MedicNorth

I can relate to all the stories above, but you certainly can have fun with pagers, especially if you have the "backdoor" number to set them off. We had a rookie who set new standards for wankerism, and when the pager went off she would jump like she was holding booster cables. We would wait until she was totally relaxed or engrossed in something, and then call the number. It created all sorts of hilarity for us, but it stopped when she jumped up and spilled her coffee into the base radio unit. Had one girl who dropped hers into a pot of clam chowder she was making, too.

LOL -I'd be more likely be responsible for it running out, but hey, kickbacks are a fact of life in government, right? I'm in, Hammer - anything for my noble leader!

Sleeping? Heck no - I was just visualizing my survey in the last call! I concentrate better with my eyes closed.

Nah, I don't think so - we ALWAYS elect crotchety old people, and they don't make me too happy at all. The time has come for youth and beauty to take over the world. Unfortunately, that relegates me to the backrooms too, but as long as the fridge is full, I can handle that role.

I love it! Would like to add, if I may: The guts it takes to post a post for others' leisure reading The ones who hate mistakes the most will likely leave you bleeding! Great Job, Michael!

Its official - The Hammered Party is born! The first order of business is to establish a bank account - If you would send your initial membership fees of $39.95 to me, I will begin to purchase Party Supplies in preparation for the Summer Leadership Convention. If you have any suggestions for the location and date, please let me know as well. Perhaps we could have it in Squint's basement in Millet. Platform modifications and proposals should be submitted directly to The Right Honourable HammerPCP.Thanks!

Hey, Hammer - we have start of a great party here! After enough libation it may even become political. I'll be your campaign manager, Owley can raise funds, buy the beer, and drive the bus. I think we're on to something!. Any others want to join the "Hammered" party?

Damn! Here we go again! Hey - Lets bash each other over the head just a few more times to make our points, which, naturally, makes us all feel better. This thread was originally about whether or not doctors should be allowed to run hot to the ER with lights and sirens. Like so many other threads before it, it has degenerated into the "Volunteer vs Pro" debate, and I find that disturbing. I make part of my living in EMS, and I also volunteer as a firefighter, so I can see both sides of the story. Okay, here is my two bits worth. 1. Yes, there are doctors who volunteer their time - they work in inner city clinics, in third world nations, and other places where the people simply cannot afford to pay for the services you and I take for granted. Does this mean that the service they offer is substandard? Perhaps it is, because the supplies and facilities are not there, but it beats the hell out of nothing at all! Are they taking away jobs from other doctors, or even themselves? Probably, but more to the point they are saving lives that would not have been saved if they had not been there. 2. Yes again, there are volunteers who are "wankers", who do the job just for the glory or hero syndrome, and they do make the profession look bad. I am also aware of some professional EMS people who are in the game for precisely the same reason, and who have the same result on the public image of EMT's and Paramedics. 3. Yes,there are municipalities that are too cheap, too uninformed, or too clever to pay for a professional service when there are volunteers who will do the job for peanuts. These areas would be able to pay professionals to do the job if vols wouldn't. A slight tax increase would cover the additional expenses. Paying people who were willing to do the job would give the volunteers some incentive to take the training required to make it a career. 4. No, you could not eliminate ALL volunteer squads and have the same or better level of service in all areas. Some are too remote or too underpopulated - the costs could not be handled by the minor tax increase or cuts somewhere else - would you be willing to have your taxes go up to subsidize? A classic example, would be the fire service I volunteer for. If the vols quit, the nearest town that would be able to afford full time fire service is 35 minutes away. 5. Bearing arms -WTF? What has that got to do with anything? All right - I'm finished for now. If there is anybody out there I haven't upset yet, let me know, and I'll work on it!

Hey, Hammer - Great stuff. If you make that your platform, I'll vote for you, and so will a lot of others. "Prime Minister Hammer" -Has great ring, yes?

AARGH! No wonder I had such a difficult childhood! Thanks to the trolls for kidnapping me and raising me as a footstool. Without their intervention I would have been a thoroughly screwed-up individual!

LOL -I'm Drogo Sandybanks of Frogmorton!

HAHAHA - Thatth dithguthting!

This thread has been an interesting read. There are EMS units in Europe that are staffed by MDs, which means that they are in station and on duty when the calls arrive. The programs are extremely well received, but are obviously very expensive. The question would have to be "Do the results improve enough to justify the increased costs?" Obviously, if EMS in North America is to go this way, a major shift has to take place, which seems highly unlikely. In my (admittedly personal) opinion, we would be better off spending that additional money on upgraded training, qualification, and equipment. I am strongly opposed to the concept of doctors speeding to the scene in their personal vehicles. These men and women are trained to work miracles, but they need the equipment, environment, and assistance only available in a modern ER. I feel that they would be better off heading directly to the ER to prepare for the patient, and leave the stabilization and transport to the capable ALS workers. If we need docs on scene we have to make them part of the response system, with specialized training and clearly marked emergency vehicles. I don't like the thought of BMW's, MB's or Vipers screaming through town at adrenaline-prodded speed by people who are not trained to drive emergency vehicles. Lights and sirens do not make enough difference to make this safe.

And my favourite - An Athletic Scholarship"

AAAARRRRGGGHHHHH! OMG -I just realized that my 100th post was a cry of terror, and I had been saving it for something unique and thought provoking. Damn!

Yeah - but they are BIG mosquitoes! Also did spend a chunk of my childhood in West Africa, where we had a menagerie of poisonous reptiles, and collected scorpions. Never ate any of them though, like the locals did.

AH - you guys are wimps! I have no fear of reptiles, insects, or any other creepy crawlies. The only thing that gives me the screaming heebie jeebies is parnsips. Put one on my plate and I'll have nightmares for a week. Put me in a field of them, I would probably go catatonic! And people actually EAT them?

I only buy the pina coladas for the little umbrellas, because I'm tired of getting caught in the rain. It takes a lot of those umbrellas to stay dry, so I often don't even notice that it is raining! The person below me is "Mad as hell, and ain't gonna take it any more!"

I have spotted the problem - My wife would wake up upset if I crawled into bed with a wet leg and smelling of pee, too!

Long as you're not getting laid on the table in the morgue!

Our FD is trained and on-call to do the extrications. Extrication is done in close consultation between EMS and the FD, with each step being clearly explained before it happens. The relationship between the two groups is superb, and has been very effective.

In the past few months I have been reading these recurring threads in which different levels of EMS make a habit of savagely tearing each other limb from limb. The next most common theme in the forum is the lack of respect received from the public, and this even crosses over into tearing each other apart again - blaming "paragods" or EMTs, or FAs, or management, or government. Has anybody made the connection that if EMS members have no respect for each other and the jobs they do within their scope, that NOBODY in the public is gonna either? Publicly crapping on each other like this is a sure sign that there is trouble in our industry, and a troubled industry is not going to get any respect. Every level has its place - every practitioner, whether volunteer or paid, needs to work within his scope of practice, respecting and utilizing the work of those above and below them on the training scale. There is no room for huge egos, or arrogance, or back-stabbing if the pay, conditions, and public's perception are to improve. Want to make it better? Try some positive dialog.

Oh thrills! I am Spongebob!

This really irritates me when volunteers get slammed for "not caring about the community". Lets see - a small community with a volunteer squad versus a small community with nothing because there is not enough demand for a professional group. According to a lot of the posts above, the BEST thing to do would be to quit, because your call volume is too low to maintain skills. Makes eminent sense to me! Lets increase response times to 30 minutes or more waiting for pros to come from the next town. I wish the reality of things would allow for paid professionals in ALL emergency services, but it just isn't going to happen. Those who volunteer are doing so because at this moment it IS the best thing for their community. By the way, there are physicians who do a lot of volunteer work in inner cities and in third world countries. Should I mistrust them because of that?

lol again- I copied it and left it in the staff lounge, where there are 15 female workers. Response was split between hysterical laughter and muttered "That's disgusting!"