WestSideBorderPatrol

Hey all, I've been a member on here for quite some time, mainly lurking and reading (and sometimes learning!). However, I need some advice. I've been an EMT-B for about 2 years and work both 911 and private service part time, and I am also a full-time student (sophomore) at a University where I'm studying Respiratory Therapy. I know that I am meant to have a job in the Healthcare profession, doing what exactly, I don't know. I am strong in A&P and the "biology" type classes, however chemistry is kicking my butt! I took general chemistry once, and failed. I took general chemistry twice, and failed. This is the only thing that is holding me back from getting into the Respiratory Therapy program. However, because I failed general chemistry twice, I cannot take it a third time and expect admission to the program. I'm starting to think that well maybe I'm not supposed to be a RT. There really isn't anything else at this University that even slightly interests me academic wise, so I'm considering transferring out to a community college paramedic program (It is accredited). I would obtain a A.A.S in Emergency Medical Technology. In a perfect, "dream-world", my ideal career would to be a flight paramedic with the State Police. There is also a 4-year University near me that offers a B.S in Emergency Health Management. My question for you all is this: If you were in my shoes, which option would you chose? Would you try to get into the 4 year program? Or would you go for the A.A.S degree? And finally, as an employer, would having a B.S as opposed to an A.A.S be a big deciding factor in hiring an individual? Thanks everyone, this is such a stressful time for me and any bit of advice is appreciated

Lets not forget about the magnesium engine blocks that used to be in VW's and Ford Exploders! Magnesium reacts violently with water, and it took awhile for the fire departments around here to figure out why the fire just wouldn't go out with a hand line. Eventually someone figured it out and tried using a class "D" extinguisher, it worked perfectly.

Seat belts save lives. Period. They save your life, and they protect the other occupants in the vehicle from your body being thrown all over the place. Are there instances where not wearing a seat belt as contributed to someone not dying? Sure. But those instances are few and far between, I'll take my chances by wearing my seat belt.

My private company only requires you to be over 18, have your license for at least 2 years, and under 3 points I believe. Also, drivers watch an "EZ EVOC" video (which is a joke, btw. But i guess its all that insurance requires) and then drive an OOS unit 2 separate times with 2 different instructors so that you can learn the unit and how it handles. All of our units are equipped with a DriveCam system, so just knowing that its there to rat you out, you tend to drive on the cautious side.

Range of about 2,000 feet according to the article.

This is an email I got from one of our line officers, it has more information about what happened: This could happen to any department, this is why drills, classes and continued training is important. Please Read! He was missing for almost an hour according to some reports. CROSSVILLE, Ala. -- Crossville firefighter Cody Renfroe is remembered as a dedicated volunteer who enjoyed helping others. Renfroe, 24, died Wednesday while fighting a house fire in the Painter community, between Geraldine and Albertville. "He was a very outstanding person, a real go-getter," Kilpatrick Fire Chief Jeff McSpadden said. "He was the type to give you the shirt off his back." McSpadden and others with the Kilpatrick Fire Department joined firefighters from Geraldine, Aroney and Fyffe as they fought hot spots in the fire at a house on DeKalb County Road 482, not far off Alabama Highway 75. Renfroe was among the firefighters with the Crossville Fire Department that responded to the fire about 1 p.m. Wednesday. The fire started when the flue of a wood heater failed, Deputy State Fire Marshal Ray Cumby said late Wednesday. Cumby and another deputy state fire marshal, Bobby Rollins, were called to investigate. It appears Renfroe, wearing the proper protective equipment, and another Crossville firefighter went inside the house, apparently to make sure nobody was still inside, Cumby said. The alarm to the other firefighter's air pack sounded and he went out, believing Renfroe was behind him, Cumby said. After Renfroe did not come out, it was feared that he was inside the house and unable to get out, DeKalb County Sheriff Jimmy Harris said. Harris said a Crossville police officer climbed a ladder on the outside of the house and could see through a window that Renfroe was inside. Renfroe's fellow firefighters were able to get him out a short time later, Harris said. Harris said investigators with the sheriff's department, along with the state fire marshal's office, will continue the probe, although the fire is believed to be accidental. Rollins and Cumby said Renfroe's equipment will be checked for a possible failure, but new turnouts and air pack gear was purchased this year. Renfroe had been a member of the Crossville Fire Department for two years and wrote on his MySpace page, set for public view, that he was pursuing a career as a firefighter with a full-time department. Renfroe was one of the mainstays of the Crossville Fire Department, an all-volunteer department, said Mike Leath, DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency director and president of the DeKalb County Fire Association. "He was one of those who stayed around the fire station a lot," Leath said. "He was very dedicated in what he did." Geraldine firefighter Tony Taylor said he often worked with Renfroe when the departments helped each other out. "He was a very dedicated firefighter," Taylor said. "He was always there." Crossville firefighters were sent back to their fire station after the fire was under control and surrounding departments assisted as the investigation was underway. Counselors were called in for the Crossville firefighters, Leath said. For Leath, a long-time firefighter, and others who were there, the loss of another firefighter is difficult. "This is hard," he said. "It's like losing a family member. Firefighters are a close-knit group. It affects everybody." As Renfroe's body was taken to a local funeral home to await transport to Huntsville for an autopsy, volunteers stood watch, Leath said. He said when Renfroe's body is returned, the vigil will begin again. "Anytime something like this happens, that is just something firefighters will do," he said. Leath said he is not aware of a death of a firefighter in DeKalb County in the line of duty since a Mt. Vera firefighter stepped on a hot power line while fighting a fire several years ago. In the coming days, Geraldine, Aroney and Kilpatrick fire departments will cover for Crossville on fire calls. "It's a tough time," Leath said. "It will be tough for days to come."

I agree with Former, it really depends on the pilot and if the ground crew is even ready (pt packaged/extricated/or at the lz yet). As part of my EMT program/high school project, I elected to fly with our medevac for a shift and all but 1 call we went on that day were "hot" loads. As with a lot of things, if you don't know how to approach an aircraft properly, ASK!

Oh wow, glad your boy is okay! It seems like there have been a lot of accidents this past week. Last friday my best friend totaled her car when she made a blind left turn into a parking lot. She didn't see the car traveling in the opposite direction and she was t-boned on the passanger side. She was taken to the ER by local EMS and later released with minor cuts and bruises. Not a very good week for young drivers Thank God everyone is okay.

DVT?

The private service I work for also operates in Delaware. To be a driver in DE, all you need to have is CPR. However in Maryland you need to be to be a FF or EMT and have EVOC.

In Maryland when we call out over the radio it goes one of these ways: EMT-B: "Ambulance *** en-route" IV Tech: "IV *** en-route" EMT-I: "Medic *** en-route" EMT-P: "Paramedic *** en-route"

I've hopped my share of curbs, but so far the only thing that I have "hit" was one of the big cement columns that hold up the roof for the unloading area at the ED. My partner was in the back with the patient and I didn't see it in either of my mirrors when backing up, nor was it right behind me where I could see it out the back window. Just tapped it really, no damage to the column, the ambulance, or the patient. AND it didn't set off the DriveCam that we have

I've only done patient care twice while in shorts and flip flops. The first time was when I was working as a lifeguard and rolled up to the scene of a car vs pedestrian as it was being paged out. I just held c-spine and did a very very basic assessment until fire showed up. The second time I was 3 cars behind a motorcyclist who was hit by a car and thrown over the handle bars. Again, I just held c-spine and checked his level of consciousness. He was wearing full leathers and a helmet so he really wasn't too bad.

We've got our vests, actually we've had them for quite awhile...the only problem is getting people to wear them.

Good song :cheers: Also one that is kinda EMSish is "Damaged" by Danity Kane. I heard it on the radio today and for some reason I actually listened to the lyrics and heard this: "Do, Do you got a first aid kit handy? Do, Do you know how to patch up a wound? Tell me, Are-are-are-are you? Are you patient, Understanding? Cause I might need some time to clear the hole in my heart and I..."

This is where the Dispatchers are really going to have to step up and ask the right questions to ensure that the dumpster really isn't up against a house or posing a risk to anything else. It'll be interesting to see how this all works out.

I like having the radio on in the background to help drown out some of the unpleasant sounds of someone puking :pukeright:

I have the Globe gear that you're talking about Flasurfbum. My department ordered it for all the EMS only people. The guys who do fire and occasional EMS still have get to wear their firefighting gear. I love the Globe gear, its hella durable and in the snow it keeps you warm and dry. It even has a removable fleece liner that you can take out when the weather gets warmer!

I don't think I've come across a hospital here with the code of "911" or anything like that. Our codes for each hospital is its numerical designation given to it by the state. So if I were in route to "123" the ED door code would be something like, "123#" or "123*" It gets confusing sometimes but most services have a list of the hospitals and their corresponding codes written on a sheet of paper tucked inside the clipboard.

Haha, I have never done that either until just now. I have the first 3 links on page 1 of Google. lol

When it comes to field amputations, I'll leave it up to the professionals, we have the "GO Team" that flys out of the University of Maryland Medical Center. GO Team The only time that I remember having them on-scene was when we had this 12 year-old girl stuck up to her waist in "quicksand". It was really more like mud, but she was so stuck that it was just a suction thing going on. We it was a 4 hour extrication and we were worried about compartment syndrome so we had the GO Team stand-by in case we needed to amputate. Luckily we finally got her out and flew her to the trauma center were she was treated and released.

My first time donating blood was in high school. I was fine all with the needles and the bleeding, but apparently my body really likes its blood because when it was all said and done, I got up out of the chair and went over to the canteen where I promptly passed out. I started getting all woozy and my ears were ringing and a black curtain started closing in on my vision. Next thing I knew, I was laying on the ground with a bunch of people around me freaking out. Apparently when I lost consiousness I pissed my pants, which was quite embarrassing. :? Also, one of my teachers was there and as the blood-taker-out'er person was doing a sternal rub on me, he took that as them doing CPR and ran to get the school nurse and they both ran back to me, but by that point I was awake already. Long story short, I got to go home for the day which was a plus! So lesson learned, if you start feeling like you're going to pass out, just get on the floor and lay down. Also, pee before donating! :oops:

I believe that strict safety measures would need to be in place (ie. mandatory gun safety classes) and that the schools would need to have in place who qualifies for a firearm and who does not (ie. criminal background checks and mental health evaluations). MY biggest issue with allowing guns on campuses is the amount of partying and drinking that goes on. Alcohol and guns do not mix very well and I KNOW that some yahoo would end up shot at a party because of someone got pissed and had a gun. As a college student, there are a number of people that would scare me sh*tless if I knew they had a gun :shock: It's going to be interesting to see how these bills go.

Just this past year my service finally got away from issuing the EMS only people fire gear. Now we have pants and a coat to wear that are custom fit for each person. [web:437b75c673]http://www.globefiresuits.com/lifeline/products/ems-gear/ems-jacket.asp[/web:437b75c673]

The only "tip" that I've gotten thus far is a coupon for 25 Munchkins from Dunkin Donuts :roll: