Myrna

I have been on 1 call in my brief two years field rotation in 911, and the only call I went on, they kinda had CISD in that we all just hung out afterwards, joked, kidded and we ate Chinese. I don't believe in CISD, I really don't get PTSD as an illness in these situations. We know what we are going to see, its more the fact that we don't get upset that makes our bosses wig out. The one member of my crew who lost it, did not belong in EMS. Crying and carrying on. Had it been a child, (it wasn't) or something maybe tears were inorder, but honestly it was a call to learn from, joke about and figure out how we could do things differently. I think what OUTSIDE people fail to realize, is the reason we are in EMS. Is that those types of things DON'T bother us. Our bigger issue is lack of support from our bosses. Lack of them undersatnding we have personal responsibilities, and them laying on guilt trips about how they have been in it 18 years and deserve weekends off more then anyone else. WE ALL need time off, we all need time away. 18 years or 18 months. I am glad that I have awsome friends in EMS who keep me on my toes, run scenarios, and let me vent about frustrations with the higher ups!! I think we just need to remind our bosses why we got into the field and why they sit at a desk. Someday I will be in the field 18 years and then I will look into becomming an instructor, for now I will see you at scene or in the ER!!! And I hope to never go through a CISD!

I agree, I think I will mention that to my Instructor. I can not believe that in this day and age people have not found Google to be the most useful tool in the galaxy oh wait I am not sure the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy has that listed but iot far out weighs what I will tell someone who does not use google... Go have a Pan Galatic Gargle Blaster!!!! Now I will tell you that Google will have the answer to the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster if you don't happen to have a copy of the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy!!! Yikes. I think at the top of ALL FORUMS it should say did you google first?!?!?!? Myrna-

My area is Paid call other towns are paid on a point system. Most First Responders/Basics/EMT-I's are all vollie, there is one service that is paid all the time and they fill in as back up to the towns and or are the towns transporting system while the local EMS stabilize and package. Then there is a vollie event squad that allot of the EMS personal are on. If you work on a full time squad alot of it is interfacility and or wheel chair van based. I feel that vollie is ok, but I think you get a mixed bag of people. Some are really good at helping the squads and putting in their due time whilst others are very laxidasical at best, and well, It puts a strain on the rest of the crew who have to pull the extra shifts as to avoid missing critical coverage. The other issue with vollie is since we get so few calls we are based out of our houses and have to respond from those houses to the station and then the station to location. Some of the people can be as much as 10-12 min out from the time the tone goes off til the time you get to the station. Creating a re-tone and possible dispatch of that coverage company. I am not saying that vollie is bad. I am saying that it can change the outcome of the call. We do train our Police to use CPR and De-fib, and most know how to deal with severe bleeding, I know this as I have been on the receiving end of a nice police officer comming to my house when I sliced myself open and he volunteered to help hold the wound shut as my hand was getting tired till the EMT's got there. This was before I became an EMT. I think the US needs to take another look at its services, Its people, and wake up to realize we really do need all paid services. I will never be able to count the number of hours I was "ON CALL" could not go anywhere do anything just incase, My family will never get back the lost family get togethers that we had to miss as I was on call. I loved my 72 hour shifts. I loved my rig, and I had some good squad mates, but in the end I had to drop it as it was just too much. I am still on a squad, I tried the Wheel Chair Van thing, not my cup of tea. One day I will be full time. Maybe it will take me getting my Medics but I will do it.

OMG -- so harsh medic, but alas, any of us who have ever awaited our results can tell you we have been to that site 1000's of times a day with a glimmer of hope it might be posted, and that is where you will also buy all your patches that you will inevitably need for your uniforms, jackets, gear bags etc. this is where I had to go to get them.. I will do all the work for you https://www.nremt.org/downloads/emt_purchase_form.pdf They are your friend trust in them.