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Richard B the EMT

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Everything posted by Richard B the EMT

  1. Not my call, but I think you'll find it interesting. Dave B and Bill M, as Paramedic Unit 47 Willy 3, and John M with his partner, Kevin M, on BLS Unit 47 Boy 3, got assigned a Cardiac Arrest call at the Riis Landing Federal Park Police base. On arrival, they were met by the NYPD Harbor Launch, "Harbor Adam", whose crew advised the EMS guys they were heading out to sea. It seemed that a passenger on an outbound Cruise Liner had suffered, allegedly, a cardiac arrest. The liner was still proceeding slowly, and the PD launch was to bring them out to the liner. They had at least a 20 minute ride. When they caught up with the liner, to maintain steering control, the liner had to continue at (for a liner, at least) slow speed. The launch had to go at a moderate speed (for a "Cabin Cruiser" sized launch) to maintain position at the ship's "ladder", in addition to the turbulence of the liner's bow wake, as the 4 EMS and 2 of the launch's cops started the climb of what was later described to me as 5 stories up, with the equipment. When they were escorted to the ship's clinic, the patient was found to be in a cardiac condition, but not arrest. Between the ship's doctor, on line medical control, and the Paramedic's, it was determined the patient was to be taken from the ship, and transferred to a hospital on shore, for more definitive care. It had already been determined that the patient would not be able to get down, or be brought down, the ladder to the launch, and a helicopter had been requested by the launch crew. By this time, one of the NYPD Helicopters was hovering in position over the ship. However, due to the ship's design, the helo would not be able to land. Bill was riding shotgun, so he would be the one going into the helicopter. But how to get into the helicopter? By winch cable, that's how! The helo dropped down the winch cable, with a rig for Bill to get into, and then winched him up to the "bird", lowered the cable again, and brought up the stretcher with the patient, and then flew off towards a hospital in Jersey City, NJ. As for the cops, the BLS ambulance crew, and Dave B, they proceeded, while escorting the patient's wife, back down the ladder to the launch. The launch then headed to a dock in Jersey City, where a JCPD unit dropped Bill off, and picked up the wife to bring her to meet up with her husband at the hospital. With the 4 EMSers now back on board, the launch then proceeded back to Riis Landing, where the 2 EMS crews then boarded their respective ambulances, and returned to service. The guys had spent roughly 5 hours afloat, the only assignment they would handle that day. A week later, someone sent a copy of a home video showing Bill and the patient being raised up into the helo. Some months later, all 4 got commendations for the assignment.
  2. Just mentioning, from the video link, I am friends for some years with Paramedic Billy Dahl, and Paramedic Lieutenant Billy Gleason.
  3. Food for thought: Ground Zero I note, again, while former NJ Governor Whitman may be a good administrator, she was no scientist.
  4. One problem on one question, as I served, simultaneously, in a community VAS, and municipal Hospital based EMS, then the VAS and FD based EMS.
  5. I just looked at the profile, and the OP only posted the opening to this string. One post. No other postings, to this, or anywhere else in EMT City. You're probably correct, when discovering how much effort starting an ambulance service can be, frightened off the individual, even from posting on other topics.
  6. I never served in the military. Momma B served in the Army during WW2, as a WAC PFC, where she met Poppa B, a T4 Sargent, at Fort Knox, KY. Momma B, in telling her tales of Army life, mentioned she was under the "non-com" command of a lesbian Sargent, who's "wife" was in the same unit. The Sarge did her job running the mess hall kitchens well, and apparently it was, at least at that posting (not in Fort Knox) a non-issue in the early 1940s. Momma B just told me it appeared nobody cared about the Sarge's "proclivities", just that, due to her skills, made it a lot easier for the others in her command to do their jobs.
  7. Positional Asphyxiation? OMG, I thought it was universal, no patient, except one with something impaled in their back, was EVER transported face down. On their side, to observe for that patent airway, perhaps, but on their back? Nope! However, before I condemn, I want all the facts on the case referred to.
  8. I have 2 "Caution" flags to fly: 1) Careful with waxing the seats. I've slid all over the place, even with the seat belts on, due to someone having done this to the vinyl. 2) In below freezing weather, make sure the locks are dry, if you do wash the ambulance. My partner and I responded, in a snowstorm, to a multi-alarm fire, after washing the ambulance, and on arrival, couldn't open any compartments, or the "box" itself, to retrieve any equipment. The locks had all frozen! We got lucky, as several BLS ambulances got assigned, and there were fewer injured or smoke inhalation patients than ambulances. (Side note on that fire- due to frozen hydrants, FDNY had to lay a lot of hose, and use Engine companies to relay water for quite a distance.)
  9. We've established we live nowhere near each other, yet why does that truck's sign sound familiar?
  10. Food for thought: Book-schooled personnel at higher scope of practice without experience, or experienced personnel over a longer time frame? Which do you want to be? Which would you want to be treating yourself? (Did I just open a can of worms?)
  11. One can always experiment with the "El Cheep-o" scopes. Sometimes one can get lucky. Over 38 years, I wore out quite a few of them, before I went a bit more upscale in prices. Still not spending over $45.00, and that's only when the tubes get worn out. It's at least 5 years between sets, for me, and I use them a lot, admittedly mostly for BPs and breath sounds.
  12. Presumption on my part, but probably the EMTs were pumping, while the Paramedics "played with the plumbing", i.e. establishing IV lines, and setting up the 12 lead EKG. No offense intended to any Paramedics or ALS providers with that statement, by the way. I'm BLS, and spent much time "pumping" while the Paramedics did their part of on scene treatment, just the pecking order, is all.
  13. Just mentioning, from a historical standpoint, the NYC (Health and Hospitals Corporation) EMS got permission to be a part of the "Pilot Program" for BLS use of Albuterol, trained all their EMTs, and then went back to the bosses (HHC), asking for a salary jump, due to the personnel having gotten the "advanced" (for it's time) training. HHC declined, stating, in effect, "You got the training, why should we pay you now for what you already have?" Post FDNY EMS "merger", roughly the same time that the CFR-D (Certified First Responder-Defibrillation) program started, the EMTs and Fire Fighters were trained in the use of the AEDs. New York State DoH, at that time, had EMT, and a separate EMT-D track. The FDNY EMS all became EMT-Ds, but the FDNY declined to give a salary jump, stating much as the HHC had, some years before. (FYI, the NYS DoH now has EMT-B, for "Basic", with one componant being the Defib training. There is no separate EMT-D track in training) Now, I have to wonder if the FDNY EMS Command is going to go with the Ultrasound for at least the Paramedics, as a Pilot Program, and if they do, what the "bosses" are going to say? "Stay Tuned"...
  14. Per friends of mine in the USMC, "SIR! Yes Sir! The best Part, Sir!" When further questioned how long the Marines were going to be a part of the Navy, responded, "SIR! Until we get the nack of walking on top of the water, Sir!" As for the T-Shirts... Showing an ambulance crew walking up the front walk from the truck, equipment in hand, "Our day begins when yours is about to end!"
  15. there was a time, when on my ambulance, tour 1 (midnight) tried to keep the exterior clean, tour 2 (daylight) kept it fueled, and my tour 3 (evenings) kept it stocked. If a large ammount of supplies were used, the team on duty, obviously, restocked, and gross decontamination was addressed by the involved team. We did have the advantage of a bus depot nearby, and if they had the time, would let us use their power-washer, and run the ambulances through the bus-wash.
  16. Bold, Italisized, and underlined remain, but we don't have the marquee. We went to a less expensive server, doesn't have those luxuries. No webcam on the chat, either.
  17. To quote the ol' sheriff, "You in a heap o' trouble, boy!" (Just looked at profile. Not noted until after posting that the OP is a lady. Line is pre Politically Correct PD)
  18. Kiwimedic and CBEMT, unfortunately, both of you, seemingly on opposite sides of the issue, are both absolutely correct.
  19. It has been my experience that if a LEO cuffs a patient, they accompany their cuffs in the ambulance. (Also, my preferred anesthesia for disruptive patients remains a Louisville Slugger, LOL)
  20. I am kind of experiencing this, myself, as I am transitioning from employed to retired. Union pharmacy purchasing plan was canceled for a couple of days until the paperwork caught up. I never was without the Plavex or Zocor, however.
  21. Why do we do the CPR? On one hand, it might be the local protocols we are working under. On another, it might truly be an emotional thing. The call came in as a cardiac arrest. I am BLS, and responded as such, and the ALS arrived on scene within seconds of us. We rode the elevator together. BLS handled the CPR, ALS did the IV, drugs, EKG, and the contact to the OLMC. When it became apparent that we were not going to have a good outcome, a family member went across the street to the church for the priest, for giving the final absolution rites, and as comfort to one family member who was obviously not going to take the bad news too well. After working on the patient for over a half hour, OLMC allowed us to discontinue efforts. The priest did his tasks of the final rites (I'm of a different religion, but understand it can be comforting to family members), we cleaned up the expended supplies, and, after leaving the deceased in the attendance of the NYPD awaiting the Medical Examiner's team, I heard the aforementioned family member asking his family and the Padre to call 9-1-1 again, to get another ambulance, and another opinion! FYI, this was before the EMS/FDNY merger, and AEDs were not yet in the BLS protocols
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