Sixty-six non-probationary members represented by the union representing Northwest Central Dispatch System dispatchers were polled. Just over 85 percent (57 of the union members) voted no-confidence in Northwest Central Dispatch System management.

Audio of police/fire communications reveals there were actually four delays related to four different emergency medical calls requesting ambulances and emergency equipment on Sunday, July 8, 2012. In the audio, three ambulances from Arlington Heights are involved in delays — twice to Frontier Days at Recreation Park, and one call to South Gibbons Avenue address. A fourth emergency medical call was delayed in Palatine on Hicks Road. An extra alarm brush fire call in the hour in Buffalo Grove did not experience serious delays.

A 14-minute delay caused by newly installed Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) software by ID Networks was a catalyst to the “no-confidence” vote Thursday. Northwest Central Dispatch Executive Director Cindy Barbera-Brelle stated in a July 10 article of the Daily Herald that the Palatine incident was the first time Northwest Central Dispatch System (NWCDS) had delays in responses to emergency calls since the new software went live on April 24, 2012.

However, the letter presented to the NWCDS Board of Directors reads that the statement by the NWCDS Executive Director to the Daily Herald is a lie. The Cardinal reviewed audio from Sunday July 8, 2012 and discovered four incidents that involved delays of dispatching ambulances and rescue vehicles to four different emergency scenes — just in the hour of the alleged Palatine incident. Arlington Heights Fire Department firefighter/paramedics were delayed to Recreation Park Frontier Days, Arlington Heights Fire Department paramedics were delayed to an address on South Gibbons Avenue, Palatine firefighter/paramedics were delayed to a medical call on North Hicks Road, and Arlington Heights firefighter/paramedics were delayed to a second medical call at Frontier Days at Recreation Park. Cindy Barbera-Brelle did not return a phone message Thursday asking whether she was aware of any other delays during the hour of the noted delay in Palatine … the incident that was reported in the Daily Herald … the one she said was the first incident that has occurred since the CAD system went live.

Several union members spoke at the board meeting. At least 29 union members attended the board meeting. Union President Jennifer DeLaCerda said Sunday’s July 8 incident was not an isolated incident and there have been ongoing problems with the CAD system since April 24, 2012 — even as recently as during Wednesday night’s storm. Problems with double calls dispatched or failures to dispatch calls and other problems continue to exist. Union President Jennifer DeLaCerda stood in front of the NWCDS board, her bosses, and police and fire chiefs and asked for assistance from the chiefs to look into the validity of the union members’ claims. The stress levels to an already stressful job have become unbearable, according to union members. “We unionized under this management. We took a strike vote under this management and now we have taken a vote of no confidence,” DeLaCerda said.

Another union member, Dawn Wolf, explained that during training, ID Networks trainers kept saying the system will work when it goes live. It wasn’t working while the dispatchers were trained to use the new system. Wolf asked, “How can you be trained on something when the new system doesn’t work?” The errors observed during training continued when the CAD system went live. She also added that the stress levels at the dispatch center are extremely high.

Union member Ron Metz added that the challenge with CAD is significant, but that problems with management have been increasing and ongoing. Union dispatchers also have filed seven grievances over a previous labor contract, which are currently under arbitration with hearing set for August 20, 2012.

Outside the board meeting, when asked by The Cardinal if the dispatch center has been lucky to this point, he replied “definitely.” It’s the dispatchers and police and firefighters that have pulled the system together up to this point. Metz and DeLaCerda explained outside the board meeting that the radios ‘bonk’ when communications traffic gets intense. When radio traffic gets too heavy, the analog-digital conversion of radio processor can’t process all of the conversion. Red meters on the display warn that the system is red-lining, and when it goes bad, activating the foot pedal transmitter switch delivers a warning tone that the dispatcher’s voice is not being transmitted. Now the added stress of the CAD system being unreliable makes the job of the dispatcher that much more demanding. Metz explained that NWCDS telecommunicators and dispatchers are trained to go fully manual in the event of technical failures at the dispatch center. But going fully manual definitely takes its toll on the human factor of the employee, and the actual customer service to the public. The main problem is that failures of customer service caused by technology failures in the 9-1-1 business can cause a spectrum of responses from impolite or slow-to-resond dispatchers to life or death decision failures by dispatchers. The underlying stress it that the union members want management, the board, the police and fire chiefs, and village managers to help resolve the issues that they believe are like to cause these customer service failures. Surely they want the public’s support, too.

Northwest Central Dispatch board Chairman and Elk Grove Village Manager Ray Rummel replied to the union members, and thanked the dispatchers for coming forward and bringing the issues to their attention, but added the board has confidence in the NWCDS management and that “The management from our perspective follows our policies and rules. I know you have some issues with the labor agreement. I implore your group to find some ways to dialogue with management.” He added that there will be no retaliation for their action. However, union members believe that management at NWCDS has already punished staff by denying duty trades. Working a 24-hour business requires intense scheduling. Dispatchers are required to work many consecutive weekends. They don’t want to experience denial of duty trades when need to attend a wedding or other family outing.

Emergency 9-1-1 dispatchers at NWCDS now use the Ohio-based ID Networks CAD software to transfer information from 911 calls into the computer, and send the data to 21 police and fire departments within 12 member communities, including Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Mount Prospect, Palatine, Prospect Heights (police only), Rolling Meadows, Schaumburg, and Streamwood. The communities together serve about 500,000 citizens.

The letter presented to the Northwest Central Dispatch System Board of Directors Thursday morning, in its entirety …

The undersigned employees/Telecommunicators, members of the Metropolitan Alliance of Police Chapter #540 of the Northwest Central Dispatch System no longer have any confidence in the management of Executive Director (name blanked for media) and Assistant Director (name blanked for media).

In April the Executive Director made the decision to go “on line’ with a new Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system provided by ID Networks. During training by ID Networks, telecommunicators were informed on several occasions that the system was not working to its full capacity and they would have to wait until “going live” to see how it works. The Executive and Assistant Director were informed by some of their management staff the system was not ready to be implemented. They made the decision to implement the system even though many fault with the system were brought to their attention.

Since going on line, the CAD system has been a disaster. Many problems have been reported with few solutions given. On many issues instead of permanent fixes, telecommunicators have been provided with “work around.” Problems with the system have become life threatening to the public and emergency personnel. They have been well documented for months. On Sunday July 8, 2012 a system failure caused the delay in dispatching a Paltine Fire Department call for at least 14 minutes. On Jully 11, 2012 The Executive Director (of Northwest Central Dispatch System) is quoted in the Daily Herald Newspaper as saying “Sunday was the first time there have been delays in responses to emergency call since the new software went live.” In fact there have been many delays since the system went live, some even longer than 14 minutes. There are many issues with the ID Network system including crashes where the system simply shuts down. When these occur, the telecommunicators have to find a way around the crash and are sometimes forced to manually navigate around the system to get an emergency call dispatched. The statement by the Executive Director to the Herald is a lie.

The telecommunicators of Northwest Central Dispatch joined the Metropolitan Alliance of Police (M.A.P.) in 2009. Since that time, the Executive and Assistant Director have made many policy changes. These changes were made without the benefit of bargaining with the union. Some changes are the subject of Unfair Labor Practices and grievances filed by M.A.P. and are being hear in the proper venues. On July 11, 2012 articles concerning the CAD system appeared in the Daily Herald and Arlington Heights Cardinal Newspapers. On July 13, 2012 the Executive Director and Assistant Director made a unilateral change in the requirements for granting for granting shift trades. One of the new changes now requires at least four persons be available to work overtime before the trade is approved. This is a new requirement, believed to be in response to the newspaper articles.

The Executive Director and Assistant Director failed to fully investigate the capabilities of the ID Network CAD system before agreeing to purchase it. They have denied problems exist with the CAD system to the Media and possibly even the Board of Directors. their continual neglect in handling the CAD system and their vindictive handling of employee and labor issues has greatly increased the stress of an already extremely stressful job. Currently the morale of employees is at an all time low. Telecommunicators have become fearful of the work place and are hesitant to report for work. The management of (names blanked for media) has created a hositle work environment for their employees and a dangerous work environment for emergency personnel dispatched by NWCDS. Their management decisions have placed the public in the covered communities at risk of not receiving emergency services in a timely manner.

See also …
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE NORTHWEST CENTRAL 9-1-1 SYSTEM, HELD IN THE NORTHWEST CENTRAL DISPATCH SYSTEM TRAINING CENTER, 1975 EAST DAVIS STREET, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS ON THURSDAY, July 15, 2010 [PDF].

The Cardinal Complaints About ID Networks CAD Software at Northwest Central Dispatch 911 Raises Concern About Delays, Systemic Software Problems

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911 TRANSCRIPT of Whitney Houston Medical Emergency at Beverly Hilton

Operator: 911 emergency.

Caller: Hi, how you doing? This is security from the Beverly Hilton.

Operator: Hi, what’s going on?

Caller: I need paramedics. Apparently, I got a 46-year-old female found in the bathroom. That’s all I’ve got right now, but they’re requesting paramedics.

Operator: OK, someone fell in the bathroom. What room is she in?

Caller: I’m not sure she fell or if she was in the bathroom with the water. (Room) 464; 434, I’m sorry.

Operator: That’s room 4-3-4?

Caller: Yes.

Operator: Ok and that’s not east, west or anything else? It’s room 434?

Caller: Yea.

Operator: And you don’t know if she’s conscious or breathing at all?

Caller: Apparently she wasn’t breathing and she’s a 46-year-old.

Operator: She was not breathing?

Caller: Yes.

Operator: OK, but she is breathing now?

Caller: I don’t know. The person that called me was irate and I didn’t get much out her. I’ll have security go in there now.

Operator: OK, we’ll send police and fire over there now with a person not breathing. Did it sound like the person was still not breathing?

Caller: Ya, that’s correct.

Operator: OK, we’ll get them there for not breathing. Is there any way you can get in the room so I can try to do CPR?

Caller: Ya, we’re going there now.

Operator: Can you get me into the room so I can try to give CPR instructions?

Caller: Oh, I’m sorry. No, cause she kept hanging up on us.

Operator: She kept hanging up on you?

Caller: Yea.

Operator: Ok we’re good. We’re getting over there, OK?

Caller: OK, thank you.

Operator: Thank you. Bye-bye.

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Cop Caught Having Sex in Squad Car: MyFoxMEMPHIS.com

What did they hear on the Memphis Police radio when a police officer was allegedly having sex?

It happens almost daily — an ‘open key’ that is. Police or firefighters accidentally press on the transmitter key or button on their radio; and all other police officers, firefighters or dispatchers have to endure seconds or minutes of dead air. Usually a minute or two of the sound of the diesel engine of a fire truck is heard as it is driven down the road, or an innocent conversation is heard while police or firefighters talk to their co-workers. The dispatcher will usually announce, “Watch for an open key!” But, allegedly, last Monday in a Memphis Police squad car, something else was pressing on something that shouldn’t have been. The alert to watch for the open key was too late.

MYFoxMemphis.com is reporting that Memphis Police Officer Dion Anthony was
allegedly having sex in his squad car while on duty … and there is a recording since every radio communication is recorded. The recording is now part of an internal investigation by the police department.

Police radios can get stuck between a seat or some other equipment, or the weight of a police officer or firefighter can press against the radio somehow. As is the case in Memphis, there is usually a vehicle radio in the console or by the transmission hump, and a portable radio on the person.

Most police departments and fire departments have strict communications procedures so that emergency communications is not obstructed. An open key can disrupt or interfere with communications during an emergency.

Anthony joined the force in July 2007, and works the 2pm to 10pm shift out of the Mount Moriah precinct of Memphis. The errant broadcast occurred about 8:45 p.m. Memphis time on Monday March 12, 2012. The duration of the errant broadcast lasts less than 30 seconds.

No details were available about the woman that is also heard in the encounter.

TRANSCRIPT
This has not been confirmed to be the same transmission as the alleged transmission involving police officer Dion Anthony, but a radio transmission that sounds like a sexual encounter is on record at about 8:41 p.m. Monday, March 12, 2012.

[HEAVY BREATHING AND FEMALE MOAN WITH RHYTHMIC BACKGROUND NOISE ]

Male voice: “Is that the biggist d*#@ you ever had in your life?”

[NO ANSWER]

Male voice: ‘mmmmmm” [SYNCHED WITH RHYTHMIC BACKGROUND NOISE].

Male voice: “You know what they say (female’s name), you are for’n to learn, right?”

Male voice: “Isn’t this the best you ever had?

[FEMALE MUMBLED AFFIRMATIVE]

Male voice: “I could a bet on it … I could a bet on it.”

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The woman calling 9-1-1 is in her own world and hardly listens to the 9-1-1 telecommunications call taker. She’s clueless. The call taker has to ask the caller several times to listen to the question and pay attention.

The caller rambles on with information the call taker didn’t request, and fails to give simple, short answers to what the call taker questions.

Was it K2, Spice or Whip-Its?

Shortly after Demi Moore was rushed to the hospital for abusing whip-its, Ashton Kutcher was busy getting his PARTY ON in Brazil!

Stay informed with news from The Cardinal’s Emergencies Behind the Scenes Facebook page — Facebook.com/CardinalEmergencies. Includes links to favorite public safety and emergency rescuers and product manufacturers and safety companies that have facebook pages. Submit your pictures or just stay up-to-date on with fire, rescue, EMS and police photo galleries. Please add your public safety photo to the wall album — go direct to the Arlington Cardinal Emergencies Behind the Scenes photos. For a list of all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages, go to Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …

National Public Safety Telecommunications Week (April 10-16, 2011) is designated to recognize the hard work and dedication, which provide a vital link to the public safety services.

Citizens are urged to recognize all the sacrifices and expertise involved in working in a telecommunications personnel position — long hours, missed holidays, life-and-death stressful situations, multi-tasking, emergency medical dispatching, and understanding new technologies and computer systems.

Telecommunications operators and emergency medical dispatchers are professional telecommunicators, tasked with the gathering of information related to police emergencies, fire emergencies, and medical emergencies.

Dispatcher tasks include technical proficiency in police and crime databases that help identify a person with a criminal history or a wanted status, which helps police officer safety and performance in arresting criminals.

Fire dispatching requires proficiency in assigning the appropriate equipment and resources to fire scenes and disasters.

Emergency medical dispatchers include the provision of assistance and instructions by voice, prior to the arrival of Emergency Medical Services, and the dispatching and support of EMS resources responding to an emergency call. The term Emergency Medical Dispatcher is also a certification level and a professional designation, certified through the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO) and other agencies. Many dispatchers, whether certified or not, use a standard Emergency Medical Dispatch protocol to instruct people on the scene on what to do until help arrives.

Paula Abdul apparently asked to be let out of a car on the northbound U.S. 101 near Santa Barbara. On follow-up she said she was just having an argument. No police report was filed.

During the call that was placed at 4:35 PM on February 14, 2010 — Valentine’s Day, Paula cries and sobs hysterically and says, “I wanna go, I want out of this car and he won’t let me!”

Seconds later Paula says, “You just drop me off ’cause I have ‘emergency’ on the phone” — and shortly after that Abdul says, “He’s dropping me off.”

In the audio available, Paul Abdul did not answer the 9-1-1 calltaker’s question about the nearest exit on U.S. 101.

Police contacted Paula Abdul about an hour later and she said the incident was just a verbal dispute.

U.S. 101 through Santa Barbara is a six-lane express (three lanes each direction) with a maximum speed of 65 mph. Under most circumstances it is not a good idea to let a passenger out of a car on an expressway to become a pedestrian. No conclusion that the boyfriend was innocent, but attempting to get out of a car while being restrained is a serious situation that the police take very seriously.

Carlos, 7, and his six-year-old sister were hiding in a locked bathroom when Carlos called 9-1-1. The three offenders fled when they learned that the 9-1-1 call had already been placed. Carlos had already given the 9-1-1 operator detailed information about the home invasion. “Bring some cops … and ambulance … and all of them … and bring soldier, too (elapsed time 0:41)”

When three armed robbers found Carlos hiding in the bathroom with his sister, the offenders asked him who he was talking to on the phone. In the 9-1-1 audio you can hear the men enter the bathroom. The 9-1-1 operator is heard relaying the information that the robbers broke into the bathroom to the other dispatcher that was in contact with responding police units.

Nobody was injured in the home invasion. The suspects were not captured.

Los Angeles County Sheriff 9-1-1 Operator/Dispatcher Monique Patino and Carlos met in front of the media Wednesday.

Overall, Toyota has recalled more than 8 million cars and trucks worldwide because gas pedals and floor mats that can cause the accelerator to become stuck. But judging from the comments on YouTube, many people think the action of James Stikes was staged.

Monday, Stikes called 911 to report his Prius was accelerating out of his control. Sikes was driving eastbound on Interstate 8 near Lake Jennings Park Road at 1:30 p.m. Monday when he tried to pass a slower car. Sikes then noticed that the Prius seemed to be accelerating on its own. Sikes reported he attempted to bring the car under control himself, then called 911 when the vehicle hit speeds over 90 miles per hour. Sikes claims his vehicle reached 94 mph.

A California Highway patrol car caught up to Sikes when he was east of Kitchen Creek Road — a distance of over 20 miles from the location where the incident began. CHP officer Todd Neibert approached alongside the Prius and gave Sikes instructions over the police car’s public address system.

After instructions from officer Neibert, Sikes used his brakes and his emergency brake to slow the car down. Sikes said the car slowed to 55. After several attempts to shut off the car by using the ENGINE START STOP button, he was successful. The officer could smell the brakes, and Sikes remembers looking out the window of the car while he was looking at the police car and standing on his own brake pedal.

The Prius will be investigated by federal officials, and Toyota will also investigate the Prius. Toyota officials also want to interview Sikes.

Toyota Instructional Video: Stopping Procedure for sticking accelerator pedal.

View Strange World in a larger map
Map of California Interstate 8 near Kitchen Creek Road and Mission Bay California — east of San Diego, California, near Cleveland National Forest.

See also …
Toyota Recall Videos – Stopping Procedure

After the first 9-1-1 call, the original caller dials a second time to update the 9-1-1 operator that the AED has been pulled for the victim — meaning that an Automated External Defribillator (AED) box has been opened was possibly being used to rescue an unknown victim that was in the tank. A third call to 9-1-1 advises that they want the rescue vehicles to pull directly to the scene inside the park by passing through Gate 3.

Orange County Fire Rescue responded to SeaWorld’s Shamu Stadium about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday after a whale named Tillikum pulled a female trainer into the tank. There was reported violent thrashing of the victim by the whale. The trainer had just finished explaining to the audience what they were about to see in the upcoming show. The killer whale grabbed the woman by the waist as she was standing at the edge of a secondary pool and dragged her underwater.

View The Cardinal Strange World in a larger Street View of SeaWorld.

View The Cardinal Strange World in a larger map

SeaWorld [official site]
SeaWorld Orlando [official site]

View Google Street view of Farm King in Macomb, Illinois as a larger image.

Police in Macomb, Illinois, released the 911 audio from the farm supply shooting there Wednesday (February 3, 2010).
Store Manager Jeff Nimrick is heard frantically describing a man in the store loading a gun in the sporting goods section before actual shots are fired. Automatic gunfire is also heard in the background during the 9-1-1 call. The 9-1-1 operator tells Jeff Nimrick that the police have arrived and have assembled ‘a huge amount of police officers.’

Jonathan Labbe, 19, entered the Farm King Store and demanded ammunition. Jonathan Labbe fired 23 rounds at officers using an automatic rifle and then killed himself. Several people were inside the store at the time.

View Chicagoland and Worldwide Crime Notebook Map in a larger map

Almost one year ago, at approximately 10:30 a.m. February 28, 2009, police officers were dispatched to the Change of Pace, 301 N. Campbell St., responding to a report of an IED (improvised explosive device) that was located outside the business. Members of the Secretary of State Police Bomb Squad from Springfield (IL) used a robotic bomb recovery unit to secure the explosive device.

The 9-1-1 Audio reveals a woman calling Cambridge Police Department, on behalf of an elderly woman that asked her to call police, for a possible break-in.

9-1-1 Audio

The tapes of the 911 call and radio dispatches affiliated with the incident of the arrest of Henry Louis Gates by Sgt. James Crowley at a Ware Street home in Cambridge, Massachusetts on July 16, 2009 were released on July 27, 2009.

The woman who made the 911 call on Sunday, July 16, 2009 that led to the arrest of Henry Louis Gates used a spokesman to express that she never mentioned race during the call and was “personally devastated” by media accounts that suggested she placed the call because the men she saw on the porch of Gate’s home were black, according to a Boston Globe report.

Radio traffic from Cambridge Police Department of Sgt. James Crowley responding, arriving on the scene, and telling backup units to keep coming because the suspect who says he resides at the home is uncooperative.

POLICE RADIO TRANSCRIPT
Cambridge Police Dispatcher: Respond to 17 Ware Street for a possible B and E (breaking and entering) in progress. Two SPs (suspicious persons) barged their way into the home, they have suitcases. R-P 5 – SP. Stand by, trying to get further.

Officer 52 (Crowley): 52. Ware Street right now, 17?

Dispatcher: 17 Ware Street … both SPs are still in the house, unknown on race. One may be a Hispanic male, not sure.

Officer 52: Is there an apartment number there?

Dispatcher: Negative on the apartment. Single family yellow house.

Officer 52: Stand by. Can you have the caller come to the front door?

Dispatcher: I’m sorry, repeat?

Officer 52: Can you have the caller come to the front door?

Dispatcher: It’s not her house, she doesn’t live there. She’s a witness in this.

Officer 13: C-13 to patrol im on broadway (inaudible)

Dispatcher: Received

Officer 52: 52

Male patrol: Answering 52-

Officer 52: I’m up with a gentleman who says he resides here (background voice) but uncooperative. But uh, keep the cars coming.

Male patrol 1: Copy.

Officer 52: Can you also send the Harvard university police this way?

Male patrol 1: We can send ‘em in.

Officer 17: 17 to 5-2, when you get a chance I need to talk to you.

(14-second pause)

Officer 52: 52 to patrol

Male patrol 1: Answering.

Officer 52: He gave me the ID of a Henry Louis Gates. …

Male patrol 2: Answering 52.

Officer 52: He gave me the name of the resident of Henry Louis Gates Jr. (background voice) on Harvard property.

Male patrol 2: Sir can you repeat?

(14-second pause)

Male patrol 2: Patrol to 52.

Two simultaneous voices: Try calling him again— (inaudible) to 52.

Male patrol 2: Patrol to 52.

Male patrol 2: Patrol to car 52.

(inaudible)

Male patrol 2: 52 go back to channel 2.

Officer 1-R: 1’s on.

Male patrol 3: Let’s see 12-52.

Officer 18: 18’s on 2.

Male patrol 2: 18 I didn’t copy 52’s last uhh, when he came on 2.

Officer 18: Right, stand by.

Male patrol 3: Patrol to 1-R.

Officer 1-R: (background voice) I’m off on Ware Street with 52.

Male patrol 3: Alright received.

Officer 2: (inaudible) to patrol. Do we have a wagon coming through to the location?

Male patrol 3: Patrol to wagon.

Wagon: Wagon.

Male patrol 3: 17 Ware Street.

Wagon: Copy.

Charles Jason Darnell 9-1-1 Call Transcript:
“Our stupid snake got out in the middle of the night and strangled the baby!”

Our snake, we have a Burmese Python … she’s about 12 foot long … she got out of the cage last night and got into the baby’s crib and strangled her to death.

A 12-foot pet Burmese python escaped from a home terrarium and strangled Shaunnia Hare, 2, in her bedroom in central Florida.

The two-year-old girl was already dead when paramedics arrived at about 10am on Wednesday.

The owner of the Burmese Python snake that is known to be a predator of small mammals is Charles Jason Darnell, who is also the boyfriend of Shaunnia’s mother. He discovered the snake missing from its terrarium and, fearing the worse, went to the Shaunnia’s room, and found her dead. The girl was still wrapped in the snake, which is known to kill by constricting the chest of its prey and causing death by suffocation. Shaunnia also had bite marks on her forehead.

Darnell stabbed the snake and was able to free Shaunnia from its hold on the girl. Still alive, the snake was handled by police and wildlife officials and was placed in a bag then inside a dog crate.

The snake will be placed with someone who has a permit, pending an investigation into the girl’s death.

The Humane Society of the United States reports that at least 12 people have been killed in the US by pet pythons since 1980, including five children.

Burmese pythons are not native to Florida, but have become a problem as some owners irresponsibly have freed pythons into the wild, resulting in a python population of them has taken hold in the Everglades. Some Burmese pythons escaped in 1992 from pet shops during devastation caused by Hurricane Andrew. The snakes have been reproducing in the wild.

When the snakes grow to full size, even human adults can be overpowered by pythons.

AUDIO: 9-1-1 Call for Help for Michael Jackson …

First issue: According to the 9-1-1 audio, the CPR was being performed on a bed. Most bed mattresses are too soft to allow effective chest compressions during CPR. With a mattress, each chest compression attempt moves the whole body by depressing the whole upper body into the mattress, instead of compressing the heart effectively inside of the chest on a sturdy, unyielding floor. If the bed was exceptionally firm, the doctor is not at fault. But if the mattress is like most beds, there could be some fault here.

Second issue: The doctor doesn’t cooperate with the 9-1-1 Call Taker when he attempts to find out if the presumed cardiac arrest was a witnessed cardiac arrest. A doctor with sharp emergency skills would be willing to report the cardiac arrest as a witnessed arrest or a non-witnessed arrest. Witnessed arrest with immediate bystander CPR improves the chance of survival of the victim. From the nature of the conversation, it appears that the doctor does not submit this information and seems to be frustrated with the nature of the question. If he knows the EMS 9-1-1 procedures he would be confident that paramedics were already dispatched, even though the questioning continued. Most modern 9-1-1 centers have a call taker and a dispatcher. Depending on the urgency, the call taker forwards the information on to the dispatcher, who can order crews and equipment to respond from the fire station, or alert the crews over the radio, if the paramedic crews are available on the air.

In addition, it is important for paramedics to have as many details about the call as possible while they are en route to the call. They are mentally better prepared when they can anticipate the conditions at the scene and the physiological condition of the patient at the scene. For example, if the cardiac arrest is not witnessed, they know that even with CPR performed, they already have a victim with a low oxygen disadvantage, and a body in a more acidic state. With optimal information, they are most likely to bring the proper equipment into the house, make better decisions, and use the best medications. The fire engine crew also has better awareness to bring the next line of equipment or the stretcher with IV setup ready. These seconds count. It is better to be a little more prepared en route.

According to reports coming from TMZ.com, paramedics saw a straight line on the EKG when they arrived. A straight line EKG is usually seen well after the erratic heart rhythms (arrhythmias) fade away as death becomes irreversible. Also there was a package of lidocaine, and evidence that lidocaine was used to treat Jackson before paramedics arrived. Lidocaine is considered “old school.” There are other drugs that are more effective than lidocaine. Most paramedic crews only use lidocaine in late cardiac arrest, if at all. TMZ is also stating that paramedics noted that CPR had been administered for quite some time. A 2006 study found no survivors when there was a prolonged delay in initiation of Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) of 30 minutes or more. Early defibrillation, like what is available from an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator), is one of the most effective treatments for cardiac arrest and severe cardiac arrhythmias. Calling 9-1-1 sooner and having paramedics on the scene sooner with a defibrillator would have been the most effective first order of treatment.

The issues or faults in the performance of emergency care may not have affected the outcome of the resuscitation of Michael Jackson, but the faults do point to the need for all physicians to make sure they review their emergency care techniques and their understanding of the access to the Emergency Medical System in their area.

AUDIO: 9-1-1 Call for Help for Michael Jackson (June 25, 2009 12:21:04 PT) …
(Address and telephone number is omitted from the audio for privacy)

THE 9-1-1 TRANSCRIPT FOR LAFD 9-1-1 FROM CALLER AT CAROLWOOD DRIVE ADDRESS 6/24/2009 12:21:04

CALL TAKER: Fire-Paramedic 33 … what is the address of your emergency?

CALLER: Yes sir, I need to … uh … I need an ambulance … as soon as possible, sir.

CALL TAKER: What is your address?

CALLER: [Address omitted for privacy] Los Angeles California 90077

CALL TAKER: You said Carrolwood?

CALLER: Carolwood Drive, yes. [Comments in background unintelligible]

CALL TAKER: OK, sir … what’s the phone number you’re calling from.

CALLER: [Phone number omitted for privacy]

CALL TAKER: And what’s the problem or exactly what happened.

CALLER: Ah, sir … I have uh … we have uh … a gentleman here that needs help and he’s not breathing … he … yep
He’s not breathing and need to … and we’re trying to pump him but he’s not [CALL TAKER INTERRUPTS]

CALL TAKER: OK, OK … How old is he?

CVALLER: He’s ah 50 years old, sir.

CALL TAKER: 50? OK. He’s unconscious … he’s not breathing?

CALLER: Yes, he’s not breathing, sir.

CALL TAKER: And he’s not conscious either.

CALLER: No, he’s not conscious, sir.

CALL TAKER: OK … alright. DO you have him … is he on the floor? Where’s he at right now?

CALLER: He’s on the bed, sir. He’s on the b …

CALL TAKER: OK, let’s get him on the floor.

CALLER: OK? [as if he has been moved to the floor]

CALL TAKER: OK, let’s get him down to the floor. May I have you do CPR right now? OK?

CALLER: We need em … to get …

CALL TAKER: We’re on our way there. We’re on our way. I am going to do as much as I can to help you over the phone. We’re already on our way. Did anybody see him [COLLAPSE]

CALLER: Yes, we have a personal doctor here with him, sir.

CALL TAKER: Oh … you have a doctor there?

CALLER: Yeah … but he’s not responding to anything. No … no he’s not responding to the CPR or anything, sir.

CALL TAKER: Oh. OK. Well we’re on our way there … if your guys are doing CPR instructed by a doctor … he has a higher authority than me. And there on scene. Um. Was there anybody witnessed what happened.

CALLER: No … ah … just the doctor sir. The doctor’s been the only one here.

CALL TAKER: OK … so the doctor seen what happened?

CALLER: Ah … uh [to the doctor on scene] … doctor, did you see what happened, sir?

DOCTOR ON SCENE: [UNINTELLIGIBLE] [POSSIBLY] … we need help!

CALLER: Sir. You just. Ah … uhm … if you could please … ah … ah

CALL TAKER: We’re on our way. We’re on our way. I’ll dispatch these questions while they’re on their way there, sir.

CALLER: Thank you. He’s pumpin’ … He’s pumping his chest, but he’s not responding to anything, sir. Please.

CALL TAKER: OK. OK. We’re on our way. We’re lettin’ them on their way. We’ll be there shortly.

CALLER: Thank you, sir. Thank you.

CALL TAKER: OK. Call us back if you need any observations. Bye.

CALLER: Yes sir. Yes sir.

RESOURCES:

Vukmir RB; Sodium Bicarbonate Study Group. Witnessed arrest, but not delayed bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation improves prehospital cardiac arrest survival. Emerg Med J. 2004 May;21(3):370-3.

Vukmir RB, Katz L; Sodium Bicarbonate Study Group. Sodium bicarbonate improves outcome in prolonged prehospital cardiac arrest. Am J Emerg Med. 2006 Mar;24(2):156-61.

Vukmir RB. Survival from prehospital cardiac arrest is critically dependent upon response time. Resuscitation. 2006 May;69(2):229-34. Epub 2006 Feb 23.

With the end of Runway 32R/14L in the lower right corner, the approximate flight path of American Airlines Flight 191 on May 25, 1979 at 3:04 p.m. is shown by the red arrow [MAP/SAT]. The crash site was in an empty field just south of the oasis on Interstate 90, just east of the Elmhurst Road entrance.

Memorial Day 2009 is also the 30th anniversary of the worst single-plane accident in the history of U.S. commercial aviation — the crash of American Airlines Flight 191 occurred just north of O’Hare International Airport. The American Airlines DC-10 crash of 1979 killed 271 on board (258 passengers and 13 crewmembers) and two on the ground.

There was no 9-1-1 (it was a seven-digit number) when American Airlines Flight 191 crashed just north of O’Hare International Airport on Friday May 25, 1979. Many people witnessed the crash or the immediate aftermath of the crash — a huge explosion that sent flames and smoke back up into the sky. Here are 13 people’s phone reports to the emergency number at Elk Grove Village Fire Department.

Telephone audio at Elk Grove Village Fire Department dispatch office on May 25, 1979.

As a flood of phone calls hit the dispatch offices of local fire departments, especially Elk Grove Village Fire Department, the crew of Elk Grove Township Ambulance 321 was on the street and saw the ball of fire and huge plume of smoke. Here is the local suburban fire department radio traffic that followed …

Radio communications on the northwest suburban local fire radio frequency for Elk Grove Village, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Buffalo Grove and Elk Grove Township Fire Department immediately after the crash of American Airlines Flight 191 on May 25, 1979.

When American Airlines Flight 191 crashed just north of O’Hare International Airport there were many witnesses to the smoke and fire that immediately rose from the crash site. Some fire units were already on the street and reported the unknown source of a huge fire and headed straight for the disaster scene.

The audio (with added transcript in video text) of the Local Fire frequency that was shared by several suburbs just north of the airport: Elk Grove Township, Elk Grove Village, Mount Prospect, Buffalo Grove and Arlington Heights.

Abbreviations used in the video transcript:
AHTS … Arlington Heights Fire Department serves the next suburb north of Elk Grove Village. The Arlington Heights Fire Alarm Office was also the command center for MABAS Division 1 (Mutual Aid Box Alarm System) — the mutual aid district that encompassed the disaster scene. The Arlington Heights Fire Department office managed the MABAS response via the NIFERN radio frequency, which is now known as IFERN and is used for major disasters when mutual aid among fire departments is required. Today MABAS Division 1 radio communication is managed by Northwest Central Dispatch System in Arlington Heights.

EGRT … Elk Grove Township Fire Department is the fire protection district that was closest to the disaster scene, directly north of O’Hare International Airport. At the time of the crash, Elk Grove Township Fire Department was a brand new department. Ambulance 321 had not yet certified for Advanced Life Support at the time of the crash. That is probably why EGRT Ambulance 321 was calling for help requesting an MICU. In the early days of Emergency Medical Service (EMS), Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances staffed by paramedics were called Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICU).

EGRV — Elk Grove Village Fire Department was the next closest suburb to the disaster scene. EGRV borders most of the west side of O’Hare International Airport.

MABAS … Mutual Alarm Box Alarm System invented in 1968 for suburban fire departments and modeled after the City of Chicago fire response alarm system. The system now includes the suburbs and the City of Chicago.

MTPR … Mount Prospect Fire Department covers the next suburb north of the district covered by Elk Grove Rural Township Fire Department.

NIFERN … Northern Illinois Fire Emergency Radio Network is the former name of IFERN the current acronym for the Interagency Fire Emergency Radio Network.

Following is one of the most professionally-handled 9-1-1 calls among calls that are released by 9-1-1 officials nationwide. Keep in mind that 9-1-1 call takers are responsible not only for getting help to the scene, but that they are responsible for gathering helpful information about any danger to first responders that might still exist at the scene. The call taker, Paul Jenkins of Northwest Central Dispatch System, is calm, non-judgmental, reassuring and asks the necessary questions to get the answers that are needed by responding police and paramedics. The call taker also keeps the phone communication open until police make eye-to-eye contact with the callers. Keep in mind that at least one other 9-1-1 telecommunications operator/dispatcher is receiving the call taker’s information and alerting responding units by radio and/or text messages to a mobile data terminal or computer in emergency vehicles. That communication between the two employees of Northwest Central Dispatch is apparently muted, which reduces confusion of communication with the callers. Listen to the 9-1-1 audio (aka “9-1-1 tape”) of the complex scene below:

Voices of Amanda Engelhardt, 23, and D’Andre Howard, 20, speaking
with Northwest Central Dispatch 9-1-1 telecommunications call-taker …
4-17-2009 Hoffman Estates Stabbing 9-1-1 (6:44 AM CDT)

Stabbing victims killed have been identified as Laura Engelhardt, 18, her father Alan Engelhardt, 57, and her maternal grandmother Marlene Gacek, 73, who all lived in the 1000 block of Bluebonnet Lane.

Laura Engelhardt’s mother Shelly Engelhardt is in critical condition with stab wounds at St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates.

D’Andre D. Howard, 20, a boyfriend of Amanda Engelhardt (Laura’s sister) and possibly living in an apartment in the 900 block of Evanston Street in Hoffman Estates, has been charged with the murders.

Five people stabbed, two killed at the scene, and a third died at the hospital, the result of family and/or friends dispute on the 1000 block of North Bluebonnet Lane in Hoffman Estates just after 6:30 a.m.

An ILEAS mutual aid police alarm was requested and several northwest and west suburban police departments, including Arlington Heights police assisted Hoffman Estates Police Department. A police operations staging area was in the neighborhood near the crime scene. Access to the neighborhood was blocked.

View Chicago Area High Profile Crimes Map in a larger map

LIFETIME FITNESS Personal Trainers Jemal Crisp and Don Stumpf grabbed the onsite Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) and directed responding shift paramedics to the patient. Prior to the arrival of the Algonquin–Lake in the Hills ambulance, the off-duty firefighters used the AED to shock the patient. After two shocks the firefighters were able to feel a pulse and observe the patient respiration.

Proper CPR, AED availability, timely calling of 9-1-1 and a quick response by fire department paramedics are credited with saving the life of the LIFETIME FITNESS club member.

The City of New York has also launched a program that allows the public to submit still images and/or audio/video files of select conditions that occur in the City, by calling 311 or by visiting NYC.gov. The public will be able to send pictures and videos from computers and web-enabled cell phones and PDAs to accompany certain 311 quality of life complaints, such as:

Another program was recently added to permit text messaging to the Crime Stopper program in New York City.  In addition to calling 1-800-577-TIPS, members of the public may now text message crime tips anonymously by texting CRIMES or 274637, and then entering TIP577.

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg stated, “I built a business on the idea that we could improve companies’ performance by delivering better information instantaneously, and I’ve tried to bring that same philosophy to government … By upgrading 911 and 311 to accept photos and video, we are bringing government accountability – and crime-fighting – to a whole new level. If your cell phone is equipped with a camera – and many are these days – you might be able to get a picture of something that will help the police solve a crime.”

Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly added, “When it comes to crime fighting, a picture is worth more than a thousand words … This is just one more tool to help the public help the police in our powerful partnership.”

Source: NYC.gov
NYC Press Release — PR- 350-08 September 9, 2008

He says callers could still dial two regular business numbers to reach dispatchers, but it is unknown how people would know to call those regular business numbers.

The outage was caused by changes related to the introduction of a new 657 area code in the region. AT&T fixed the problem with no serious aggravated 9-1-1 request-for-help situations reported.

Video aftermath of shooting scene at the Wendy’s in West Palm Beach, Florida.

9-1-1 Audio transcript of Wendy’s shooting  … developing …

9-1-1 Call Taker: 9-1-1 Emergency

Caller: Gunshot [unintelligible] Oh my God.

9-1-1 Call Taker: Hold on. Get everybody in out of the way. Get everybody out of the way.

Caller: We’re gettin’ out of the way right now.

9-1-1 Call Taker: OK. Hold on. Don’t Hang up.

Caller: OK. I’m not.

9-1-1 Call Taker: Who’s got the gun?

Caller: I don’t know … ma’m, but they’re in their shootin’ … I’m outside.

9-1-1 Call Taker: Inside? They’re shootin’.

Caller: Yes. They. They … Inside … they’re shootin’  OK I’m sorry.

9-1-1 Call Taker: Hold on … Is anybody shot?

Caller: Yes … some lady customer … right here there’s … she’s shot

9-1-1 Call Taker: Hold on.

Caller: OK I’m sorry.

9-1-1 Call Taker: That’s in progress. That shooting’s in progress [talking to dispatchers or responding police units over radio] … 13-seventy … I got it honey … I got … we got help. Is anybody hurt?

Caller: Yes ma’am.

SECOND CALL:
Second Caller: Hey. I’m at Wendy’s … West Palm Beach Florida. I just got shot. A guy shot up the whole Wendy’s.

Second 9-1-1 Call Taker: OK listen to me very carefully.

Second Caller: I can’t move my arm. He blew my arm off.

Second 9-1-1 Call Taker: Listen to me very carefully. I already have police on the way. Alright?

Second Caller: Good.

Second 9-1-1 Call Taker: Tell me who did this?

Second Caller: Hurry I can’t … my arm is … half off. I’m losin’ lots of blood. OK please.

Second 9-1-1 Call Taker: I understand. I need you to tell me who did this. They’re already on the way.

Second Caller: He put a bullet in his head … he’s down.

Second 9-1-1 Call Taker: The guy that did it?

Second Caller: Yeah. He killed himself. He’s dead.

Second 9-1-1 Call Taker: Where is he? Is he inside?

Second Caller: He’s inside, yeah.

Second 9-1-1 Call Taker: Do you know him?

Second Caller: I’m in flight … I’m in flight safety at Biaggio (spelling?/phonetic) School. Please help me.

“Lane Bryant,” McFarland whispers to the 9-1-1 dispatcher.

“Where at?” the female dispatcher asks.

“Tinley Park,” McFarland replies. “Hurry.”

“Stay on the line. Stay on the line,” the dispatcher requests. “Don’t hang up.”

Then the phone disconnects.

Killed in the Feb. 2 shootings were: McFarland, of Joliet; Carrie H. Chiuso, 33, of Frankfort; Connie R. Woolfolk, 37, of Flossmoor; Sarah T. Szafranski, 22, of Oak Forest; and Jennifer L. Bishop, 34, of South Bend, Ind.

There is also record of the shooter saying “You’re lucky. I’m losing it.” … presumably on a separate 9-1-1 call.

Tinley Park police released partial audio of 9-1-1 recordings.