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Fire chief warns residents: call 911 first as private ambulance group creates confusion
Summary
University Heights fire chief briefed the safety committee on department capabilities, NG911 routing, and concerns that a private volunteer ambulance operating in the city has sometimes delayed fire department notification; the chief urged residents to use 911 in emergencies.
The University Heights fire chief told the safety committee on April 7 that the city’s fire department provides rapid, integrated emergency response and urged residents to call 911 first after reporting instances where a private volunteer ambulance’s involvement has caused delayed fire notifications.
In a prepared memo read into the record, the fire chief summarized the department’s 85‑year history and capabilities: department members are certified paramedics and hold specialized certifications (fire prevention, technical rescue, tactical medicine). The chief said the department’s average emergency response to incidents in University Heights over the last decade is about four minutes (turnout plus travel) and that the city participates in a next‑generation 911 (NG911) regional dispatch system that routes cell calls directly to the correct local dispatch center and provides simultaneous multi‑agency dispatch and medical pre‑notification.
Why it matters: the chief said seconds matter in emergencies and cited cases in which a private volunteer ambulance operating in the city caused confusion and delayed fire department notification because residents did not call 911 first. The memo said the private group’s presence had already led to incidents where the fire department was not immediately notified, increasing the risk of slower definitive care.
The chief recommended a simple public instruction: “Call 911 in an emergency.” The memo emphasized that UHFD, backed by regional mutual aid and NG911, can dispatch appropriate fire and EMS resources immediately and that ad hoc or private responders can unintentionally fragment emergency notification.
Committee members heard that the dispatch center provides emergency medical dispatch guidance and pre‑notification to responders, and that the regional NG911 capability — which not all counties have — helps ensure local routing and faster coordination. The chief closed by asking council and staff to encourage residents to use 911 for all emergencies so the city’s integrated response can function without delay.
No formal action was taken; the presentation was an informational briefing and the committee thanked the chief for the update.
