nwoparamedics

Wow... it has been a LONG time since I've ventured back to EMTcity... my last message in my inbox was from Dustdevil on my birthday back in 07... Sad to hear that Rob's no longer with us... was great being able to chat with EMS folk from around the world back when these forums were in their infancy and that little thing called the internet was still so new to be playing on. Dustdevil 256 Started conversation: 14 Sep 2007 · Report Hey Bro! You there? Just wanted to drop some sincere wishes for a great birfday to the guy with the coolest avatar at EMT City! Hope you're having a great day! Take Care, Rob Quote

Way to go Glen True Off-Duty Heroes Pair rescue man from burning car By BRIAN GRAY, SUN MEDIA Wed, July 11, 2007 http://torontosun.com/News/Canada/2007/07/11/4329927-sun.html Patient rescued by off-duty constable and paramedic remains in critical condition JAMES RUSK July 11, 2007 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070711.RESCUE11/TPStory/TPNational/Ontario/

Ha... think I'm with a few others here... costs were a bit cheaper way back when (then again... so were the wages)... but our new grads are putting out roughly 20-30g's for the PCP program... and one of our medics whom took the ACP program while living at a relatives put out 20 g's for that year.

Have to agree with that one.... without a doubt....

Ahh yes... Many of, if not all our patients involved in MVC's have to be sent out to the city for a CT to clear the spine and it is common to have them on the rigid boards for upwards of 8 hours. Whether it be sores that come of this, or the fact that the patients cannot remain immobile for that length of time on something soo uncomfortable... maybe it is time we investigate this further.

Don't know if better/worse... but the JEMS article shows the new plastic "Ferno Scoop EXL" and "The Hartwell Medical CombiCarrier" as alternatives.

From the Editor: Out of Sight, Out of Mind Medline Abstract: Comparison of the Ferno Scoop Stretcher with the long backboard for spinal immobilization.

The KED... one of most used pieces of equipment for our MVC's for extrication. The scoop... definately a plus for those in house falls where space is limited, as well as the ejections from the MVC's along side the road. Least used... the two bilat. sagars that take up room in the rig.

Found some more information for people to keep track of with regards to wages. The Alberta Ambulance Operators Association has a brief of thier ongoing Salary Survey (since 1997). Click on the link on the left side of the page.

Sorry this is an older announcement I just found... but thought I'd share it here as this latest one is geared to our neighbours south of the border (hope it's not too late). I do have the flyers as well and even though I can't seem to upload them here... put them on rapidshare for anyone to download at: http://rapidshare.com/files/20251400/Durham_Competition.zip and here is some other information that wasn't posted in the Canucks forum

Heh FireMedic47: This first rig was brought online around 2000 by the North Bay Professional Paramedics Association. It was a unique idea at the time and seems to have caught on quite well as it was one of the first conversions to be seen by John Deere. Here is a good write up on it... North Bay Professional Paramedics Association This newer Gator is from Essex-Windsor EMS... And lastly... this was a winter rescue rig purchased in Thunder Bay, ON many years back (has since been sold to a Mountain Rescue Team in the US).

Yea... and unfortunately with all the Ornge changes going on... definately a cut back in services to the entire air ambulance system. Kind of reminds me of the late 80's and 90's era when we relied on only a few dedicated bases and nurses to do our jobs on all other flights.

Maybe it is because of the region in which I work, maybe it is because of the long distances travelled from the scene to the hospitals, maybe it is because we only have one rig every 100-200 km.... but I'm with MedicNorth on the fact that anyone trained in even the basics of First Aid can be of assistance. Most of the calls that we have people stop to help are on our main Trans-Canada highway... and the majority of the accidents involve the highway being shut down. There are two of us.... in some areas we have First Response (EFR's) that show up just before or soon after and in all areas... the Fire Services show up sooner or later (along with one or two OPP). Back on track though... due again to the locations... often our dispatch center has only a rough idea of where the accident occurred in the first place as there is not much to identify the areas besides rock cuts and lakes... so... go ahead and call 911 with better location information. If there are only two people, or all are in the one vehicle... most bystanders usually don't come up and ask if we need help as they can see we have things under control ... but the majority of times... with multiple vehicles and multiple patients... damn rights my partner and I could use the help... and even sitting with a patient is better for them than being scared and alone. One of the best things to happen at one of these scenes is when you look up to see one of your off-duty coworkers (from our community, or from somewhere in our region) at the ready, or one of our local air medics whom is stuck in traffic due to the accident. It's great to have that extra set of hands that you know and trust... Next up would be the local Docs and RN's (whom are used to being in a fairly controlled environment unlike the ditches/swamps or in torn up vehicles along the highway)... and then our bystanders with some First Aid experience... whom all could be put to good use doing something even if it again is just being beside a patient and monitoring them until we can get to them. I truly enjoy the environment in which I work, the demands placed on oneself due to the region and lack of manpower, and with regards to this topic... truly appreciate our First Responders whom stop and help out. The ones whom are calm and in control... we put to use beside us, the ones whom are hesitant or a bit flighty ... we get them to do other things away from the patients (i.e. bring supplies, set up landing zones, etc...).

Wow... now that's a sweet shift differential. :wink: We make about $.65/hr for Nights, same for weekends (about $52 extra per pay?)

Here are some Ontario rates for ya The Professional Paramedic Association of Ottawa wage comparison charts ACP_Wages_in_Ontario___2005_07_05.pdf PCP_Wages_in_Ontario___2005_07_05.pdf PARAMEDIC_Wages_in_Ontario__complete____2005_07_05.pdf http://www.ottawaparamedics.ca/links.asp OPSEU Local 277 Ontario P1 Wage Survey - July 18, 2006 http://www.freewebs.com/local277/index.htm#94081065 and I know this isn't what you are looking for, but curiousities sake... a recent posting for an ACP(F) has this listed (I just luv this one) .

Unfortunately... that's probably half the problem..... If our version of it had the revenue... maybe there could be more content

Guess I should join in on this.... EMCA, A-EMCA, PCP... whatever it's called these days (waiting for the next change)... from the backwoods of Northwestern Ontario.

Ha... k Hammer... but it'd be soo much easier just to say... go to www.google.ca and spend a few hours... 1. All Ambulance Services in Canada receive money from the public is some way shape or form. Whether it be private companies here in Ontario (look to air ambulance) billing the province for each person they carry, to our district run services which bill the taxpayers in their communities (as well as billing US residents, out of Province residents, etc...), to Private companies which are contracted out by a region or community in Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba/etc... which either bill their regional health authorities or those whom use the service (from what I understand there is usually a limit per call, plus mileage can be added on). blah blah blah... Ha... we all get public monies from somewhere, whether it be a volunteer service asking for public donations, provincially budgetted and funded systems, or whatever.... 2. Ha... sure... 3. Drastically different... hmmm... where to start? Do I start with the EMT style system as compared to the Paramedic system like the national standards are proposing. How about the length of time to even complete the various programs from province to province (i.e. pcp), or how about Provincial run EMS systems like BC with a provincial union, hospital based systems, Private Services, Fire run EMS, etc..... Ooops... ya wanted me to tell ya how we don't have to collect monies from our patients, yet provinces which are run differently than ours (like EMT6388's) might have to? Hmm... guess the quickest/best way for me to answer this would be to say... EMT6388... why'd you bring this topic up? Ha... hammer thinks your services are run like ours(?) and could ya give him some more info on your province and how things are run? I know, the lazy way out... but I've already taken this topic way off in the wrong direction (might be an idea for new thread though eh?). Sorry guys and gals... didn't mean to have this subject go off topic...

haha... oh yea... forgot, dang... Wahooo anyways... I'm a Yankee (is that good?)

ahh, but hammerpcp, even in Canada we have private services that must bill patients to keep them afloat. Actually , in Ontario if you are a Senior, Native or on Social Assistance... you are exempt from the $45 surcharge. If you are from out of Province, then there will be the full cost charged. With respect to whom collects these monies here in our own little part of the world (which is unique to say the least)... thats a complicated issue due to some of the problems associated with the downloading of services to the districts a few years back. The OHA made a big stink about losing the funds generated by having Hospital based EMS services (not to mention the free labour), and thus the government allowed them several concessions. The receiving facility now collects the $45 surcharge, essentially billing for services another provider renders and does not forward this on to the Provider. I don't even want to get into how the government downloaded services they could not maintain to their own standards, and in the mean time, allowed the OHA providors to keep the EMS buildings which the Emergency Services Branch paid for, and in turn allows the Hospitals to now bill the providers to use the Ambulance bases that they have resided in for soo many years... but that is another topic entirely... As for those patients we see from out of Province, many providers have left it up to the receiving facility as well to collect the monies due to the simple fact they have a system in place to do so, and then at a later date they get the re-imbursment for those patient calls. So you are right in the fact that we as Paramedics do not have to deal with the issue of payment for services here in Ontario, yet it is a vastly different system in even our other Canadian Provinces, let alone the US. Our Provider collects what monies they can from the recieving facilities, and yes... we have nothing to do with it... that's our bosses job.

Dang.. haven't seen this in quite awhile... thanks for posting it...

Wahoo... I'm 39% Dixie. You are definitely a Yankee. Now what's a Yankee again?

I like that one Dsmittty911, well said....

Ha... don't laugh MedicMal, I use that line all the time. :wink: It takes a while for each of our new students to open up and actually talk to the patient (instead of just doing vitals/patient care/etc...) and to get them into the habit of realizing there is an actual person in front of them... I make 'em a little wager. Whomever talks to the patient first wins the little wager... the other one has to buy coffee for the person that talked to the patient first. It's amazing how quick they actually start talking to patients (esp. when I'm getting java handed to me after each call) even if it is just... "Hi... my name is... " or whatever... As soon as they start catching on though... and it's costing me java (um... what's the right thing here... oh yea... as soon as they have caught on and are being more vocal)... well... I usually get my one last java with the vsa patients. VSA or not, they are still a patient... never said they had to talk back to us....

hahaha... I'm still laughing at the "down here in the states" comment.... Dustdevil... you're gonna have everyone here thinkin' your a canuck livin' in a trailer park with the boys pretty soon