CodeBlueEMT

This type of nonsense is commonplace on this site.

Shayne

... when decals just don't do it anymore.

Shayne

In a pinch, you could break out the Sharpie and decorate some absorbent chucks to use.

Shayne

LOL. I thought of Little Feat as soon as I read the topic. I can hear Lowell George (RIP) singing it now.

Shayne

Those federal grants are a joke. Departments that really need the money don't see a dime. It's totally political.

One year they're giving out money for pumpers, the next year, tankers. Need money for training? Sorry, that was last year. Don't need a pumper? Oh well, apply for a grant anyhow.

Some departments are receiving millions of dollars every year. Meanwhile, those departments that really need some help get nothing.

Shayne

I've never been a big fan of reciprocating saws. There are other tools (hand and power) that I prefer over a Sawzall.

For windshield removal, I prefer a Glas-Master.

I think a big improvement for reciprocating saws would be a much faster operating speed and better blade stability.

Shayne

L.A. Rescue makes a nice bag. The one I use holds a D tank easily and has lots of space for everything else. It's not a bag you want to carry for extended periods of time.

Shayne

As a supervisor, I've only had one employee do the "no call, no show" routine. Needless to say, that gentleman was terminated. It's not hard to pick up a telephone and let me know you're not able to come to work. Some of my employees will let their partner know when they're going to be out. That depends on their working relationship.

Shayne

I always thought the "fox in a forest fire" was a reference to how hot something was.

Shayne

I guess with age comes a little more common sense and an understanding of what is actually dangerous. Running lights and siren is dangerous. Running red lights and stop signs is insane.

There are too many tragic accidents involving EMS, fire, and police vehicles responding to calls. Lights and sirens won't make you a better driver. Other motorist are usually oblivious to anything outside of their vehicles.

I consider myself a professional driver. We like the term "professional". Most EMT's and firefighters consider themselves "professional" drivers too. The ability to go fast while running red lights and stop signs makes you a liability. At some point the luck will run out. I've had the shit scared out of me too many times. Riding on a fire truck that lifted the rear wheels off the ground going around a curve. A partner driving the ambulance so fast he couldn't stop at an intersection. Scary stuff.

My commute to work is almost 60 miles round trip. Traffic is aweful both ways. Being the professional driver I am, naturally, I'd haul ass. My mission was to pass all of the "Left Lane Louie's" and the oblivious nonprofessional drivers. I had to be making good time, right? Sitting at a red light (man, I wish I could run the damn things) here come the Louie's and the oblivious nonprofessionals I passed earlier. It's the classic turtle vs. hare race.

We're not immune to accidents. Even under the best conditions, shit happens. I don't want to be the one responsible for killing my partner, a patient, or an innocent oblivious nonprofessional motorist.

Shayne

Little Johnny was late to school, again. His teacher was livid because of Little Johnny's chronic tardiness.

"Little Johnny, you're late again !!!"

Little Johnny replies. "But teacher, I have a really good excuse this time. My uncle was walking me to school this morning. We were crossing the street and he bent down to tie his shoe. One of those old-timey cars with the crank handle on front hit him and the handle went straight up his ass."

"Little Johnny, you shouldn't say ass, you should say rectum."

"Rectum hell, it damn near killed him !!!"

Shayne

We missed a great opportunity to tell a "Little Johnny" joke.

Shayne

A few years ago we responded to a construction site accident. The victim fell off a roof and landed in an area with rebar sticking up from the ground. The rebar went up his rectum. Thankfully, his buddies pulled him off the rebar before we arrived on scene.

Shayne

"Well, medicine isn't an exact science."

Shayne

A few weeks ago I watched, "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry". The 500 pound man must have watched it too.

Shayne

In North Carolina we have The Division of Health Service Regulation that would investigate an incident like this.

Shayne

In retrospect, I regret my comment at the end of my original post. Captainstandup, it was nothing directed at you personally. You don't have to impress anybody around here, just be yourself. I've read a lot of your posts and think you're an asset to this site.

Shayne

Successful online forums market themselves. It's all about the members. It's about the first impression a visitor gets looking around. I peruse the posts daily. If I'm inclined to reply, I will. There is always a core group of members that set the tone for any online forum. Those members are responsible for the success or failure of the site. You can donate money, promote the site, get site sponsors, etc. etc. etc. When I read topics like this on a site, it's already in trouble.

Shayne

I think a paramedic certification needs to become an actual license. RN's are licensed and we know their pay is much better than a paramedics. Make a two year degree mandatory to become a licensed paramedic. How's that for cut and dry?

Shayne

Darn. Where's the box to check "other"?

The purpose of attending a fire academy is to learn firefighting. There isn't a requirement to have your FF I and II certification. It's a training school. Students aren't going to come off the streets with experience in most cases. Those same applicants aren't going to have EMS experience. A twenty year old kid has to start somewhere. Some make it, some don't. How many EMT-P's started their career as a Paramedic from day one? EMT-B's are basically useless if you read and believe these threads. What's the big deal over not being EMT-B certified at the time of admission? How much experience and education does a twenty year old EMT-B bring to the table? Not much.

Shayne

Simple answer: yes

I've worked in psych hospitals for over 17 years. I can count on one hand the number of times I've had to physically put "hands on" a patient. Learning how NOT to get yourself into a lose/lose situation is always the best approach. This is true with ANY type of patient, not just the psych patients. That requires using our brains. Experience has been the best teacher. I've has some scary moments. One thing I make sure of each day:

I will go home in the same condition I came to work in.

Shayne

All depends on how "EMS" is defined. I'm sure the interpretation coincides with one's definition of EMS. My feeling, if EMT's are providing coverage and working as EMT's, it's EMS.

Shayne

Posting would be no fun without being paid for it. Maybe we need to start a thread about the downfall of folks that aren't paid for posting?

Shayne

I'm 6'4" 225 lbs. and it's a squeeze in Type II's for me.

Didn't Al Gore invent the internet too?

Shayne

Uncle Sam discovered I was color blind when I joined the Air Force. The lady doing the test got upset with me because she thought I was toying with her. I saw the number on the first card she showed me. After that, I didn't see the numbers. She had a "fit" after the 4th card. Being color blind did keep me out of some good career fields.

Color blindness hasn't been an issue in EMS for me.

Shayne