Berkeley Fire Department Station 5

My one star review is solely based upon two separate incidents that occurred when I was working with a student housing office. Short version: horrible experience with receptionist over prolonged period; horrible experience with a specific firefighter who «shamed» me for not knowing better and calling 9−1−1.
The receptionist was unorganized; misplaced faxed documents and claimed I never faxed them; LIED to students that they weren’t supposed to submit the paperwork to the office but rather directly to the department. [per policy they were to submit it to the housing office and I would fax it to the department and retain the original for our records].
Another incident occurred that same school year, in which I made the decision to call 9−1−1 because of the state my friend was in. I was definitely hesitant about calling because he told me not to call but I said «better safe than sorry.»
Basically when I did call, operator somehow «diagnoses» what’s going on with my friend and so while the firefighters thought it was «alcohol withdrawal» all I described was: uncontrollable shaking or shivering, couldn’t tell which one, labored breathing, inability to hold himself up and the inability to focus his eyes. One firefighter said «this was a fucking waste of time» proceeded to ask who called and tried to shame me for calling and telling me that I «should have known better than to think it was alcohol withdrawal.» Looking back, I wished I cursed him out (not ignorantly) but in a way that got him to see his own ignorance. Obviously I’m not a firefighter, not a paramedic or anything related to a professional in the medical field. Just because I am a college student, it doesn’t mean I know what all sorts of alcohol related emergencies look like. It also doesn’t mean I drink, he heavily implied that, and I’m actually sober. He needs to learn to be professional and understand that there are going to be unintentional «bad» 9−1−1 calls that are out of genuine concern and lack of knowledge in the actual level of seriousness in situations.

While on the the phone with a dispatcher I felt attacked. She was short as she asked for information. The operator said an ambulance should arrive in 2 minutes and it’s been 21 minutes. I don’t think they’re coming. They get one star for answering and asking mostly appropriate questions.

So the women and men of Station 5 are who you want to see when your neighbor decides to make BBQ inside with her propane stove.
Now, I may be biased because my uncle is a retired fireman, but I am impressed by Station 5’s no nonsense approach and teamwork.