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LasVegasEMTI

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Everything posted by LasVegasEMTI

  1. Still around... Though much has changed (namely, I am no longer in Las Vegas, and I am a Paramedic). I keep up with some of the old crew via FB now. Things changed for me after Dust passed, his loss was deep for myself and a few others. Hope everyone is doing well :)
  2. I miss you more than words can say. You always have been, and always will be a bright guiding star in my life. xoxo

  3. It doesn't surprise me. The LVRJ has nothing better to do, since they obviously don't spend ANY time getting facts right for their news stories. I'm surprised they still have any subscribers in the valley. Sorry you have to go through this, I just don't see how you are responsible in any way at all for a posting in which you did not encourage, suggest, promote or give affirmation to.
  4. hey old man ;) its been awhile.

  5. ironic... im on the other side of the country, but i was just reminded of my first code... i ran it with this guy haha
  6. Not that what I have to say means much, nor do I represent my employer in any of my statements... Here in the metro LV area, hopping curbs and opposing traffic is a necessity. You try getting from Flamingo & Eastern to Ceasar's Palace on a Saturday night with multiple conventions, NBA All-Star weekend and your usual weekend travellers during rush hour (which I think we have like 3 or 4 of those lol)... you might as well just not respond if you're going to stay on the right side of the road the whole time! We have time demands from our County, and although it is our responsibility to put forth effort in making times, we have no reprimanding as a crew, only the company has to pay the fines. As for driving in the breakdown... I am adamant about staying left. I will sit behind cars and wait for them to move to the right even if the two lanes to their right are wide open. Its their job to go right, its my job to stay left. With that being said, the highways can pose a tricky situation, especially when traffic is backed up (as it often is here). If I do go into the breakdown lane, it is at a speed much less than the speed limit, and my lights & sirens are turned off. That is my preference, others take different positions on that. This is all responding to calls. If it is a code 3 return back to the hospital (which we really don't do all that often), I will not jump curbs, I will barely break the speed limit... my L&S simply become my tool to get through traffic lights and hopefully advise people that we're coming. With medical calls, I often go even below the speed limit as much can be done by us prehospitally and a smooth ride is necessary. If its a massive multi-system trauma, we try to get all interventions done asap and get to the hospital quickly... only bright lights and shiny knives will save them. As I said, all these statements are mine and mine alone.
  7. HAHAHAHAHA old man!!! miss ya dude ) Lovingly, LasVegasEMTI, est. 1984
  8. Here in Vegas we make even less than that Timmy... I do have to say, I CHOSE this city, I CHOSE this job, and I ACCEPT the pay (or lack thereof). It doesn't mean I am happy or satisfied with it, or that I don't plan on furthing my career in medicine otherwise... but this life is what we create it to be! If you don't like it, change it or move!
  9. If we get there first, we bring our jump bag (which has everything in it that the ambulance has in the back, just not so many of each item- which includes but is not limited to intubation kit, airway "stuff", bleeding control, BP cuffs, IV kit, drugs, etc.), and our Phillips monitor (rock on with the on-screen 12-Lead!). And of course our stretcher, which has frame mounted O2, a sheet on it, an extra sheet for modesty or cold pt, and occassionally a towel and blanket. Suction also comes with us for Cardiac Arrest. Backboards and C-Collars as necessary, often brought as precaution in the high rises. We do not carry our clipboards, but every jump bag has AMA forms in the back, as they are the only form you need on scene, if any. If fire gets there first, we just bring our stretcher. Unless the building is greater than three stories and we are running with an engine or truck (as opposed to a rescue), per protocol we have to bring all our gear. Somedays the engines are ALS engines, somedays only ILS. Of course there are times when specialized equipment is brought in. For pediatrics, we have a Peds ALS jump kit. Same as the regular one, just with Ped-sized equipment. If it's a imminent birth we also bring in an OB kit incase we have to deliver on scene. Really the only thing I've ever had to go back to the truck for was backboards. And often its because it wasn't a traumatic call, it's just being used for patient movement. Oh, and we are to go nowhere without our portable radios. They have a button on them called a "Code 5" button. When pressed, it sets off an alarm in our dispatch, in AMR's dispatch, and in FAO's dispatch (I think). Your radio ID also comes across a monitor in the dispatch. Code 5 here in Las Vegas means there is a danger to your life and assistance is needed immediately. When you press the button, dispatch will come over the radio and ask if you are "Code 4" which means everything is okay, there are no threats. If no response, they will ask again and for a location and further information. If no response still, they will just track you with our AVL's. You will get two ambulances (from either agency), a supervisor from your agency, fire and Metro (our PD). Fortunately this doesn't have to be used very often, but occassionally it does. A few weeks back one of our crews was shot at. I am glad they have a system in place for it!
  10. I have the tactical all-black Littmann Master Cardiology... I am also hard of hearing, so I have added 6.5 ET tubes to the exposed part of the headset... It works wonders. As for cost- it was tactically acquired from my old roommate... :-P jk he gave it to me when he got a new one. Not that this is of importance, but I also had a dog tag (a real one engraved at petco) made with my name, number and company on it. It won't stop people from stealing it if they really want it, but it will at least help those who aren't klepto's return it to me safely. Ashley... "LV"
  11. As has already been said, it's all about the individual in the situation. Most people have their "thing" that they have a hard time dealing with... for me, it's when people cough anything up. I don't mind people throwing up, going to the bathroom, bleeding, etc... but if it comes from the throat or lungs, it makes me want to puke. A lot of people have difficulty with eye injuries, which is logical if you really try to think about it. My toughest eye injury so far was standing there next to my 20 yr old patient as the trauma doc told him that they would be taking his eye out. My heart just broke for him. But even these do not compare to the uneasiness of aftermath. When a wife comes in and asks if he's ok as he codes in front of you. When you transfer a 3 year old boy with bone cancer to a higher level of care, and again a month later finding out his cancer has spread throughout his entire body. When you print out your six-second asystole strip and their fourteen year old daughter asks why you aren't doing anything. When doc calls 'time of death' on a fellow firefighter that you poured your heart and soul into trying to save. When in a period of two weeks, your hear eight pediatric codes dispatched. When you are sent to pick up the mom for psychiatric care because a field death was called on their three week old son that morning. Trauma and medical calls cannot compare to the emotional calls you have after punching out for the night. Fortunately, a lot of us have great support systems within our workplace, ranging from CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management) to EAP (Employee Assistance Program) to simply talking with coworkers who understand. It's a part of this business, we deal with it everyday. Use your resources if you get into it.
  12. It was assisted, we used 8 people! There were also 4 used when loading.
  13. *verified (I suck) *419... dead body (is that not universal? and smarty pants, who else would you bring there?? haha jk)
  14. oh I forgot my favorite!! Dispatched to older lady with foot pain. UOA found pt sitting on couch in living room. "Ma'am, what's the matter?" "My foot hurts." (looking at the two cars parked in the driveway) "So why didn't you drive yourself to see the doctor?" "Well, I don't drive. I was going to have my husband drive me but he wanted to go play horseshoes. I asked Jesus what I should do, and all of a sudden my foot started really hurting so I knew God was telling me to call 911. I told my husband he could go play horseshoes and I called you guys. God bless you guys, God bless you." (yes, transported, after walking patient out of house.)
  15. some are calls I ran, some are other crews I work with... *"I have the ceasar's" (seizures) *"I have a rash between my legs" "For how long?" "Three months." "What made this an emergency at 2am?" "I didn't think the bus ran this time of day" (we're a mile from the hospital, yes, transported) *"I'm tired." (yes, transported) *"Can you change my lightbulb? I'm going to trip in the dark and hurt myself if you don't fix it." (yes, I actually changed it, I knew I'd be back otherwise) *"I can't find my TV remote" *"Why didn't you just drive your mom for this direct admit?" "I didn't feel like it so I called 911" (yes, transported) *"My chest hurts" (3 times a day, at least 3 days a week, urban nomad frequent flyer) *"I have a drinking problem. I drank too much." "How much did you drink today sir?" "Two beers." (yes, transported) *Code 2 transfer, Respiratory Distress. Pt resting comfortably on 2lpm O2 per facility. UA, crew found Pt unconscious. "Of course he's comfortable ma'am!" *"I have secret information the government wants from me. They aren't getting it." (yes, transported) *Dispatch: "39yo F 7mos pregnant threatening suicide, in the laundry room smoking crack" (God bless my dispatchers ability to not laugh) *"Why do you want to go to the hospital?" "I know you won't take me to the bar, but the hospital is closer it to in than here"
  16. To settle any weight disputes- The Stryker PowerPro weighs 132lbs. This was verifyed on my 419 xfer to the Coroner's last week. As Dust said, it absolutely sucks to carry, although we don't have to do it much in this urban jungle, but it happens. I really don't care for it, but I'm not opposed to using it. The patients get a kick out of the Star Wars-esque sounds and feeling of levatation :-P It also frees up an extra set of hands to help lift the foot end when loading an obese patient because one person just has to press the button. Because of my 419 xfer, I have officially started an unofficial recall of these stretchers at my station. My 419 was a verfied 502 lbs and the stretcher did not hold up, even with the 700lb rating. I won't get into the details of it on here, but all I've gotta say- hold on to your warranty info because you'll know exactly what happened to us when it happens to you!! I won't leave without praising this unit however, my back absolutely loves it!! Also, Stryker after a bit of self-defense has been very helpful in providing update kits and staff to install them.
  17. good luck! I did it too... the 3rd service I worked for had a record-setting year last year- 800 calls! I now work in a system of somewhere around 200,000 calls a year! It can seem a little overwhelming at first, but you will get the hang of it in no time!
  18. Haha don't worry, the "Nation of Clark County" isn't a real entity, as much as they would like to think so! They like to play the Mother-May-I game here, our protocols are quite limited. They also to have their hands in e v e r y t h i n g!! To their credit however, I believe this is necessary to an extent because the system is so big and needs to be managed somehow. I make comments in jest, but in this system I would probably be managing the same way they do. There are only so many ways to guarantee competency across the board, and ulitmately that results in limitations. FYI its Southern Nevada Health District now if you are looking them up. Anyways, that's great that you are interested in getting into the EMS field. Send me a PM and I will give you my contact info. Ashley aka "LasVegasEMTI"
  19. Man, as far as I'm concerned, anyone who can afford to spend a weekend at the Bellagio doesn't need lucky numbers, luck is already in thier favor!!! :-P
  20. AMR covers approximately 60% of the county, the western half and MedicWest covers approximately 40%, the eastern half. MWA covers all of North Las Vegas, as well as Moapa, Overton, Valley of Fire, Searchlight and Indian Springs. Henderson EMS is a completely seperate entity and is run solely by Henderson Fire. In Las Vegas and NLV, we run a dual-response system, meaning to every call fire and EMS is dispatched. AMR and MWA have primary transportation rights, but occassionally Las Vegas Fire ("City") transports. Clark County Fire ("County") and North Las Vegas Fire ("Northtown") to the best of my knowledge have the ability to transport, but generally never do. Lin, I would be more than happy to give you more information on the system, the "Nation of Clark County" Health District and on the services here in town. Send me a private message and I will give you more contact info! Ashley aka "LasVegasEMTI"
  21. I think her point was just to have another fun outlet for us to use... there are a lot of us on here who use Myspace, so why not get connected? Its fun!
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