basejump

9-4=1........Just take it again.

Rob,you were a great mentor,friend and comedian. Thanks for all that you have given. You will be greatly missed.

There are a few individuals who are special you could say, who actually snort bath salts. Yes,epsom salt. And apparently it produces quite an intense high,and it's relatively cheap too. I don't think this is something new,but when I heard about this particular call a buddy went on, it was new to my ears,but not suprising. Atleast something like this is more natural than drinking nail polish remover lol

rest in peace

I can't imagine the stories that would come from living that long....It amazes me. RIP.

REST IN PEACE

(article courtesy of CNN US)

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/02/27/wwi.veteran.death/index.html?iref=NS1

I found this interesting.......

Washington (CNN) -- Frank Buckles, the last U.S. World War I veteran, has died, a spokesman for his family said Sunday. He was 110.

Buckles "died peacefully in his home of natural causes" early Sunday morning, the family said in a statement sent to CNN late Sunday by spokesman David DeJonge.

Buckles marked his 110th birthday on February 1, but his family had earlier told CNN he had slowed considerably since last fall, according his daughter Susannah Buckles Flanagan, who lives at the family home near Charles Town, West Virginia.

Buckles, who served as a U.S. Army ambulance driver in Europe during what became known as the "Great War," rose to the rank of corporal before the war ended. He came to prominence in recent years, in part because of the work of DeJonge, a Michigan portrait photographer who had undertaken a project to document the last surviving veterans of that war.

As the years continued, all but Buckles had passed away, leaving him the "last man standing" among U.S. troops who were called "The Doughboys."

DeJonge found himself the spokesman and advocate for Buckles in his mission to see to it that his comrades were honored with a monument on the National Mall, alongside memorials for veterans of World War II and the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam.

Buckles made history when he was asked to testify in Congress on the matter before a House committee on December 3, 2009.

"I have to," he told CNN when he came to Washington, as part of what he considered his responsibility to honor the memory of fellow-veterans.

Buckles, after World War I ended, took up a career as a ship's officer on merchant vessels. He was captured by the Japanese in the Philippines during World War II and held prisoner of war for more than three years before he was freed by U.S. troops.

Never saying much about his POW experience, Buckles instead wanted attention drawn to the plight of the D.C. War Memorial. During a visit to the run-down, neglected site a few years ago, he went past the nearby World War II memorial without stopping, even as younger veterans stopped and saluted the old soldier in his wheelchair as he went by.

Renovations to the structure began last fall, but Buckles, with his health already failing, could not make a trip to Washington to review the improvements. The National Park Service is overseeing efforts that include replacing a neglected walkway and dressing up a deteriorated dome and marble columns.

Details for services and arrangements will be announced in the days ahead, the family statement said.

Flanagan, his daughter, said preliminary plans began weeks ago, with the Military District of Washington expressing its support for an honors burial at Arlington, including an escort platoon, a horse-drawn casket arrival, a band and a firing party.

"It has long been my father's wish to be buried in Arlington, in the same cemetery that holds his beloved General Pershing," Flanagan wrote as she began to prepare for the inevitable in a letter she sent to home-state U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia.

"I feel confident that the right thing will come to pass," she said.

In addition to graveside ceremonies, a proposal from U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, calls for a memorial in the U.S. Capitol, where Buckles' casket would be displayed with honors.

Buckles in 2008 attended Veterans Day ceremonies at Arlington at the grave of Gen. John Pershing, the commander of U.S. troops during World War I.

He also had met with then-President George W. Bush at the White House, and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates at the Pentagon.

"The First World War is not well understood or remembered in the United States," Gates said at the time. "There is no big memorial on the National Mall. Hollywood has not turned its gaze in this direction for decades. Yet few events have so markedly shaped the world we live in."

Buckles' family asks that donations be made to the National World War I Legacy Project to honor Frank Buckles and the 4,734,991 Americans that he served with during World War I. Details can be found at: www.frankbuckles.org

Are we really ready to be dishing more money to ACP because that time is coming soon as per the "courteous email" i'm sure everyone recieved if you're a registered practioner. Mooooooo Mooooooo can you hear the cash cow calling? I personally believe paying more money to ACP isn't going to benefit me or any of us, and frankly i'm tired of it. Why does ACP exsist if AHS has taken over? Why don't they take over for examinations,registrations etc? I'm sure it's not quite cut and dry but..... Sorry for the short rant,i'll be back to post more...... gotta run,stay warm.

Remind me what the340$ is for?? Common courtesy would be to laminate my card and make "modules" somewhat accessible for the everyday practioner to be able to assess him/herself and not have to spend a couple months on how to figure out the dam thing out. I'm I alone here?

I'll do my best to offer a little bit of the other side. EMS is filled with people who don't like their jobs. Everyone seems to have their own particular reasons why, but I will just touch on a few of the common themes so that you can be a little better prepared. These aren't necessarily my personal feelings, but I think they are all pretty accurate.

1. As an EMT, and even more so as a medic, eventually at some point you will realize that you are at the bottom of the totem pole in a system that revolves around hierarchy. Worse, you will realize that you belong there. Medical training for prehospital providers is like a crash course. There is very little of the background, of the science, of the rigorous study that characterizes most serious medical training. Because we lack this, we are constantly at the tip of the iceberg, knowing just enough to get by but not enough to really understand. Depending on your personality and your background, this may bother you every day or never at all. There is no real solution to this problem but to leave EMS and go back to school, which quickly becomes less and less of an option as people get older and more tied down by debt and family obligations. The result is a large population of dissatisfied EMS workers with no real way out.

2. The rest of the medical community, as well as many EMS employers, recognize the deficiencies detailed above and treat EMTs/Paramedics with a constant disrespect. This manifests itself in many ways both big and small, from relative job insecurity ("you are not special, you can be replaced tomorrow no sweat") to nurses/doctors/medical staff who refuse to acknowledge the vital role we play in the continuity of care. Some of this can be relieved on a personal level by maintaining a good reputation, but this takes years of work and at the end of the day when the chips are down, you are still "just" an EMT or paramedic. You will be reminded of this at the worst time and it will make you feel like shit.

3. There is the constant threat of injury. This is a dangerous job that requires repetitive physical motion. Back, knee, and shoulder injuries are extremely common and often career-ending. If that happens you can count only on a pittance from workers-comp for a short period of time, and then ending up jobless with very few marketable job skills. What are you going to do at age 40 with a busted back and a high school education? Not much. I realize you have a college degree, which is great, but this is the reality for an overwhelming proportion of EMS workers. Believe me, this weighs heavily on the mind of any career EMS worker, and it isn't a pleasant thought.

4. We rarely save lives, and a lot of the time it takes some creativity and imagination to even see that we "made a difference" for our patients. The majority of what you do on the ambulance will be needless transport for barely injured or sick people who have no business on an ambulance nevermind a hospital. The ratio will change depending on where you work, but I would (generously) estimate that 20% of the patients I see have a legitimate need for my services. This reality differs dramatically from the expectations of the newly hired. Even if you "know" it's not going to be all blood and guts, I don't think you can truly appreciate how ridiculous the day-to-day can be. Some people are better at handling this than others, as lots of people will certainty attest to on this forum. I can tell you though, if you take a look at people with 15 and 20 years in this business (a small population to begin with), you will find VERY few people who aren't frustrated with this on a daily basis.

5. The pay isn't great, and unless you work for a fire service or the occasional 3rd service municipality, you can forget about a pension or retirement benefits other than a 401-k. $20 an hour may seem like a decent salary to you now, but that money gets eaten up QUICK with a mortgage, school loan payments, and a family. Unless you are extremely good at managing your money (and most aren't), you will likely come to rely on overtime hours, which will be inconsistent and take you away from home for more time than you'd like. I work with a lot of people who routinely pull 60-hour work weeks just to pay the bills, and once you get caught up in that kind of situation it is very difficult to pull yourself out.

There are others, but I think those are pretty much the "big 5." Education, respect, injury, B.S., and pay. You should know that this is, however, an extremely rewarding job. Working on an ambulance gives you opportunity to see things that you never would otherwise, and I think really gives you a perspective into life (and death) that very few people get. I don't think there is any other job out there like this, and those benefits shouldn't be ignored. I am very proud of my job and I am extremely glad that I decided to do it. That said, I'm working my butt off to get out.

Thanks for the post. Very informational.

I've got my resume,or somewhat of my resume put together. I am still trying to decide what i'd like to use as my "objective". As for my CV, I am really lost. I know there a couple of brief paragraphs about why i'd like to take the EMT program. Help. Thanks

I didn't know any protocols were adjusted,but now that you mention it I am going to have a peak. Thanks.

I wasn't sure if this topic fits in the "non" topic section but I figured i'd post here. Someone had mentioned to me a book called "Paramedic" by Peter Canning. Within the first chapter I found myself not wanting to put this book down. Being a student, this book was very inspirational and enlightening. I have now just ordered "Rescue 471" Canning's second write and I am excited for this to come in the next weeks. Anyone have any other reads? I have also read a nurses story which was another fantastic read.

So i'm on youtube searching ambulance calls when this video comes up so I clicked it because it looked interesting. We all know a good portion of drivers do not pay attention half of the time due to cell phones,texting,and the fact most people are oblivious to sirens and lights when they hear or see them. I'm not sure who the blame fell on for this incident. But if it was me, I probably would have approached a bit slower. But who am I to judge, I wasn't in their situation at that specific time. Here is the video. Thought's?

Toronto EMS

As great of a tool this could be, I don 't see it happening anytime soon due to the cost. Thanks for the great topic.

read the questions thoroughly and eliminate,thats for any exams you take. know the material,or your just wasting your money.

I know some of you must read some of the articles and ad's in the "pulse" and EMDialogue. Just wondering if anyone is going up for the Sept dates. Should be interesting. See the attached letter.

2010_Clinical_Symposium.doc

Pass the registry exam before you worry about stuff like this,is my advice.

Hey there basejump. Welcome to the city. I was just wondering what schools in Alberta you applied too.

I applied at portage. My next app goes into ESA and pma. Thanks so much for all of your replies. I will keep a look out for more replies here and visit the local stations. I'll keep you posted!

There have to be a few seasoned providers out there who could give me possible decent advice as I am,and have applied for EMT school for Aug,and Sept intakes this year. What types of qualities should an EMT posses to be succesful in the EMS industry?Any tips,pointers,anything helps. Thanks so much,be safe everyone.