them the land back in 2005 or 06 and they said they'd be building a new station forthwith. Yeah, well, looks like it will be done by summer or so from the looks of it.

Oddly, the bay door or doors face away from 12 th Ave ...

At least the medics on 30 won't have to be quartered in a "30 second" building on South Base any more!

 

[plaws]

About time!

The other bit is that NRH has received some land near SH 9 and SE 12th that will be used for a new EMSSTAT station. Currently, EMSSTAT 30 (I believe that's the unit) is running out of one of the "temporary" WW2 buildings on South Base. Nice accomodations. Not.

Peter

The damn station is finally open. About time they got the medics out of that firetrap on South Base - here to treating professionals as professionals.

http://www.normantranscript.com/localnews/local_story_130002521

 

[plaws]

Emsstat 70?

EMSSTAT numbers their systems like this (or did)

• Main Station at NRH: EMSSTAT 10, 11, 12, etc
• West Side Station: EMSSTAT 20, 21, etc (rarely more than one)
• New station on 12th at SH 9: EMSSTAT 30
• Supervisors: EMSSTAT 9x, may be badge numbers or the like
• Chief of service: EMSSTAT 100

So what is EMSSTAT 70? Hearing it a lot these days. Can't tell from the context what it is. Possibly a unit dedicated to inter-facility transfers?

 

[plaws]

New Hospital in Norman

Anyone know if EMSSTAT is transporting anyone to the old ED on Porter Ave at all or are they only transporting to the new place west of I-35? What about Noble FD?

EMS entry notifications to the new hospital ED on 53552.

 

[n5bew1]

Peter they are using both however the conventional wisdom is that someday in the future NRH Porter street will go away. The current story is one whole floor at NRH on Porter is closed now for failure to meet some code.

 

[plaws]

Peter they are using both however the conventional wisdom is that someday in the future NRH Porter street will go away. The current story is one whole floor at NRH on Porter is closed now for failure to meet some code.

Last my city councilor knew ... or had been told ... was that "oh, no, the old ED will not be going away". Even before it became clear that the hospital authority was in financial trouble, I knew that wasn't true (I mean, duh!).

That aside, I'm just wondering how that affects comms on the radio.

 

[n5bew1]

Last my city councilor knew ... or had been told ... was that "oh, no, the old ED will not be going away". Even before it became clear that the hospital authority was in financial trouble, I knew that wasn't true (I mean, duh!).

That aside, I'm just wondering how that affects comms on the radio.

Right now it seems to add a little more confusion as dispatchers ask "which ER are you going to" and everyone fumbles with the radio and all.Practice will help that but just tonight I heard the Healthplex ER calling Emstat 30 several times on tg 53335 I think...don't know if they ever made contact.

 

[HogDriver]

Do the side view mirrors like that really help? THat seems to be the trend in large vehicles nowadays.

 

[Okla-by-God-homa]

OK....first off I can't tell you why.....but I think I can answer all the nagging questions about Norman EMS and the Norman Regional Health System moves.

First off most of the "assumptions" on unit numbers are semi-correct:

EMSSTAT 100 is the EMS Manager
EMSSTAT 90's are the Crew Chiefs (Shift Leaders)
The 10's, 20's, 30's, are for the most part assiged to a station.
10's = North Porter
20's = West Robinson (Station 2)
30's = South Station (the new one)

Now for the others....because of high request for service calls extra units come on and off duty at peak times. It's up to the Crew Chief at the time they come on duty as to what unit number he wants to assign to them, and where they are stationed. So in a nut shell there is no rhyme or reason as to "assigned" numbers being for a specific area. The call volumes are just too high for such a thing. It's the fire fighters who get to plan what they are making for their meals in the fire house and get to "stay in district".

For me, I'm just an old fart who has been listening since you had to buy crystals for your Regency scanner to listen to one of the ten channels you had available, circa 1970.

As to the hospital, there are NO plans, nor have there ever been to "close down" the Emergency Department on Porter. It's the busiest E.D. in the state....the Healthplex E.D. is much smaller and is designated as an emergent chest pain center (only 10 beds).

If you have other questions PM me or leave them here and I will address each as best as I can.

BOOMER

 

[plaws]

EMSSTAT 100 is the EMS Manager
EMSSTAT 90's are the Crew Chiefs (Shift Leaders)
The 10's, 20's, 30's, are for the most part assiged to a station.
10's = North Porter
20's = West Robinson (Station 2)
30's = South Station (the new one)

Leaving aside the bit about Porter Ave "campus" closing, what is 71?

I assume this is for inter-facility transfers?

Seems like EMSSTAT units now spend most of their time moving patients from MMC to the HealthPlex to Porter Ave to the Specialty and then back again. Sounds very efficient from my position. Not.

If 71 is for inter-facility, is it staffed by basic EMTs or paramedics?

Also, on the Crew Chiefs, are the numbers assigned to a person or a vehicle? I.e. is the same guy always 91 or does he drive 91 some days and maybe 93 on others?

 

[Okla-by-God-homa]

So many questions....let me start with the Crew Chiefs. Since the "normal" crews work 24 hour shifts and so do the Crew Chiefs they are numbered by shift. Fire Dept uses colors (Red, Blue, &Green) shifts & EMSSTAT uses 1,2,& 3. There are only three Crew Chiefs and 1 Manager.

71 is a day shift transport for the most part. At the present time ALL units are staffed with Paramedic personnel only, but they are going to be hiring Emergency Vehicle Operators (EVO's = Basic to Intermediate EMT's) to work with the Paramedics to offset the cost of the interfacility transfers. You may well hear other numbers used in the future....don't know them yet but they are all at the descretion of the Manager & Crew Chiefs. The system was always designed to remain "fluid" unlike the Police & Fire depts with designated beats or stations of coverage. Medics live in the units and are constantly moving to provide consistant coverage for Norman.

 

[n5bew1]

OK....first off I can't tell you why.....but I think I can answer all the nagging questions about Norman EMS and the Norman Regional Health System moves.

First off most of the "assumptions" on unit numbers are semi-correct:

EMSSTAT 100 is the EMS Manager
EMSSTAT 90's are the Crew Chiefs (Shift Leaders)
The 10's, 20's, 30's, are for the most part assiged to a station.
10's = North Porter
20's = West Robinson (Station 2)
30's = South Station (the new one)

Now for the others....because of high request for service calls extra units come on and off duty at peak times. It's up to the Crew Chief at the time they come on duty as to what unit number he wants to assign to them, and where they are stationed. So in a nut shell there is no rhyme or reason as to "assigned" numbers being for a specific area. The call volumes are just too high for such a thing. It's the fire fighters who get to plan what they are making for their meals in the fire house and get to "stay in district".

For me, I'm just an old fart who has been listening since you had to buy crystals for your Regency scanner to listen to one of the ten channels you had available, circa 1970.

As to the hospital, there are NO plans, nor have there ever been to "close down" the Emergency Department on Porter. It's the busiest E.D. in the state....the Healthplex E.D. is much smaller and is designated as an emergent chest pain center (only 10 beds).

If you have other questions PM me or leave them here and I will address each as best as I can.

BOOMER

I was referring to the whole hospital closing which would be a mistake. However certain doctors are quietly speaking of that possibility to some hospital employees.

 

[Okla-by-God-homa]

Nope, it's not closing....but you ae right in "certain doctors" saying things. Bet I can guess which ones if you promise to buy me everything I want for Christmas. BUT, this is not the forum for such matters. If you would like, PM me with your number and I would be glad to call.

BOOMER!

 

[plaws]

At the present time ALL units are staffed with Paramedic personnel only, but they are going to be hiring Emergency Vehicle Operators (EVO's = Basic to Intermediate EMT's) to work with the Paramedics to offset the cost of the interfacility transfers.

I wondered when they would start with that stuff. Given EMSSTAT's poor coverage as it is, it's only a matter of time before the not-fully-paramedic units are dispatched on critical calls.

Sorry to hear the medics are on 24-h shifts. BTDT, and it wasn't fun ... but the system I was in wasn't nearly as busy as EMSSTAT and we didn't have 200 sq mi to cover.

Recipe for even poorer service ... hardly fodder for this forum, though, as you've noted.