Alex Woo

Well first of all Happy Holidays.... Hope all was well & all the best for the New Year... I was working Westchester EMS; where we provided solo fly car ALS. Each solo unit covered 35 to 4 Sq Miles. The EMT/Ambulance were all volunteer. I remembered in 2006; I responded to a home w/ an elderly male who was having an MI. I'd BLS'ed n ALS'ed him; waiting for the Amb but there were Volunteer FD who hadd arrived and they were gr8t. They'd assisted w/ V/S and O2 tanks but foremost hands. When the Amb came; the pt decided to go into VT arrest and I unsync'ed cardioverted him twice; he stablized and was alert n txpt'ed him 30mins away to the nearest hosp. What I'm saying is that it depends on all ppl onscene. Solo was fine because the BLS/FD were good & they cared. Most were gr8t because they listened. I had fun in my 3 yrs at West EMS. I was confident and was open-minded which made me a very gd Medic; I never panic and was able to lead.... Dual or Solo; it all depends on the person from BLS to ALS....

Just encouraging ppl.... Happeee Holidays....

This is gr8t way to share and obtain knowledge. It builds confidence and character. It way to spend free time. It looks awesome on the resume. You get to meet variety of healthcare professionals. A way to start a business. Builds leadership and teaching skills. There's a feeling of accomplishment and pride... Finally! You can make some good money...

At least you recognize that Paramedic School is not a walk in a park. Be open minded, listen, get involved, be honest, follow direction, & be humble. I get many EMTs who take the Medic program who think their sh#t don't stink. We're proud to fail students who deserve to fail. Unlike EMT; Paramedic is not volunteer work. Its not easy. There's many hours in class and on rotation. Study, study, study, study. Research, research, research... Its a great year of challenge and success.... Plz see my thread regarding EMT Certification Restructuring: which the majority of ppl disagree. I note the EMT to Medic; its difficulties and how we can bridge that gap... Good luck....

Until the local, state, & federal govt take control of welfare, low income housing, Medicaid, & all services for the poor; there's no way you can ask someone to pay; if their condition is not life threatening. Duty to Act is there. Plus as PHC providers; you can't put such a demand on the EMT-B/I/CC/Ps; it will open up a lot of law suits.

Too bad the NYS DOH EMT-B/I/CC/P programs do not really go over PCR/ACR documentation. They always emphasize that if you didn't write it, you didn't do it. PCRs must clear, concise, & complete. It is a legal document. That's it.. I QA/QI and do individual Call Review w/ my guys. Many are new to 2yr EMTs and they state they never learned how to write PCRs. So its a long and difficult process. Thanks NYS DOH EMT Curriculums and Programs for the inadequately trained PHC Providers. The PCR are full of accronyms and neumonics. +ABC, +PMSx4, L/S clear & equal, -SOB, -Bleeding, -Pain, -DCAPBTLS, -JVD, -DNR, -Nausea, -Trauma, etc. Ok, what's wrong w/ the pt then? Again, kudos NYS DOH EMS. Plz read my thread regarding NYS EMT Certification Restructuring... Thx...

Very rough. I know many who worked in NYC Hosp EMS who are either still out of work or working in the Privates. Jobs are scarce in NYC... My first NYC 911 gig was a Hospital in Brooklyn called Victory Memorial; it was the first NYC Hospital to close due to findings by the Berger Commission Report. Ppl who want to place more skills into an EMT-B/I/CC/P but do not improve the education; schedule fees will never be increased. Everytime a patient is seen; facilities lose money. Its a fact the the Healthcare is not a business; its the worst business schemes ever... As long as ppl live healthier & longer; healthcare, mostly Medicare & Medicaid will be broke & broken... Plz see my thread regarding EMT Certification restructuring. EMS will remain stagnant if something isn't done...

Yes, NYC has protocols regarding this. Its great. We seem to care about the dead more than the living. I've been fighting for years in NYC to change for the good of the ppl. Most pts we deal w/ are alive; dead pts r a minority. I've been fighting for continue NTG & Albuterol/Atrovent w/ calling Med Control. I've ben pushing for continue Benzos for Stat Ep w/o calling Med Control. I've been fighting for Insulin admin if pt is very hyperglycemic. I've been pushing for Thiamine to be put back in & Lasix as Standin Orders... Sounds like its not a lot to ask for.... You should see our WMD/Smoke Inhalation Protocol; ridoncuous... www.nycremsco.org See if I have a gripe....

In NYS u need an Operating Certificate from NYS DOH EMS. However, even w/ $$$ or political pull, you can't just apply for one. It must be purchase. NYS doesn't issu them uinless there's a written need or an old existing that's not being used. I work in NYC; so you'll have to buy TransCare, Coling, or a Hospital which had an EMS Dept who's closing or closed. I was an EMS Mgr at Cabrini; I shopped my Certificate around; the boundaries were NYC; so it was a hot item; worth $750,000+. St Vincents, LICH, and Maimonades were interested. No one bought it though; so NYS recycles them; there's a Cabrini Certificate to be bought... Good luck.... In NYS u need an Operating Certificate from NYS DOH EMS. However, even w/ $$$ or political pull, you can't just apply for one. It must be purchase. NYS doesn't issu them uinless there's a written need or an old existing that's not being used. I work in NYC; so you'll have to buy TransCare, Coling, or a Hospital which had an EMS Dept who's closing or closed. I was an EMS Mgr at Cabrini; I shopped my Certificate around; the boundaries were NYC; so it was a hot item; worth $750,000+. St Vincents, LICH, and Maimonades were interested. No one bought it though; so NYS recycles them; there's a Cabrini Certificate to be bought... Good luck.... In NYS u need an Operating Certificate from NYS DOH EMS. However, even w/ $$$ or political pull, you can't just apply for one. It must be purchase from an existing one. NYS doesn't issue them uinless there's a written need or an old existing that's not being used. I work in NYC; so you'll have to buy TransCare, Coling, or a Hospital which had an EMS Dept who's closing or closed. I was an EMS Mgr at Cabrini; I shopped my Certificate around; the boundaries were NYC; so it was a hot item; worth $750,000+. St Vincents, LICH, and Maimonades were interested. No one bought it though; so NYS recycles them; there's a Cabrini Certificate to be bought... Good luck....

Its better ur fighting to reduce the charge from DUI to Reckless Endangerment than to fight a 2nd Degree Murder to a Manslaughter charge... Dumb but this may make you stronger. Be thankful ur alive and others are too. No one else paid for ur mistake. Good luck...

Thanks for the educational opportunity....

A B will say B. An I will say I. There will be a fight between the I-85 & I-99. A CC will say CC. A P will say P... But P is high.

Plz see my thread regarding EMT Certification Restructuring....

I wouldn't ssay Nursing is easier. Its equally as tough but Nursing will take longer. If you go from EMT-P to RN its a smoothe transaction; if one has at least a AS Degree... Plz see my thread regarding EMT Certification Restructuring.... You can become both; I will before the end of next year.... Its easier to become a RN if you're an AS EMTP than it is to be an EMT-P if you're a MS RN....

Walmart for <$10; it looks like the Littman Master Classic. It works well; even in a moving ambulance. Grade B+...

Done, thanks.. Good luck...

I've worked Dual Medic in NYC, Solo Flycar in Westchester, Rockland, and Orange, & Dual Flycar in Rockland. It has its pros & cons but I did like the Solo Flycar the best...

It all depends... I became an EMT in 1995 and an EMT-P in 1998. I was an EMS Mgr at a NYC Hospital in 2006; it closed in 2008. I've been a Supervisor & Mgr ever since at a Private Ambulance...

There are many wasted degrees. Its not the degree; its the person. For the most part. I'm waiting for the BS in Paramedics to be available in all 50 States; mainly NY. Lol. If not I'll go for my BSN. It is EMS Mgmt incorporated into the Paramedic BS Degree... Its going to take time for it to be the norm. I'm fighting for EMT-P to have CCEMTP & an AAS as a norm... See my thread... Paramedics are going down the path Nursing has; hundreds of years ago & nbursing has progressed to the ASN, BSN, MSN, & PhDN. With licenses as RN, CNS, NP, RNA, & DNP. Professions are mostly defined by Education... A degree is a degree; nothing else will change your Social Status. You can only move up w/ Academia, according to Funds of Sociology...

Respect, open mind, friendly, attentive, constructive, good recaller, advocate, adaptive, patient, & honest. Remember there is no I in TEAM but there is ME in it... Lol

Prehospital what? Ultrasound? Hmm?!? In NYS, Medicaid pays $140 for Ambulace Txpts, regardless of Level and Care. IV, O2, ECG, ET; now ultrasound. How much are Services going to spend? Standard of EMS Care? Awesome! Stop putting skills w/o formal training. I've had threads regarding EMS Certification Restructuring; most say I'm crazy to asked for more EMT hours, the EMT-85 to the 99, the abolishment of the EMT-CC, and the EMT-P to have the CCEMTP & AAS. Lee Burns, NYS DOH EMS Director states that there is very little NYS can do. NAEMSE is waiting until after the New Year to conference call me. JEMS wants my idea to be on the JEMS Connect and they couldn't publish my idea. They are aburb to even spend time on this. I'm all for improvement but if DHHS do not increase ambulance schedule fees for Medicare & Medicaid; then why would HMO/CMO/EPO/PPO increase theirs? How do services make money? Employees want a check, raises, paid time off, tuition reimbursements, and benefits, right? How can they do this? How can I do this? I hate hearing advancements when US DOT & NHTSA won't increase the hours from didatic to practical. They've responded to my idea by saying its up to each state. So how can we change and be better? If we don't want change and be better? Why don't Medics suture, do ultrasound, XRay, CT, Lab, Tracheostomy, etc.? Why not give us the ER in the Ambulance; keep the same Program. That makes sense... That's why we'll never be recognize by layppl...

It was a horrible day. My friends & co-workers died that day. I was at school; nearby. We all heard the boom. School was cancelled & exiting through the courtyard: I can see the WTC Towers on fire. I can smell the smoke. I drove and parked on Bway and Fulton. I was a NYC Paramedic & I felt I had a Duty to Act. I called FDNY Comm and was told Staging was on Church and Fulton. I walked a half a block on Bway; I heard a thundering sound like a speeding locomotive. it lasted for several seconds but it felt like minutes. Everyone stood still. We all looked but didn't move until we heard the loud thud and there was silence. Debris & smoke rapidly engulfed us. It was an unbeatable sandstorm. We ran but couldn't escape the breathe taking soot. It was a Day that would live in Infamy... I miss you Marc Sullins, Mario Santoro, & Keith Fairben.... FYI hours to days to weeks; I worked 16hours a day at NY Downtown; my 89 (at Cross Street Location); was at Ground Zero. I told workers there; whoever I saw, to wear their masks. I gave out N95 to all I could. We ordered boxes to give out at Ground Zero. Many brushed it off. Masks were on but not on the face. I hear but I'm not listening. Dean Tappan show some compassion...

No such thing as a 3 month RN Program from EMT-P to RN. I'm doing that and there are 8 Nursing Courses at Excelsior College; I'm on my seven. You can do one every month but can't complete in 3 months. After the Nursing Courses; you have to wait for the FCCA Practicals then CPE. After this then you'll receive an ASN; w/ this u can take ur NCLEX for ur RN; which can be a 3 month waiting process. Don't buy into quick schemes; you will lose ur money and time. You should be vollying or working; gain exp as an EMT-B first. EMT to EMT-P is not a step; its not a flight; its many floors apart. RN and EMT-P are not the same. Nursing is a field centuries ahead. Paramedics would be closing the gap if EMS ppl stuck together and strive 4 change.

Its unfortunate Prehospital Sedation doesn't allow the Medic to really give Medications for sedatory purposes. In NYC for the most part; the Sedation Protocol is the same as the EDP Protocol and the Sedation Protocol doesn't provide enough Benzodiazapines and the does are sub-theraputic.

Below is the link to the Wall Street Journal Article. Along with my email to the writer. Re: http://mobile2.wsj.com/device/article.php?CALL_URL=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703493504576007743046682606.html?mod=googlenews_wsj Mr. Saul, I am very concerned about what the Mayor & NYC are going to do, come January 2012. For the 353 tours runned by the Voluntaries at $73,000 per tour, that's $25,769,000; NYC expects to receive from them on a yearly basis. That's a lot of revenue but its needless revenue if all Voluntaries pull out of 911 & NYC has to put out these units and tours. Mayor Bloomberg plans to cover the tours if the Voluntaries pull out. There are 25 hospitals the FDNY EMS has agreements with, for them to run Ambulances. At $15/hr for 1 EMT to be on a Dual EMT Ambulance for 24hr, throughout the year. For 2 EMTs on the truck for the day, it costs $720. For the week, it costs $5,040. For the year, it costs $262,080. That's 1 unit on straight time; for 1yr. Hypothetically, if all 25 Voluntary Hospitals ran 1 (BLS) Dual EMT Ambulance each and NYC wants to absorb the costs; it will be $6,552,000 for 25 BLS Units. But if there are 353 tours; pretending they are all BLS: it will cost NYC $92,514,240 a year to cover all the Voluntary tours. Lastly, the advisors Bloomberg have on staff obviously do not have calculators. Get $25,769,000/yr in fees or spend $92,514,240/yr for salary alone. That's a lost of $66,745,240. How is this fiscually responsible, regarding the City's Budget? Regards, Alex Woo