For too many, the solution is another program. Obviously, the paramedics should treat the person’s gout in his home. Right?, no. The paramedics shouldn’t be envolved.[/quote]
NSR: So, the article mentions that 8 (eight!) first responders rolled on that call. Eight! I don’t know what the hourly rate is, but that has to be a significant amount of money expended on what amounts to a nuisance call (nothing against the gout-ridden dude, but that ain’t what the 911 services are for), and doesn’t count fuel and other expenses, along with the opportunity costs (those same personnel could have rolled on a REAL call instead.)
This story is sort of California in microcosm: Lots of money wasted on services of little benefit.[/quote]
This is a ridiculous waste of taxpayer funds, IMO. The LA dispatchers are obviously not getting the REAL story before summoning emergency responders, IMO. Perhaps they are not trained to see thru these scams. There are many things they could have done, including questioning the caller more thoroughly and/or ask to speak to someone with or surrounding the caller. This is not unheard of. Honestly, they should place a county lien against this individual for summoning emergency help when he only needed to wheel himself to the bus stop or ask someone to do this for him if he was in pain. But what good would it do? The caller is obviously indigent and feels he is “entitled” to everyone springing into action when he has a hangnail.
First responders, incl fire and police agencies in SD County charge callers for false alarms and other time wasters on a case-by-case basis (incl those agencies/contractors in Chula Vista). It is not an insignificant amount (avg of $170 per “false” alarm).
