J Kleeman Photography: In a breath inside a whisper beneath the moon...

Dispatchers… We hear you…

First knowledge that a call is coming to the Fire Department are the tones ringing thru the fire station… The intercom/ Station sound system comes to life and details of the call are reported out.

Operators and dispatchers working in concert, a tiered approach, to speed help to the scene.

As the grave nature of this call develops, the operator has already handed off the pertinent details to the dispatcher. One key stroke and dispatch rolls appropriate assistance.

Keeping a family friend or parent on the line, the calm cool and collected operator holds open a direct line of communication into the scene.

It’s an EMS call, units are assigned and the destination address is reported to the station. The Tower is also assigned… during medical emergencies having a few extra trained hands makes all the difference. All of this communities Fire Fighters are Paramedics. A police cruiser in the neighborhood will be first on scene…

It could be a fall victim, an accident with injuries or an unconscious subject. All require a directed approach, the pressure dials up a notch… this call is for an unresponsive child.

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It is said the person with the hammer cannot hear the conundrum anywhere near as well as the folks who are NOT swinging it.

There is something about swinging that hammer, the activity and the effort seem to make you immune, in a large part, from the noise. The activity, the reality of the things you are doing insulates you.

Those listening and watching bear some added stress as the hammer travels down to hit the nail on the head… Boom a thundering report and echo… Boom… Boom… the sound may be deafening… and it is.

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This call immediately carries additional stress and tension, listening closely noting dispatch has an even tone and is calm and cool reporting … “Caller indicating the infant is non-responsive… blue lips…ashen in color… not breathing(?)”

The responding Units acknowledge the call and report “En-route”

The Ambulance crew acknowledges… ”Message received” asking for the callers identity and inquires, “Is PD on scene? “

That cruiser in the neighborhood has another trained officer on board, eyes on now would be great.

The moments of radio silence are deafening… All responding units have started – each can guess what is happening at that residence right now… the caller still on the line. The operator is providing pre arrival direction on patient care to the caller ... Until they arrive, Rescue can only gather intel and review procedures. On the approach… a measured practiced efficient effort – they have to get there safe.

Dispatch reports “Ambulance 25 - Pd reporting on scene, patient is an infant 4 months old.”

Battalion Chimes in to Dispatch, “Put me on that call…” The Battalion Chief is responding in addition to the crews dispatched …

Less than a minute later…. “Ambo 25 to dispatch, do we have an update…”

Dispatch to Ambulance 25,” PD on scene reports they have started resuscitation efforts… “

Again, after the “Messaged Received “acknowledgement from the Ambulance, the radio goes silent.

Unlike the Fire Ground where arriving units will go report on scene and switch to a local frequency to communicate to Command… this type of medical call will communicate, as required, directly to the hospital.

You may hear the second responding unit ask the Ambulance – “Ambulance 25 – what do you need?” Reinforcements have arrived.

Advance Life Support is on scene and initial assessments and actions are being performed. The dispatcher/operator team has communicated flawlessly. In the moments after the units arrival, until transport to the hospital is received, updates and information streaming has all but stopped.

Silence cascades across the channel - roaring across the airwaves.

The Dispatcher has directed the callout and hears the reports the hammer strikes if you will. Leaning into the call, recording the details and then as fast and urgent as the rescue started… his or her involvement is all but over… but it’s not. Record and run numbers have been created. A comment or two among the team at the desk… maybe something they noticed or heard or did not hear.

Anyone listening to the transmissions can tell this one had a special urgency, that patient in grave condition is a young son or daughter. In this case a very young patient… for now it’s out of their hands… one can imagine the scenario playing out at that location… They know the Paramedics name and voice, can hear his concern and the status update request… can experience the strain to be their best when someones world is apparently collapsing around them…and dispatch stays the course.

Thankful the silence is broken by a call regarding a fire alarm needing to be taken out of service… there has been a minor crash and police have been requested… the dispatch center is active and all the while we’re looking for that Ambulance to come up on the frequency reporting "En-route to the hospital… returning the Tower to service and Battalion reporting clear… "

Yes! When that transmission occurs a little wave of relief spreads across the miles to this desk and room… it’s been mere minutes… dispatch knows those EMS, Fire and Police on the scene, they recognize voices and they know the job…

You reset and “In a breath inside a whisper beneath the moon” take a moment and hope that little patient recovers. Thankful to do your part... and take another call.

Yes dispatchers, we hear you…