Somers, CT, Fire Chief Says Call 9-1-1, Not Firehouse for Help
Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
(TNS)
SOMERS — The Somers fire chief on Monday implored residents to stop calling the local fire station for emergency service, calling it an "extremely dangerous" practice.
Over the past year, 50 calls came in directly to the fire station, which is not always staffed, Chief David Lenart said. Four of those calls were made over the weekend, he said.
"This practice is unacceptable, extremely dangerous, and puts lives and property at serious risk," Lenart said in a news release. "When someone calls the station instead of 911, the call may go unanswered or cause significant delays in response. In emergency situations, every second counts."
Some callers have admitted that they made their own assessment as to the seriousness of an incident, saying things such as, "I didn't want to bother 911 for something minor," he said.
Firefighters also have heard things such as, "Please don't use lights or sirens, it's not a big deal," he said, or, "Can you just send one guy to check something out?"
"We follow strict, written response protocols for every emergency," Lenart said. "The number of personnel, type of apparatus, and level of urgency are not based on what the caller thinks they need — they are based on department policy, risk, and safety standards."
"There is no such thing as a 'minor emergency,' " Lenart said. "If you think you need the fire department or ambulance, call 911."
State Fire Marshal Lauri Volkert, who used to be a fire marshal in Windsor, said she recalls that some people went to the extent of using a search engine like Google to look for the local fire station number instead of calling 911.
"We heard from residents that they used a digital assistant or googled the phone number for the fire department instead of remembering 911," Volkert said. "These virtual assistants would respond with the number listed for the top search result, instead of directing the person to call 911."
Lenart said the delays that happen when one calls an empty fire station could be deadly.
In the case of fires, they can double in size every 30 seconds, Lenart said.
"What starts as a small fire can quickly grow beyond control," he said. "Delay in response means greater destruction, increased danger, and limited survivability."
Time also matters in the case of a life-threatening medical emergency, Lenart said.
"A person can bleed out in under five minutes," he said, "and someone who is not breathing can suffer irreversible brain damage or death within minutes."
Volkert said she also is concerned that some people don't consider it an emergency if a carbon monoxide detector sounds.
"Carbon monoxide (CO) is odorless, colorless, tasteless, and deadly, so it's important to respond quickly when the alarm sounds to evacuate the building and call 911," she said.
Lenart asked people to spread the word about the importance of calling 911.
"We are here to protect you," he said. "But we cannot do our job if we are not notified the right way. The 911 system exists for a reason — please use it."
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