JMH

Thanks for the reply, Jim. Out of curiosity, is there any particular reason why you always transport on the cot? Is it a company policy?

Moving to the bus, pt more secure on stretcher then in the chair for example. For boards/ reeves, putting wheels under the patient means no longer having to carry them. Once in the bus, always transported on the cot, more secure in case of a wreck.

Also, a question for everyone, how often do you utilize supplies from your bags on calls? Obviously we're all probably taking blood pressures, sugars, and ECG tracings on scene when appropriate, but what about other supplies? I know that the vast, vast majority of supplies in my box are never used 80-90% of the time. What about the rest of you?

Absolutely agree. Our first in bag has "enough" stuff to get you back to the bus, on "most" jobs. Our service dose mostly medicine, so those are the tools that get used most, but it has enough bandages to handle pretty significant trauma, We run codes out of it with the addition of the AED. On traumas, the O2 in in this bag, so it goes with the trauma stuff.

Regards, Jim

ETA: Punctuation.

For me, if the patient is sick or injured enough or I suspect such, that I feel a pressing need to cut off their clothes, I'm moving toward the bus after whatever needs to be done on scene is done and will continue in the bus while moving toward the ER. Patient privacy/safety secured.

Regards, Jim

BLS, First in bag, every call, O2, BVM's, masks/neb/canula, NPA/OPS's, V-vac, assessment stuff, PPE, and basic trauma stuff. Collars/straps in separate bag. Peds/ob in peds bag. Electric suction as needed, . AED on med/cardiac

Stretcher went as close as it reasonably could, with bags/gear on it. Stair chair or Reeves or back board brought the patient to the stretcher. Always transported on cot.

Regards, Jim

My favorite manufacturer: www.propak.net. As I understand it, Drew was the designer for Pacific, at one time.

Regards, Jim

ETA: his mini med kit (MD-01) with RSI meds fits in the pouch in his tube kit (ME-02) on top of a surgical cric kit. A twist off lock on the mini-med, another on the pouch > DEA double lock. His protection for amps is the best I've seen. Jim

Gents, Thanks for the great greeting. I hope I can contribute something to your forum.

Like I said, the coolest job ever. I was listening to someone on line, and they said something like, "if it weren't for the bills, I'd do it for free" (medic). Amen! I hope the majority of us can truly say that they couldn't imagine doing anything else. Like the man said, a life is a terrible thing to waste, and this is surely among the noblest of callings. Thanks again.

Regards, Jim

I just keep a blowout kit available for the right damn now stuff, and an IFAK kind of kit around for the small stuff.

Regards, Jim

Just wanted to say hey.

I'm a retired EMT/FF from NY. I work as an RN at a trauma center in the Bronx.

I'll go to my grave saying EMS is the coolest job in the world, but what I've discovered, is that whether you call it medicine, or nursing or EMS or ARC standard/ advanced first aid or BSA first aid, it's all medicine, and it needs to be good medicine. I just like helping folks, and I don't much care what you call it. I still get jazzed, when I can learn something new, and want to be a perpetual student.

Imagine that, once upon a time, somebody took a chance, and entrusted me with the care of others, how cool is that?

Regards, Jim