RevMedic

I came home one day, tired, and just flopped back onto the bed. I must have drifted off, but I clearly hear the 'house alarm' buzzer sound (the one at the fire station, 5 miles from my house). I sat straight up, wide awake. 10 seconds later, the pager sounds for a call.

On our ambulances, our rescue equipment is: a crowbar. Some have a longer/larger tool, but that's pretty much it. We carry leather gloves, but only to change tires or put chains on. We don't have protective gear or helmets. We rely on the fire departments to do extrication. We rely on the SAR to go out into the woods to look for the lost. Our policy is not to drive the ambulance off the road, either onto the beach, or off onto a deer trail or even a crappy logging road. We don't have 4 x 4 vehicles. I've been a firefighter for longer than I've been an EMT, but all that learnin' has taught me when & where to use the info & techniques - and it ain't at work if I can't be protected.

There are studies out now that indicate that it does not need to be diluted. I've seen nurses push the 150mg fast in a patient with a pulse, without any adverse effects. I cringed a little, though. I usually use a Volutrol (buretrol), with 17ml of saline & 3 of Amiodarone in the chamber. Administered @ 2gtts/sec, it goes in over 10 minutes. Had very good results with that approach. I've pushed the 300mg (undiluted) fairly fast in a code with good results. We have the pre-loads, BTW. I prefer it over Lidocaine - I've had much better overall saves with amiodarone.