NYCntg

Doesn’t sound like you ever did it in NY, otherwise you’d know that 911 medic’s don’t carry IV pumps of any kind… (IV drip sets yes, pumps no) It’s all titrate to effect (within dose limits mcg/k/min). -ntg

Why am I NOT surprised…. NYC Fire Department: 200 years of prejudice filled tradition unimpeded by progress or good judgment. Hey, we are the only city that NIMS (a system with over 30 years of blood spilt refinement) was found by our fearless leaders to be no good for New York emergencies… So they all got together over donuts and created a BETTER system… CIMS It would be funny if it wasn’t true… -ntg

Action: talk to the patient :"Hello sir, I'm Paramedic Justin Time, are you OK, do you know what happened?" Patient replies : " I don't know, I feel very dizzy" Visual exam reveals no obvious bleeding, contusions, swelling, or gross deformities Pt is still clothed, with no rips or tears in outer garments. Time: 2:05 elapsed Time to Transport Unit: 14:25 min

Not for nothing, but the plastic ones are crap, you don't have to even have an over tighten valve for them to break. the Metal ones enlarge and bend to the point they're useless. I've seen yours and they look pretty good but seem to me to be pricy but I tell you, I'm am so tired of crap I'm thinking seriously of buying one, if they really don't break. ntg

I find they work best, when never removed from the shipping box....

So I have one question. For the person who marked the poll they have never had a piece of equipment break on them: Have you ever even been on a AMBULANCE? :? For me, it's the Life pack Spo2 finger probe, seems like it goes every other week... At $129 each is it PLANNED obsolescence (with Patient care at stake? :shock: )

So here I am just lurking around and I come upon this thread, I can’t believe using a window punch got three pages devoted to it, but hey, I got 11 (pages) on my silly musings…. (btw I never carried a window punch, rock in a gloved hand works just fine… The trick of course is hit the lower corner of the window, away from the patient. :roll: But that is NOT why I make this post. On a slightly different turn, I was given a SAW rescue knife as a present, pretty cool, but not very practical, to its note however, THE BLADE IS SHARP AS ANYTHING I’VE EVER SEEN, hot knife through butter is not a good enough word for it, if you want a knife with an unbelievable blade this is for you. Anyway, as a side note under the heading of “How to get yourself in trouble quick”, and "DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!" true to S&W this can be converted into a zip gun, the barrel of the punch is almost the same as a 22 Cal, and the spring lever pulls back far enough to insert a cartridge, flip the catch and bang… the punch pin hits the primer smack on, and you know what happens from there.

Spenac, in your own way I suposed you did and actually firespec35 post was very helpful (IMHO one of the best yet). Thanks. Best ntg

OK, this I don't understand, my partner and I completely packaged and delivered this guy in 6 minutes, even though my partner and I know he was a probable DOA, the ER worked him for 45 minutes before pronouncing him. (can’t pronounce unless OBVIOUS mortal injury in a trauma, and as I’m sure you know a GSW to the chest does not fit that category). I was referring to a job I did, where the kid was written up as a choir boy, who never did a thing wrong in his life, and was innocent, meanwhile behind the scenes, he had rocks of crack falling out of his pockets… The point of my story was you can’t trust what you read in the paper, referring to the hair show riot. So how are my priorities “misplaced”? :? NTYCntg

ya, I know he's there, and even if he's waaaaaay forward, he's still over there (and I'm here). All in all, bad form bashing our troops. As much as it hurts me to say this, I was out of line dropping the hammer on you DD, I truly appreciate your service. Please accept my heartfelt apologies DustDevil. And Stay SAFE! NTYCntg

Lets see here, Texas, Lots of space, very few people.... so how many is that? Three?

HOLY DIGESTED COW HAY BATMAN, IT SEEMS THE JOKERS ESCAPED BECAME AN EMT or MEDIC AND STARTED POSTING ON EMT CITY!!!! Last night I got home from a late job, (dead guy with lots of moving fried rice on his face). Started to post, but hit the back button instead (lost it all) and went to bed. I was going to get back on subject, Oh I don’t know why, just for the heck of it, but WOW, LOOKY, LOOKY., the night has been busy… So back to the mêlée. Hey Dust Devil You find the WMD’s yet? The paper said they were there… Come ON! Do you guys believe EVERYTHING you read in the paper? HAS , anyone west of New Jersey even seen a gang fight with more than 20 people (try 200)? Know what Airmail is? (Hint, it is NOT delivered by the post office?) Time to recalibrate folks; your bullshit detectors are broken. I’ve done so many homicides that don’t even make the news it’s not funny, and the ones that do, the writers get it wrong about, well let me see here, think for a minute, oh, ALL THE TIME. Three weeks ago, I worked a choir boy, waiting at the bus stop at 2am, well that’s what the papers said, The real story was he was at the bottom of the stairs in a subway (no busses there), a small cal bullet in his chest under his arm, dolls eyes, grabbed and go, in the ER in under 6 minutes, when presented, he was (stripped, tube’d, with two large bore IV’s btw), when security was looking for ID, two rocks of crack in baggies fell out of his pocket…. But the papers called him an innocent choir boy…. Yea right. A gang fight over a beauty contest, could happen, mix gangs with anything, and sh*t happens. Just because it doesn’t happen in your quiet little Cul-de-Sac, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Ever been surrounded by 3000 people in under 3 minutes, with crap flying out of the windows (air mail) , because the cops did a car stop and the perp while trying to runaway, ran smack into a light pole? :shock: Police brutality? :? Oh and btw, when someone’s injured, they’re a patient first, criminal second (well most of the time). All you three jobs in 24’s come to the ghetto, you’ll see why we work only eights here, and see how’s it’s really done, oh, and btw, bring a belt, you might find you need it…

Ok, this is inane now…. :? So you don’t like what I carry, :roll: WHAT DOES EVERYONE ELSE CARRY? Huh, Ya all talk big, but I bet you treat your patients with something… Let the newbie bashing commence! (since I know it's coming anyway)

I'm being a sensitive jerk, There I said it, Apologies to ALL (a big one to you Wendy), I banged my elbow Friday night, (right at the tip) and re injured a stupid old Injury, and APAP/5 makes me cranky. I should just learn to shut up, But then again if I really learned from experience would I still be in EMS? :wink: ntg

Spenac, I am not attacking you, I am just calling you out to what you were really doing, which was being clever at my expense, don't go letting me down by dishing it out but not being able to take a little of your own medicine. Your belt idea is ridiculous, you know it, I know it, anyone who sees it knows it is, this is EMS not construction. Don't take it so hard, bud, I am not meaning to hurt your feelings or anything like that. You don't like duty belts, cool, no harm no foul. There a some here who do wear them, and find them useful. I am glad you don't need one, on less thing to worry about. It seems were so tied up in out doing each other, we won't seriously help each other when it's easier to make fun. ntg

Now Spenac, You know that's just not true. Between two crew we have 4-5 items to carry on every job, you know very well I don't carry all that stuff on my belt, and so would anybody with half a brain... What happened someone took the last bit you had left? Be honest and try, just try to squeeze out some fairness. You instigated this mess, with half your comments... Here in the big apple we get a lot of tourists, and when anyone lets us know they're EMS, we welcome them with open arms, and a ride along if they want (very few take us up on it) wonder why. I thought the midwest was the heartland of this country, where the heart is, not really feeling the warm fuzzies right now. ntg

Wendy, Well based on your signature line, Uhmmmm OK I’m going to guess you’re insane. Wow, in a veiled kind of way, you have, in a saccharine sweet, passive aggressive, diatribe managed to continue bashing me because I’m from NY, call me a moron, and refer to me as a peon, all while repeatedly telling me not to take it personally. Oh and yes, all with your mighty basic medical 21 year old experience. (btw, My BLS card is older then you even if your lying about your age). So you tell me I carry too much, AND you carry a CPR mask? WOW How am I to respond? Well I hope you feel better getting that off your chest. It’s funny and sad in a way, that there is this much passion over a duty belt. With 90% of the posts letting me know how stupid duty belts are… What a waste of energy. If anyone had bothered to actually READ my original post, they would realize I was looking for new equipment sources, sorry when working in a constantly changing field, I sort of like to keep up with what’s new, and figured a EMS posting site would be a good place to go sharing new ideas, and information. But instead I was jumped on by people who wanted to prove how clever they were by misinterpreting my post and jumping all over me for it with obnoxious comments and put downs. Good job, way to make a new person feel welcome to the group. It makes me feel all warm inside, and proud to be amongst such professionals. And I learn so much from this group, coming from such a slow and backward place like NYC. Yup, the first place I think of, when I’m thinking excellence in EMS, is Michigan Wendy, I’m actually embarrassed for you. ntg

Shane and WANTYNU, Your both right, my bad, apologies to all here, I let my temper get the best of me and caught a bad case of foot in mouth disease. When these posts get rude we all lose. Again, my apologies for the parting digs, they were not called for. ntg :oops:

That was one of the best posts I've ever seen. A lot of good ideas, I never looked at debt that way! Thanks WANTYNU. I know I'm gonna get majorly flamed for this, but Mr Meaner, did you even read this post? Can you read, Why are you so insulting? do you think it's funny? :? :evil: Folks like you really devalue what this forum could be, Grow up. A sharp tongue is no indication of a keen mind. And I have to ask: Do you ever wonder what life would be like if you'd had enough oxygen at birth? :roll:

The simple difference between a Paramedic and God? God doesn't think he's a paramedic...

1. I do 2. I don't 3. it's easy to "Glide" when you have 90 mile (Kilometers) of empty highway ahead of you, Try a City at rush hour... and tell me to glide to a stop when a young mother pushes her baby in a stroller out in front of you between parked cars... :roll: 4. I believe in smooth rides, going and coming, it just ain't always possible.

I'll throw in my two cents, I don't believe machines will ever replace good judgement, nor be able to gauge if a drivers reaction to the conditions around him (her) were appropriate, only the lack (or presence) of an incident can ever do that. IMHO: 1. Nothing will ever replace good solid training. 2. A beeping system would scare patients / or make an annoying partner more so. 3. GPS tracking seems to be only used for punitive purposes when it comes to crew interaction, If a map on my monitor could be pulled up telling me exactly where the job was (when in unfamiliar territory) that would be useful, but the only feedback I've ever gotten is I'm not in the place I should be. 4. I don't drive like a nut, but some of my partners do, (but dispatch doesn't know who is driving) and I've never heard comments on breaking or swerving (or cursing :wink: ) which we have to do a lot of since it is evident that the public in my area got their licences out of a Cracker Jacks box! Show me something useful without ridiculous driver feedback and I'll get behind it, they give us unbelievable responsibility with patients lives, but treat us like children behind the wheel.

Try taking orders from a Fire lieutenant with no medical training, thinking he can direct patient care... but really, some good ideas here (and no I tried, but my partner for some reason insists I carry at least half the bags). I didn't mean to give the idea that I was completely lost, as I said before I am just fishing for some new ideas, looking for lighter equipment I could substitute for the stuff I have. Like PRPGfirerescuetech and wantynu, I'm pretty much down to a radio holder and glove pouch, and don't really like too much stuff in my pockets (except cash ), so cell phone and pager are staying for now, I ditched my palm for paper, but I agree with all the urbanite getto warriors here, ya gotta carry what you might need, as there's no replacement in a pinch. I am going to check out a new flashlight and wantynu's wrench, if I can find someone who's seen it or has one, if its as light as his website says, it might make the cut. Regarding the Monitor, thanks for the support, it weighs a ton (now why can't lifepack do something about that??? :cussing: ), but if you don't bring it on a job, (no matter the jobs description) and actually need it, there is no good explanation that would keep your butt out of a major sling... (btw same goes for chair, air, and drugs...) I mean even on a good day, the phone games that dispatch has to play, can barely paint the picture of what our job is really going to be. Be safe, NYCntg

RidRyder, Emmm Ok, do you feel better now? :roll: ntg

BTY to all my fellow EMS brothers and sisters out there with long or extended transport times, MY hat is off to you all, I don't want to imagine "pumping and blowing" for 40, 50, or 60, minutes, while running a code down a bumpy dirt road. I can't imagine anything more frustrating then being on the edge of a save, a losing it because it took too long to get to the hospital, or relief. Best and be safe, NYCntg