FormerEMSLT297

Richard B... To answer your question, this whole problem, incident could have been avoided and this is how:

1. If the LT were an ALS provider, s/he would have had a tube kit with him/her. Direct laryngoscopy, removal of FBAO, and done problem solved.

I do not know if they crew knew the meidcs were banging on the door, I dont know if they intentionally left the Pvt. medics in the dust. The point is it is better to have an Medic supervising a medic and not an emt supervising a medic.

How would you, or any EMT LT. know if my treatment as a medic was appropriate and within protocol, if you yourself was not an EMT-P.

I'm not saying you as an EMT could not be a station boss, but responding to calls, handling RMA/AMA's, during PRIDE reports and evals on MEDICs, is very difficult if you are only an EMT.

Sample law suit:

Atty: So, LT, X, you are an EMT not a paramedic correct ?

LT X: thats right.

Atty: So, you responded to 123... and was supervising medic A and B, when they misintubated my client and caused hypoxia that lead to brain damage.

LT X: I was on the scene thats correct.

Atty: and for the record the missed tube was not dicovered by either medic or you at teh scene correct?

LT X: it was discovered at the hospital.

Atty: But on your report you said the crew operted within EMS OGP and BLS/ALS protocol, how would you know that if you are not a REMAC Certified medic?

LT X: Well I read the protocols and saw them do them.

Atty: But, you failed to detect that the ET Tube was improperly placed, and my client was not getting any oxygen .

I could go on and on about this but you see what i'm getting at.

My basic question is how can you evaluate an employee at the ALS level, when you yourself can not and never have provided ALS.

I'm sure your union is going to fight the ALS LT thing, what is their take on it ????????

You have rights ,,, get Pat B on the case.

You get the idea.

So my question is this, did he ever ride as a medic before the forgery was detected ??? How many people did he assault with ALS treatments ??? .. The article seems to allude to medic students being allowed to start IV's..... Hmmmmmm

I posted this in the LODD section for obvious reasons. We all think that an LODD will not happen to us. It happen to other people, maybe in other departments, but as we all know deep down in places where we dont talk about, LODD does happen every day.

My Dept. just took advantage of a FREE will document service called www.willsforheroes.org.

They will come to your dept free of charge and do will planning for your agency members. career or volunteer. . I suggest that any officers, senior staff, check out this web site and see if you can get them down for a visit. I'm 42 yrs old wife 2 kids, mortgage, etc, and finally after years of being in public safety .. I have a will .

If you have specific questions PM me.

Great posts both Docs.... Very true,, appreciate both of you stepping up and defending us lowly street medics....

That being said,, YEAH, how can you even try RSI without capnography,,,,, in addition to the Propaq, we carryt a hand held capnography asa back up in case we have "equipment issues"

No excuse in my mind not to have capnography available. IMHO

Heah Asys, I thought the new standrad only said "paramedic certified preferrred"

Having worked in NYC EMS for many years, i always had a problem with EMT's supervising medics, but where the system is largely BLS they feel it is OK to have some EMT bosses. They even have some that are Capt. and D/C's

.....

IOne reason that cops usually make much better medics than firemonkeys do.

I LOVE it,, thats GREAT... he he he

RSI in Maryland State as an Optional protocol. MSP Aviation, USPP Aviation, and MedSTAR are using it.

As far as ground providers, I know that Anne Arundel Co. is using it, limited to experienced medics and supervisors.

Alexandria City Fire and several other VA depts. are using it as well.

Having worked in NYC for many years, I would like to dispel some of the RUMORS about buses as I've heard several reason:

1. Like Richard B. stated, EMS units used to make rounds and pick ups much like a city bus did, they had a route, and even followed schedule from what i understand.

2. EMS units in the late 70's early 80's were made by GRUMMAN Coach Corp. the same company that made NYC Transit Buses at the time. Hence the name buses.

How can you be expected to perform or allow someone to perform RSI, if you as a meidc have never seen the effects of the meds you are administering.??? We are required to do RSI retraining, on real OR patients 2 x a year... that is how we stay current.

I find it hard to believe that any agency would allow someone to RSI, if the only Intubation training they have received is on a manequin...

That being said, There is no excuse for not connecting an ETCO2 monitor to the ET tube, that along with direct vis, Ascultation of lung sounds, and a silent stomach is the only way to ensure the tube is properly placed. Not to mention the fact that ETCO2 monitoring acts as a safety to verify tube placement after every patient move.

Like dust said, the problems are not with RSI, but with the con. edu, and continuing training that some EMS units provide. IMHO

If there is one thing that is good about this,,,,,, The medics and EMS personnel seem to be getting a raise and will be on par with the HEROES. I still think 3rd service would have been the way to go,, but Like RUDY, in NYC, Adrian caved to the IAFF, and other labor unions that appear to have gotten to him. One more feather in the cap for FF's.

I'll speak to some of my friends there and see if this move really affects change.

Though I Highly doubt it.

Cost: Lots of GRAY HAIRS,

Length: 8 months F/T

Ohh and did i mention i got paid to go??? I love this country

Can you post up the pay scale for comparision ..... curios to see, what the pay is vs. other areas. thanks

I too bring bags to a CCP at the front door, or somewhere else nearby. I carry a basic BLS pack to stop bleeding and compress wounds.

If we are entering an OMD, then I bring all the stuff up to the floor below where we are operating and stage it there, get the injured to a safe location and then start working on him/her. A gunfight is no place for ALS interventions.

United States Park Police now own/run contoms, until such time as FPS Protective medicne can take it back. FPS lost funding for it... I believe USPP plans to run 1-2 classes per year, if I get any mor info. i will post it asap ...

NYC runs something like this... You have to:

A. Get hired by FDNY-EMS as an EMT

B. Complete the EMS Academy

C. Complete Probationary period

D. Take and pass an written test

E. Pass an Oral Interview

then if you pass you are accepted, and you get paid while in the academy m-f 9-5 for 10 11 months whatever.

Some other depts. have a similar program but i dont know about Delaware, you would probably have to be hired by the local EMS first, then wait your turn and apply.

Good Luck

You didnt put in the District of Columbia... I'm crushed

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

I'm wondering just how common it is for EMS'ers to "move up" to the fire side. We hear a lot about it, but is it an everyday occurrence, or is it about as common as medics getting into medical school? And do those who actually make that move tend to remain true to their EMS roots, or do they tend to turn on us in order to fit in with the rest of the hosemonkeys?

This is the latest scam by FDNY Chiefs.... Their kids cant pass the FDNY PT test and get high enough to be competitive so they go into EMS for a few years and take tyhe insider test and get made...... A LARGE majority of new EMT's come on the job ONLY to FAST track to FDNY, they spend 2,3, 4 years there and leave..... disposable work force

According to an NREMT poll, only 11% of EMS personnel make it to retireement and are still in EMS......

Way too vague.... Some aviation units have a cap on the number of hours you can work straight, and the number of days you can work without a day off.... as do commercial truck drivers ,, you would have to ask for clarification on exactly what is illegal... if you are working more than 40 hours per week or in some cases 80 in 2 weeks they may have to pay you OT under the FLSA, at least that is the case with my job.

I just got my "The Registy" newsletter, and it seems they are looking for "item writers"

To be eligible you must be a current NR @ the level for which you want to write, and possess a good command of the National Core Content... etc.

Interested individuals should send a cover letter and copy of resume to

Gabe Romero

gromero@nremt.org

I might just do that,, sounds interesting.

1. Have you ever seen a grown man naked ?

2. Are you a Homosexual ? Answer No, but we're willing to learn. (stripes)

3. Jesus H. ..... Did your moma have any children that lived? Ans. no Sgt. just me. (FMJ)

Give me a chance i'll come up with a few more ala movie questions LOL

I'll give you one better NYPD $25,000 to start, goes up to $32,000 after the academy.....

An FDNY EMS Deputy Chief is making $74,000 per year.. No O.T. ohh yeah, but he gets a nice FDNY take home car ....

Any wonder I left that HOLE ??????? you need to work a hell of a lot of OT or have 3 jobs just to make ends meet.

FDNY killed the provision of quality EMS in NYC,, and 12 years later ,, what has changed,,, NOTHING. Disposable work force, thats what FDNY EMS is.

Yeah, but it remains relevant. It's one of those threads where extra input is always helpful.

Seriously, if I can find a Type I that actually rides good, I may change my mind about them.

Nothing will ride well on the 3rd world roads you are currently riding on...... LOL

The biggest thing I found was that with the type 1 NYC used to get you could caryy a pt. down 4 flights in a stair chair, and then lift them into the rear of the bus in the stair chair and transfer them to the stretcher...

Also, when a pt. went psycho. you could exit the vehicle and your partner was not accessible to the EDP in the back, offered some protection. If you were transporting a critical pt, and family was up front, they had less access to what was going on, and would not be able to interfere (climb thru) even if they wanted to.....just my 2 cents

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanker

I can't believe it either!!

Finally, I know what a Wanker is .... LOL thanks mates

I worked in NYC for 10 years, We ALMOST always treated on scene, I rode with medics in a a suburb of DC they like to get the patient into the amb. before they start IV's, but they start resp treatment like albuterol, stuff like that in the house.

Everybody operates a little differently, I personally believe in getting the patient treated as soon as is practical...

I will not comment as to whether these medics you rode with are burned out you can draw your own conclusions.

AHHHHHHHHHHHH,

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,

EMS will NEVER get the respect it deserves as long as it is lumped in with the firefighters becuase "firefighters run into burning buildings".. that is just a fact of life and it sucks.

As to the buffoons at the FDNY Pipe and Drum corps, when EMS was separate from FDNY lots of agencies welcomed our pipers and there were not as many problems.

Most FDNY members (read FF's) suffer from the HERO mentality. Just ask them they will tell you.

If I were you Asys I would take FDNY out of your name and call yourself the NYC EMT's and Parameidcs Emerald society Pipe and Drum corps. Or ANYTHING that does not say FDNY, why should they have the honor and privilege of getting good press from what a bunch of Civilians do ?

O.K. I'm done.

FormerEMSLT297, 1987-1997 Putting up with FDNY B.S. NO MORE.