Echoburger

Just an update: You are unable to contact OLMC due to "special circumstances"...and... here is a good video of what she is expierencing: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PG8bSMDMKG0 Starting on the 28 second in the video is what she is expierincing...unfortunatley it contineus and drinking the water doesnt help.

You are responding to a 21 year old female who is CONSCIOUS and BREATHING. The scene is safe and there is no danger. You are an ALS unit responding with a BLS unit. The BLS unit is 5 minutes away from the scene. You are 20 minutes away. The call is a "Echo Level, Confirmed Choking"...well...at least thats what Dispatch says. And we all know how dispatch is... Call-Take Notes say that: "Your responding to a 21 year old female who has eating three tablespoons of cinnamon...and is now unable to breath...patient is drinking water". Thats all you have. Once you (The ALS) unit arrive on scene. You find a 21 year old female, who is pretty..and *oops*...nevermind...uhm...a 21 year old female who is concious and breathing. She is extremely nervous, and she is home alone. BLS units say she ate three tablespoons of pure cinnamon for "fun". Vitals are: BP: 150/80 HR: 140 Strong/Regular RR: 30 shallow/and slightly labored SPO2: 90% with a NRB Breath Sounds (not that this is VS...but...just...but): equal on both sides The patient is NOT coughing but is "huffin' and a puffin"...almost like...wheezing. You have three EMT-Bs on scene and yourself (a EMT-P). What would you do? ** The patient is in OBVIOUS respiratory distress, with a low o2 SAT of 90% even with NRB. You are about 20 minutes away from the closest hospital non-emergency. You are about 10 minutes away from the hospital emergency. No allergies, no medications, no medical hx, last oral intake is UNK. The pt is very nervous. How would you treat? p.s. this is my first scenario...i know they're big mistakes here and there...just let me know what other info you want.

Well come to think of it, I'm gonna come here and visit as much as I can, and I take back that "Echo's final post"...I'll probably hang around here and there, but I just dont think I will end up being a firefighter/medic. Who knows...maybe I'll get a medic and then go to a missionarie so at least I can help some sick people, but I think only time will tell...I'm still gonna hang around in chat. I think that "Echo's Final Post" wasn't exactly the best title...it probably should have been "Echo's Changed His Mind"

We use "10-33" and "10-34"...for PD that is. Like others have said, we use Motorolo SmartNet 2 800MHz trunked system, MTS2000 and XTS5000 that both have the "RED" emergency button. "10-33"...emergency traffic...only units on the emergency call can use the radio...of course, dispatch can talk. "10-34"...officer down, critical emergency, officer shot, officer being assaulted...etc. Of course...the 'classic'..."Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp!"

Well, believe it or not...this is a big suprise to me. I have 'always' wanted to be a Firefighter/EMT-P when I grow up since I was a little kid...Today(Sunday, June 15,2008) I have changed my mind. I'm a Christian and I know the Lord wants me to work full-time ministry service when I grow up...so that means I am done with all the Fire/EMS stuff...I probably wont be here much...occasionally visit here and there. And also, I can't even start to list all the people here that have helped with me with my questions and comments about stuff...I've learned a great deal just from talking with the awesome users here. I'm gonna miss yall, but as a Christian, I know the Lord wants me to work as either a missionarie or a preacher. Yall take care, and stay safe.

Yes. I think thats just stupid. They are going to be in class for instance we'll use orchestra/band because that one girl was playing her instrument. Tell me how long this would take: 1. Put the darned instrument up 2. Walk to get your stuff 3. Walk to the ambulance 4. Put your clothes..err...uniform on 5. Respond. Too long to me. Maybe im use to a very short turnout time. here we strive for 30 seconds wheter its a EMS or a structure fire.

:oops: I was wrong. I thought a "compound" fracture was a fracture broken at more than one place. My mistake...after looking at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_fracture I meant "closed fracture" But the bone was broken at 2 places ( I believe). It was the first time I had saw a "real" broken bone x-ray so I could be wrong that it was broken at 2 places. Maybe it was broken in more or less than 2 places. Not sure on that. I believe the crew asked the RN/MD's why there wasnt a splint in place and the ER Doc said he was afraid of "liability". I cannot remember if they asked about pain management...but im pretty sure they did. The ER doc also came in at the last second when we were LEAVING to ASK WHAT HAPPENED! So...all this time the pt was with mom and a few other family members waiting. And the ER doc never even came in to ask what happened until we were leaving. *sigh*

This is an incident I happened to observe while on a ride along few days ago. We were going to a hospital-to-hospital transfer on a 6 y/o female with a left arm compound fracture. The hospital that she was originally at was a fully staffed adult emergency department. The hospital she was going to was a fully staffed pediatric level 1 trauma center. She had tripped over her shoes and got a fracture, mom took her to the hospital. When we got there she was sleeping on mommy who was in the hospital bed. The EMT and Medic thought something was wrong. Indeed, I thought something was wrong too. She had no splint or immbolization in place. The medic offered to make a 'temporary cast' because the hospital was equipped and could do it. The medic wanted to do it so it would be more confortable for the poor little girl during the 25 minute trip in the back of the ever bumpy MICU. The nurses and/or doc said something either along the line of "Dont worry..." or "Nahh..." So "we" (the EMT and Medic) had to go get splint supplies and splint it themselves! It appeared ot me that the girl did not receive any care, however, I did notice that there was an "IV needle" sticking in her right hand. I wasnt sure if it was for a IV drip or an injection "port" for pain management. Later, after we had finished the transport and were going over the call, the EMT and Medic told me the reason he wouldnt do a splint or immobolization or anything because he was afraid of "liability"...im guessing because this was a pediatric pt and it was an adult hospital. What do you think? I thought the doc could at least give them uhm...a blanket or an icy packy. But nope. the EMT and Medic wernt exactly 'happy' with this call after knowing nothing was done for this poor girl whats your opinion on this?

exactly. we only use a few here like the "obvious" ones 10-4 10-9 10-8 10-7 10-33 we also use a few "signals" for calls that cant be relayed over the radio (aka Rape)

Thats a good one Lone!.. could you get in trouble if it was some frequent flier and you wanted to establish venous acces and you intentionally picked the biggest needle you had?

Blame it on your partner. 8)

LOL

LOLOLOLOLOLOL

3 words. NURSING HOMES SUCK (at least the ones around here do) Simply put: Some nurses dont give a @#$% When we get called out to Breathing diffities, chest pains, and unknown EMS, nurses just walk around as if nothing is happening. they dont stay with the pt, they dont reassure them help is on the way. none. zero. zip. zap. nada. nil. we had a guy that was sliding around in his own POOP on the floor and guess what? nurses said they "didnt know about it" :roll: btw..he was yelling "HEELLLP ME"

Scaramedic, your pictures... HAHAHAHA

*sigh* Lights and sirens. Lifepak 12's that make sounds like: "Beeeeeeeeeeeep" when you turn them on and "Beep beep, Replace battery" you get the point. actually, my favorite part is knowing that people dont realize how important 'we' are until they need us. also the excitement of not knowing whats going to happen next. for instance, yesterday, I was at the station writing :twisted: latin :twisted: words and 30 seconds later inside the box going to a 'I fell out of bed'

I think we just call them 'Frequent Fliers' some other ones that I have heard are GORK - God only really knows POPTA - passed out prior to arrival CAC - clear all corridors (hospital uses it for a cardiac arrest) GrannyHaul - Transport service (non emergency) We have a public hospital here ( John peter smith) that deals with a bunch of lower income people. People always "accidently" fall at a bus stop 2 blocks away...they call 911..and request to go to the hospital. they have no injuries what so ever and refuse all EMS contact the reason? they dont have transportation or money. what does the hospital do? Divert the ambulance to 'parkland hospital ' which is oh..30 minutes away. "patients" always get ticked off when that happens

thats an awesome video Echo likes that Lifepak 12 :oops: it looks like that guy at the begging got the AutoPulse 8)

Over here we have 2 formal and I guess 1 'informal' way of calling an 'officer needs help' One is "10-34" 10-34 = OFFICER needs HELP (extreme emergencies only) the other is to push the red button on their motorola radios dispatch will immediately be notified as soon as the red button is pressed. informal way? probably just yell "Ive been shot Ive been shot" into the mic.

thats some awesome stuff right there!

Of course they cant do an ECG on the pt. Can other EMT-B's do ECG? nope. they are doing all that they can within their SOP. They are basics. Thats all they can do. What happens if it was a 35 year old EMT-B? S/He would do the same things. Getting a BP and administering o2 are important things espicially in a heart attack pt.

i think i'll throw in my 2 cents. 1. I dont think that there is anything wrong with letting 16 year olds taking calls. Like the 'broacaster' said in the video...that kid is going to retake that biology quiz or whatever. they are not missing out on assignments. they still have the same 'homework' and 'workload' as other students do 2. These 16 year olds are EMT-B. Like the girl said in the video...they have the same amount of training. no more no less than others. they have took the course, they have passed their exams. they are EMT's. 3. In the video it shows that the male and the female leaving to take a call...the ambulance appears to be parked outside. I dont think that there 'service' area is very high . i dont thnk that they serve a huge community or anything...so its not that bad. Cons: 1. In the video it shows the girl changin into her uniform after getting that 'emergency call for that "suspected" heart attack :roll: '. I dont like that idea. What if its a cardiac arrest? They jsut going to stand there and change and THEN respond? stupid. thats wasting time. think of it this way: if you suffered a full arrest...do you want some 16 year old EMT's grabbing thei stuff...running down the halls... :roll: changing into their 'uniform' :roll: then responding? heck no. if they are going to wear uniforms (which they should) they should just wear them the whole day and deal with other kids making fun of them *note* and if you say: "Well if its a cardiac arrest then they will just grab their clothes and change inside the ambulance while repsonding"....why dont they do that on every call to help improve their response times? And a sidenote...it says that they always respond with an EMT that is of an older age. Does he/she just wait inside the ambulance for a call? Is it a EMT-Chase-Unit? ....just my two cents.

Im thankful for my family and friends...but above all....Im thankful that jesus died for my sins.

Heres a webpage to the story on one of our local departments that had a FullArrest Save by using the EZ-IO by Vidacare http://vidacare.com/Resources/Case_Reports...ex_6_36_28.html It also seems like from reading a lot of the "Testimonials" that pushing drugs through the IO is extremely fast....Im assuming thats good?