9-1-1 Responders…who’s listening in

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Rose Richeson
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Office
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  The phone leaves the receiver and only three numbers are dialed, 9-1-1. Your emergency has now become the emergency of three Incirlik units on standby 24 hours a day.

"911 ... please state your emergency and if you need fire or medical services."

Those words are spoken by the Security Forces Law Enforcement dispatcher; however, what you may not know is that your phone conversation is being monitored by two other people. Those people are 39th Medical Group and Incirlik Fire Department first responders who monitor 9-1-1 calls in order to expedite service and ultimately save lives.

Immediately all three units can view the number and origin of the call in order to prepare responders. While the Law Enforcement dispatcher gathers initial information, a standby unit may take over the call if it specifically relates to fire or medical. In some cases all units will respond to the caller's location.

"For example, if we receive a call concerning a kitchen fire that has spread and there may be people left in the facility the fire department would take control of the call and all three units would respond," said Staff Sgt. Laura Denis, 39th Security Forces Squadron police services. "Security forces would set up a cordon with entry control points and establish traffic control, fire responders would treat the facility and extinguish any remaining fires, and emergency medical technicians would assess anyone who may have inhaled smoke or suffered injuries from the fire."

Incirlik has two fire stations with dispatchers ready to respond any time day or night. In the case that fire support is needed in housing or a facility on Incirlik you can expect that Fire Station next to the Air Mobility Command Passenger Terminal will send responders. If there is an emergency on the flightline then the Fire Station on the north side of the runway is the primary responder and the Fire Station next to the AMC/PAX terminal will send additional support.

"The main concern for fire department responders is what state the fire is in, if it has been extinguished or attempted to be extinguished, if anyone is left inside the house or quarters, and if the victims are in need of medical attention," said Ken Williams, 39th Civil Engineer Squadron deputy fire chief. "At that point our responders will assess the scene and do a complete search of the facility looking for any unaccounted bodies or victims."

If medical attention is needed the ambulance services EMTs are prepared to stabilize patients and transport them back to the Immediate Care Clinic for further treatment or in-house treatment instructions.

"EMT skills assess the problem at hand and call back to medical control to be patched through to the on call doctor with findings," said Tech. Sgt. Ken Gestring, 39th MDG noncommissioned officer in charge primary care branch. "If necessary, and permission is granted by the patient, they will be transported to the clinic and evaluated by a registered nurse or doctor. Many times after duty hours EMTs act as the doctor's 'eyes' over the phone so that patients can be treated in a timely manner."

Because Incirlik is limited to an Immediate Care Clinic, 9-1-1 emergencies that could affect life, limb or eyesight may be treated at an off base facility. Otherwise stabilization is provided along with a scheduled appointment for follow-up and reevaluation of the patient.

Once everyone is evacuated from the scene of the incident and all fires are contained Chief Williams said the fire prevention section would then take pictures of the site and try to determine the cause of the fire. It is not unusual for the fire team to interview occupants in order to gather details he said.

"The main things we determine by interviewing occupants are if they have attended the fire prevention briefing and extinguisher training when they arrived here," Chief Williams said. "The housing office schedules briefings conducted every Thursday from 9 to 11 a.m. and strive for 100 percent attendance by new base residents."

According to the Incirlik Fire Department, between 10 and 20 responses per month are recorded by the base fire department and these numbers are a direct reflection of how effective our fire prevention programs and education are.