gaelicfirefighter

God created firefighters so Cops could have heroes.

My X wife was a Cop. Ha Ha

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/c...0,4762621.story

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/myfox/pages/Ho...mp;pageId=1.1.1

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-...,0,148534.story

Please take care and always be aware of your surroundngs. Remember SCENE SAFE. And NEVER go anywhere alone!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/c...0,4759068.story

And practice with your ems/fire departments on water rescue.

A healthy 18 year old boy died last night in Chicago right down the street from my house in a 10-12 foot deep retention pond. I played as a child near that pond. Its about 50 feet across and 2-300 feet long.

He was just out having fun playing volleyball when the ball traveled over some bushes and down a hill into the pond. He went in to get it with a friend. Something horrible happened and one boy drowned. He was an athlete and in good shape.

Our Assistant Fire Chief was visiting friends down the block and arrived at the scene minutes after the 911 call was placed. The boy was gone. Some family lost their precious son.

Please review the dangers of waters, lagoons, ponds and river with all your kids. No matter what their age.

Also go to areas that hold or have water in your response area and practice your rescue tactics.

Please keep this family and the rescuers in your thoughts and prayers. This didn't have to happen.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/video/?slug=...-xavier-body-wn

Stay safe and take care.

Gaelic

If you are a paramedic and have firefighter II, you would obviously be qualified and desireable. In the Chicagoland suburbs, you must have both to even be considered. Single role medics and single role firefighters are a thing of the past around here.

If you want to be even more desireable, join a paid on call or volunteer department. You will get more training and experience. Any class you take like Hazmat Ops or Tech A is always good as well as TRA (technical rescue awareness), NIMS classes, Confined Space and Trench or Vertical Rescue.

There are two lists and tests here in Chicago. Firefighter/EMT-b and Paramedic. It is easier to get on as a medic as the list s usually shorter. After X amount of time, a medic can cross over (after going thru FF academy - 3 months) and become a FF/Medic.

Look at where you are working or where you want to work to see if its worth all the trouble. Here in Chicago, a FF/Medic makes 6% more and it's going to go up to 8% with the next contract. And it's pensionable.

Good luck. Anything that takes you up the ladder quicker and makes you more desireable is highly suggested in this very desireable field.

Unbelievable. But typical. The general public has no idea what we do. When they go to bed and rest their empty head on their little liberal politically correct pillow, they don't realize that's when we get busy. They forget all about us until little Johnnie falls off his bike and skins this wussy little knee. God I hate people.

Also a word to the wise. Keep your overhead doors shut at all times. There was some idiot here in Chicago a couple of years back sitting across from firehouses, filming us walking around and not doing anything.

Its all about PR now. When you go on a run everyone is watching you.

In Chicago, they give millions to people who sit around on their asses and never try and improve their situation, yet they criticize men and women who risk their lives to save them. They waste money on flower pots and landscaping and invest less and less on public safety.

They dont realize we do more than fires. We do everything for them when they need us. Imagine the mess if our local governments told people their call is not an emergency because of the gas prices.

If they ever realized all the BS calls we go on and all the money we waste helping people who have no desire to help themselves, they would be amazed.

Politicians continually give themselves double digit raises. Corruption is rampant in government. I suggest they look elsewhere.

Hey Ruff,

I commend all envolved all the time. I do not differentiate medics from firefighters. I dont do this because this is the system I work in. I wouldnt do this even if we were seperate.

Its all about perception.

The general public sees all of us as their local hometown heroes who rush in and help them in their time of need. They dont see firefighters and medics as being different. Its like saying the Army and the Marines are different. To those who are in those forces, there are great differences. But to the public, they are our protectors and we are grateful for their service to us and our country.

I dont subscribe to the hero theory all the time. We are all heroes when the call arises. Otherwise, we are regular guys and gals trying to make a living and provide for our families. We are all more alike than we are different.

I just get soo sick and tired of ignorant, selfish and narrow-minded people. All they care about is theirselves and the glory they receive or somehow missed out on. I do my job, get paid and go home. It's really simple.

To me it's all about the personal gratitude I get. Not what others think. If I worried about what others think, I would never go out o the house in the morning.

I am always the first to step forward and pat someone on the back and say good job! I am also always the first one there to help those who might not have done it correctly or screwed up.

So, my support is not always for firemen. Fellow firemen, fellow emt's and fellow medics. We are all in this together. I commend all of US!

Read my posts a little closer. I try not to single people out as we are a team. I truly belive in this.

Bla Bla Bla

Wine Wine Wine

Sob Sob Sob

Quit your beotching and grow up. Who cares who gets the credit. If thats what you are worried about you might be in the wrong business. I have never seen an ambo with one person on it. Its team work people.

I still think he/she did a good job, whatever the scenario. Whatever he did or didn't do, the outcome was a good one. Nice to hear good ones now and then.

Like I said earlier, the negativity is amazing. Poor single role medics not getting any of the spotlight. I feel so bad!

How many people have I saved that did not make the news or print media. Who cares. I went to bed that night and felt great. My co-workers and family knows and thats l that matters to me.

But thats just me.

Cindy,

I went through the Chicago Fire Department's Acedemy. They are rather hard as they are compressed into such a short time. We were also subjected to daily "beatings" described at physical training.

We immediately broke into study groups depending on where we lived. We stayed after class for about two hours and reviewed the days classes. It woked well for us.

But as anything, it is as hard as you let it. You will need to turn off any distractions if this is what you want to do. You will need to study and have a great understanding for the information provided as you are not only taking an important job, but you are also dealing with people's lives. If you dedicate yourself, you will be fine.

Me for one could care less of the graduation. They beat us soo bad all I wanted to do was run out of the building. But that was a long time ago.

Good luck!

My God you are a pathetic bunch of insecure and miserable people. I really wonder what you people are thinking. I have never seen such childish behavior from a bunch of people who run around and pound on their chests and spew that they are professionals.

How about GOOD JOB!

I had a call for a 1 month old who fell out of a bed (?). She fell approximately 2.5 feet. Not 1.5 times height but I still treated as a trauma as piece of ______ mother did not witness fall. We have nothing to immobilize someone this small.

How would you have immobilized PT. I put rolled towels around torso and head and strapped to the backboard. This did not work and really pissed this kid off. Man babies are strong!

Any ideas or things that worked for you? Are there products I could show to my EMS officer?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

So I worked yesterday on the ALS Engine in our house. We got a call at 12:00 noon for a suicide. We get to one of The University of Chicago's dorms (one of the most prestigeous medical schools in the world) and found a 22 y/o male patient who had supposedly taken a whole bottle of anti anxiety pills he had a prescription for and chugged a $200.00 bottle of red wine that i could not pronounce. This idios dorm and its electronics and furnishing were nicer than my house. His twerpy room mate said he just took the pills and locked himself in his room.

He was not being very cooperative and was fighting all our efforts. CPD showed up, cuffed him and he freaked out. Kicking legs and spitting. I put a non-rebreather on him and strapped his legs and torso to the stair chair. He was swearing and threatening everyone. He kept swinging his head around try to get the mask off and insult me as I was wheeling him down a narrow hallway with beautiful old wood paneling covering the walls. I told him repeatedly to quit moving as he was going to hurt himself. Being a brain-iack from the University, he obviously knew better.

He said "man I really dont feel good, I think I'm gonna get sick". I said (as I had enough of this poor over-priviledged guy) "If you think you don't feel good now, wait until they start to pump your stomach Einstein." Well he went nuts and I told him to stop.

He moved his brain filled head one too many times. BOOOOOOOM! As I was crossing another hallway he caught his head on the hard wooden wall corner. Man it was loud and boy that must have hurt! My ofifcer turned around and said "Was that his head?". Everyone including the cops began to laugh as the PT was moaning. No cut be he will have a nice egg.

I know patient care is important and it was probably wrong to laugh, but boy that made my day. God works in mysterious ways and he does have a great sense of humor!

Way to go buddy. I hope to follow in your footsteps shortly. Any suggestions?

Gaelic

As a BLS provider in a large urban area with transport times under 10 min, we have a numer of protocols and smo's we must consider when upgrading to and ALS response. What are the reasons you have to upgrade (your protocols) and what personal reasons would you consider upgrading.

I have uploaded our:

EMS Policies and Procedures

First Responder SMO's

BLS SMO's

ALS SMO's

Dispatch Protocols

Look under Resouces. Then downloads. Then Policies - Enjoy!

As a person who goes to many MVA's my first thought on your scenario is the airbag that did not deploy. Scene Safe? No its not.

If the PT was not in the way of the airbag if it suddenly deployed I would leave him right there until rescue showed up. If there was any way to help without endangering yourself, I would render as much care as possible.

If the airbag deployment would injure you, I would stay away unless removing the PT was an option.

On the bls ambo I carry the following on me:

I always wear some type of long sleeve jacket. We have a dept. issued winter jacket and I use a plain blue water repellant jacket in the summer that I purchased myself. It's not ems ppe but I mentally think it keeps stuff off me. And I wash this jacket in color safe bleach with the rest of my uniform after each use.

Pen

Pocket Spiral Notebook

Pocket Flashlight

Pocket Drug Book

Trauma Scissors

Radio

Extra set of gloves

Phone

I have never really had use for anything else. I carry a stair chair, oxygen tank and qrb (quick response bag) and aed into every call. A peds back also if its a kid.

If someone has something else they use that is helpful, please let me know. Thanks

Gaelic

Listen folks.

We all joined this site for various reasons. I think mostly due to the fact that we are all professionals and we thought this might be a good way to increase or maintain this level of professionalism. This is good.

We are all in the same boat. We all basically do the same job one way or another. We serve and protect the people that live in our city, country or state.

We should help eachother resolve the problems we are having. I consider people on this site I have never met a type of friend. Friends help eachother. If you are having a problem with your local fs& r or ems divisions, throw them out on here in a positive manner. Give us the story or scenario and I for one will always be here to throw out ideas on how to resolve this problem.

Live is too short to just sit back and bitch and not do anything. And I don go for the "we have tried and it's not working". Keep trying. For you and those who come after you.

Maybe I live in a different world. I truly believe MOST people want to do a good job, learn and get better at what they do.

I can tell the medics on here who bash ff's and emt's are well intentioned and are very knowledgeable. I say this because if inadequacies bother them that much, they have to care a lot. They have to love what they do. I have also posted questions on here and the outpouring of helpful and constructive information and advice I have received has been incredible. For the most part!

There are thousands of ways to "skin a cat". As a group of highly educated individuals who are often under appreciated, lets stick together and help eachother out.

It has really worked for me.

Because it it a stupid post on one bad employee. How many good and heart-warming stories have their been on firefighters, police, emt's and medics saving lives. Wouldn't that be more appropriate and productive?

I often wonder about the people who live to post negative statements about others. Why must on do this. Is it something wrong with them and what does this say about their character.

Once again, a couple of people on here seem to be very unhappy with themselves and their circumstances. But it also seems that they will do nothing to change or improve things and would rather sit back and bitch.

If you have "hosemonkeys" as you call them and they are not trained and educated enough to be an asset to you at an EMS run, try and change that. Have you voiced your thoughts and opinions to the people involved or your leadership? Have you walked right p to the person or people involved and confronted them and told them what problems you are having with them.

I think many of these problems come from rural areas where ems & fs&r are seperate. I also think many of these problems come from private ems companies dealing with their local fire departments.

We dont seem to have the problems and issues some of you people have. Thank God for that. We are under one unified command. The largest in the country. We have bosses who will adress these concerns. We have a way to vent and to resolve these types of problems you are having.

I know there are lazy firefighters out there. I have seen them on the CFD. When I work the ambo and it takes me 25 min to get to an address and the engine or truck company doesnt even provide me with vitals, I walk rigt up to the officer and confront them. I also document this inadequacy on my run report. I mostly do this to protect myself as I should not be held liable for anything that happens to the PT due to inadequate first responder activity.

I rarely have the same problem twice with the same officer or company as they all know what I expect from them. I have made it clear that I expect and demand that they do their jobs. Maybe try that a couple of times.

Our runs are consistently reviewed by ems officers. They see what I write and they will also confront fs&r officers and companies for these inadequacies. It works. Give it a try.

You not "pimping" anyone. People who dont do their job are not given the same "breaks" as someone who actually tries and fails. I hold myself to a very high level. I expect people around me to strive to achieve that same benchmark. If they dont seem to be trying, I walk right up to their face and tell them how I feel. It's not PC but it works. Im not going to hold things in or hold back. They are getting paid to do a job. So do it.

Try that and let me know what happens. Demand respect and give the same. Demand excellence and expect the same. Do your job and expect others to do the same. Worry about what your job is and do the same.

Im not going to dignify this with a response more than this.

...and there is the argument used to put EMTs on fire engines and FFs on ambulances. I respect FFs to no end, but it irks me when management tries to fit the round peg in the square hole to make their bottom line look better. FFs want to fight fires, EMTs want to treat patients. I cannot think of two more completely opposite professions to try and integrate.

My apologies for the thread derailment. I really tried....I swear....

We have paramedics on ALS engines and trucks as well and no ff's on ALS ambulances. We have emt's on BLS ambulances.

If people stay with your integration thought, they will be left out in the cold with skills no one wants. There must be a reason evey major city is looking for cross-trained personnel.

I can olnly comment on what I see at work and not what is commented on in here. I believe the EMS and FS&R is slowly merging into one body that can get along and can act as one. Old school firefighters do not like medical runs. We all know this. Not all, as that would be categorizing everyone the same, and I do not do this. But if you asked 100 old school firefighters, 90 would probably say they were hired to fight fires and not chase ambulances.

With the realization that over 75% of our calls are medical, many agencies, including Chicago have gone to dual role firefighters. Most, if not all, suburbs around here only hire firefighter medics. These individuals work both ambo and fire apparatus. Chicago's last test (2006) was for the position of firefighter/emt-b. These people must keep their emt license for the duration of their employment. Classes prior to this could drop after a two year period following initial employment. Before I leave this department I guarantee you that this will become only ff/medic positions.

Saying this, I feel people hired by the city of Chicago over the last couple of years accept the fact that most of the calls are EMS and these people take medical training as serious as fire training. The new staff is a more well rounded bunch and will have better training than those hired off old lists. They are more educated and therefore more valuable to the city and to its citizens. It doesnt matter what we think. Te people want a rig to show up and help them with any and all emergencies that arise. We are RESCUE. Fire or ems.

I feel this attitude will create harmony in the ems and fs&r fields as we will all be closer to being the same, rather than being considered two totally different disciplines as we seem to be now. Single role medics and single role firefighters will be a think of the past here in the city and in major urban areas like chicago and surrounding communities. Private service and rural areas, I am not so sure how this will go.

There were no real medics prior to the Korean War. Since then, the ems field has exploded and changed. There will be great changes in the future as well. If you are a student or young paramedic you should take ff clases and get your certs. If you want to be a ff, you should go to medic school as well. Become more marketable and more valuable.

These are just my thoughts, Take em or leave em.

We have three different types of ems service here in Chicago.

One is the BLS rig staffed with two dual-role ff/emt-b's.

The second is an ALS rig staffed with 2 single-role medics.

The third is an ALS truck/engine staffed with a dual-role ff/medic and a dual-role ff/emt-b.

A dual-role medic or cross-trained medic can start as a medic and after a prescribed amount of time can cross over into FS&R. Firefighters, Lt's, Captains, Engineers and Battalion Chiefs who have their emt-b get paid more than their counterpart who does not. Same if they have their medic license. The only difference is that ff/emt-bs have to work the ambo. Everyone else can use their license on an ALS engine or truck and spend no time on the ambo.

I apologize to the people I know and who's opinions I respect. You know who you are. MRSFA would not be one of those people. I have no idea who you are or where you are from. All I know is that I am glad I do not work with you if there is such hard feelings between ems & fs&r. Sucks to be you.

I get really irritated when certian medics think that us firefighters sit around all day. I for one do not. I work at a one of the busiest houses in a large urban area and in the busiest still district in the city. But I am not better than anyone for this. I am just lucky to have spent 19 years in a busy area.

I also happen to work on a very busy bls rig. Because I am a ff/emt-b I get detailed to the busiest houses in the city and I work the busiest engines and trucks. I have received 33 unit citations on the bls ambo alone and many more on a fire apparatus. I have shared these citations with many firefighters and many medics and emt's. They are not my citations. They are for the guys and gals in my house. We all share them. We all earned them. We all cherish them.

I don't know where some of you are from but we are a very strong brotherhood here in the city of Chicago. We work, eat, sleep and socialize with eachother. Regardless of position or rank. We do this out of mutual respect. Respect for one anothers skills and abilities. I cannot do what a medic does and he or she cannot do what I do.

I have medics show me how to do things when they have time and I appreciate this time. I also show medics how to do things at car accidents, confined space rescues and at fires.

When was the last time a ff had a junkyard car dropped off in the parking lot of your facility to show the medics the hazards of electric motors, alternative fuel cells and air bags. A couple of medics at my house had some concerns, so I had the car dropped off and had a class just for them. They in return have allowed me to ride the ALS ambo on my off days and set up ER time so that I may become a better EMT.

We share knowledge and experiences. We take pride in our department and work WITH eachother.

We don't sit around and worry about titles, certificates, skills.......etc. We are not comparable. We augment eachother. We back eachother up and help eachother.

So if you show up at a scene and YOUR FS&R is not doing their job, don't assume all firefighters are like this. We are not. It's your department. Look internally, not outward.

And for that person that wondered why I am paid more? I am paid more because our medics are on 24 and off 72. I am on 24 and off 48. I work more days in a year. Taking nothing away from their skill and knowledge, but I am trained in many more areas than a single-role medic. A dual role medic makes more than me.

Not saying the training is more or less important or difficult. Its just that the city can use me in many different ways where a single-role medic can only be used one way. Once again, not that it is right or wrong, but that is the way the city does it. From an employer stand point it makes some sense.

I could also sit here and rip on some medics for the amount of time they take on runs and at the hospital. But I do not. I can also question their field assessments as they are not doctors, but I do not. I could also comment on their attitudes towards patients, like they had something better to do than take the run, but I do not. I don't because I do not do their job and I do not walk in their shoes. I do not generalize as this is ignorant and disrespectful to those of us who do a good job. I am lucky to work with some of the best medics in the city.

There are "dogs" in all our fields. But please don't sit here and disrespect people who do a different job. A job no more or less important. We are here to serve the public. Not rip on eachother and make fun of eachother.

When a medical emergency comes across the line, the medics are the most important. When a fire comes across its the firefighters who are most important. When its an MVA, a confined space or a vertical rescue we are equal. Don't compare firefighters to medics or emt's. It's not important. It cannot be done. Its foolish.

I suggest that all medics who have a general dislike for ff's ask them for help in the areas you feel delinquent. I would also suggest you have a class for them and show them what you need and require of them. Don't wait for your respective departments to do it. Take it upon yourselves. Be professional. Instead of sitting around bitching, do something. But some people just like to bitch.

When one of us screws up we all screw up. The public does not differentiate medics from the fs&r. Make sure your department and your house compliments eachother in your offerings, knowledges and trainings. Be well-rounded. If you took the time, you might be amazed at what happens. I did and it has turned out great.

I have even had medics come in on their off days to ride the rig to fires. I had a 12 year medic veteran on the pipe at a fire once. He said it was the best day of his life. He in return has taught me more about the ems field than any training, class or book. See what you can accomplish when you think out of the box.

Once again, for those of you I know and respect, most of this rambling has nothing to do with you. For those narrow minded and ignorant people who do not try to improve themselves and those around them please refrain from reading or commenting on my posts.

Until you show me instances of true brotherhood I could care less about your comments. The EMS and FS&R field should have no room for people like this. People out for themselves in this field is the mot dangerous thing you will encounter at a scene.

Thank you and have a great day.

ok, i re-read wht you said - my bad

What the christ are you talking about AK? I was asking what your thoughts are. If you dont like the question, dont answer.

I am not going to post on this forum portion of this site again. I asked an honest question and all I got was a bunch of people crying about their circumstances. If you dont like your job - QUIT! I thought this was a forum to ask an honest question and get honest answers. Instead, I was basically told that medics do all the work and us firemen just sit in our expensive firehouses next to our expensive trucks and sit around all day. Unless you are on my shift, in my house and on my dept, keep your mouth shut. Just because your dept sucks dont assume mine does. You have no clue.

The motto is bringing us together. Ya right.