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I wrote tham an e-mail telling them they were opening themselves up to for liability in making kids fat. If McDonalds can be sued for making you fat when you give them money to get the Big-Mac, then certainly some Broom Hilda can be sued for keeping kids from exercising.

I want to move to Texas! Indiana is OK, until you compare it to Texas.

It is much easier to deal with nothing discernable being left than half of a face, or an evisceration, etc. etc.

Some vollies are so touchy. If it makes me laugh and it hurts your feelings then obviously you need to go away. Asys- that was the most masterful description of a volly whacker I have ever read. It rivaled the diatribe on Star trek Vs. Star Wars geek I heard about 7 years ago.

I am a firefighter, and I find most of these unreadable. This forum is certainly not the place for them. There are plenty of sites for the tear jerk- hero stuff, but this site should either make you think or laugh (or mad), that is why we enjoy it.

A baby seal walks into a club!

Tell your partner to take an EVOC course! And if he is so unsure of his abilities in regards to patient care an assesment that he felt the L+S was reasonable, then tell him to take a refresher course! He must be one of those 71% EMT's who is afraid to spend some time with their patients and actually do some work. As for the communication issue, I hate it when someone assumes how and where we are going. The ambulance better not move until I say it moves. If you start driving before I tell you to, I will "correct" you after the run. Of course that does not involve yelling. Kgrescue- If you are not sure if you want to advance or not after six years, please do EMS a favor and find some other ego stroke. Be the best you can be, or don't do it. This business really is life and death. Being satisfied with in-service is not going to score you any points. I personally completed my in-service time 3 months after my book came (it is a 2 year book), as in-service requirements are a joke.

Were they on shift? In their defense, they may have to use a department vehicle to get paid for their time in class. If they are vollies, then whacker on them.

"Hello, my name is __________. I passed the dumbed down state EMT-B test with a 71%. I'm going to be strapping you down to this board and you will be at my mercy for the 15 minute ride to the hospital. Hopefully you don't have any serious internal injuries that I am unaware of, because I would have no idea how to deal with them or detect them. Are you ready to go now? Cool, I like the sounds of sirens as it makes me feel important."

I am part of a fire based EMS system and have a badge issued to me- it looks very nice on my class B's, but the dressy events are the only times the badge is even with me. The rest of the time it is of no use- for two reasons: #1- I am in control of the situation, and act accordingly regardless of my badge or anything else. Authority is what you are given by those who are not willing to be responsible for the situation. #2- It would easily undermine my ability to be in control of the situation. Try this exercise: Walk up to someone with a confident stride and a purposeful expression on your face and say in a definitive and confident tone "sir, please step back- this area is not safe". Now try walking up in a similar manner, pulling out your wallet, open it to the badge section, and then say "you need to move, this area is not safe". Sure both will work, but only one will get people to make fun of you and not really care what you say. Shirts with FD or EMS are enough to properly identify you to the general public.

BLS should never be able to call sudden cardiac arrest unless there are signs incompatible with life- it is too easy to pass the EMT-B class.

I just had the most violent person I could imagine last night. She was so out of control that it took 2 cops, 3 firefighter, and myself to restrain her well enough to secure her to the backboard. Being BLS drugs were not an option, so soft restraints were the only route we could go. She was spitting, biting and cursing at everyone and would not cooperate with us to facilitate a history or assesment. There was blood on her face, she had been found in someones yard that had never seen her before, and had assumed that she was the victim of an assault. We were assuming she was on something or had a head injury (later cat scan showed no signs of head injury). As to restraining her, we used a backboard with three straps, one roll of kerlex per wrist and ankle, a c-collar with exaggerated taping of the head, and a NRB as a combination O2 delivery device and spit deflector. She was unable to move and was secured in the same manner that any trauma victim would be. The only problem was being unable to get a BP, but it would not have been accurate anyway due to the constant screaming and attempts to move. I was able to assess pulses (extremities were critical due to restraint), respirations and made sure she had a patent airway (the screaming helped in my assesment). She had not stopped her rant after being in the hospital for 20 minutes and getting 100cc of something- I am not sure what as it was my student rider that overheard what it was.

Depends on the patient- On some I watch their belly at the belt line, others you can see their muscles on their chest or at their collar bone, and still others have slight nostril or mouth movements. If it is not obvious, and they are conscious then it is probably OK. I would be concerned that you are unable to hear anything with a stethoscope. Even in the healthiest people, I can hear some sort of lung sounds while the ambulance is moving. I find the best place to get sounds in difficult environments is their sides- especially on women. What kind of stethoscope do you use?

I need a shower now- better yet a memory wipe......

Nurses with a 2 year degree getting $40-50 per hour? around here that would only be justified for a 4 year degree with a specialty. I don't think that anyone is saying that it is nurses versus medics. I certainly would prefer the education of a nurse over the standard (non-college) paramedic courses when it comes to my provider having the knowledge to effectively treat me. If I am stuck in a vehicle or having a cardiac arrest in my home, then a medics training is geared directly for that and would be more useful, but that is where the advantage ends. Nurses (with a proper 4 year degree) have a more vast knowledge of physiology and the ability to apply that to their treatment of their patients. As for asking the doctor for permission or waiting for instructions- thaty is simply because the doctor is there and the point is to provide "definitve care"( there is a thread on definitive care already so revive that to debate that issue).

But what are the out of pocket expenses for a patient in Toronto? In the US, it could be up to the entire bill, depending on insurance.

Here's how life should be. Respect other people, but expect respect in return. If a movie is intended primarily for sexual excitement, it is not something that should be in a professional environment. But as for the Band of Brothers DVD- there is a sex scene in that, but not so inappropriate that it would be an unacceptable after business hours movie. It all should come down to a consensus among adults. This is not a business for children or people who cannot speak their minds or respect those that do. There should be no problem finding a common ground on what is acceptable for the group. As for respect, infringing on someones right to be free of something they deem to be inappropriate is just as unacceptable as someone infringing on another persons rights to take part in an activity or entertainment that a consensus would agree is reasonable. We all have different standards as to what we feel is offensive, funny, appropriate, etc. and that means that there must be some give and take. Our behavior with our coworkers should be different when we are out of the public eye, or else there would be no sense of bonding. Being only professional with people you depend on to save your life is not a good plan. In public, you follow the employee handbook to a T, with noone else around, you can decide between yourselves. As for dry humping your partner- well, I guess as long as it stays between you and your friends- knock yourself out. And the TV, computer, video game, stereo, whatever, goes off when someone who is not from that station enters the station- this is called professionalism.

I thought returning to the station code 3 was illegal now. We had a situation where we dropped a rider off while enroute to the hospital and that was something that has caused some serious repercussions within our department (it was on the way and caused less than 20 seconds delay, but is still unacceptable). Why is it so hard for people to understand that once we are on a run, you stay on that run until you mark in service? That patient is the responsibility of everyone on the crew, regardless of the crews personal needs. Of course, I am hopefully preaching to the choir here.

Some places you do have to have a minumum of EMT-B to put in an application to a fire department. As for the money, well- it is entry level money for entry level skills, just like every other job. If this is what you want to do, then pursue it and further yourself with education and experience.

pepper This is part of one of Ace's posts that I felt was perfect- You must determine whether the patient has the capacity to refuse treatment. The patient's competency to refuse treatment should be questioned if head trauma, alcohol, or drugs could be affecting the patient's mental status. The questionable mental capacity of a patient to refuse treatment is the biggest reason why, when you are in doubt, to decide in favor of treatment and transport. The fact is, it is easier to prove negligence or abondonment than it would be to prosecute you criminally for "kidnapping" (which is likely to be called criminal confinement or something like that). Your documentation of her mental status is the determining factor in whether she would be considered competent to refuse. Her inability to calm down would be an issue for me. ALOC can present itself in many different ways. If she was competent to refuse, you should have been able to calm her at least somewhat in the process of being an effective EMS provider. As for a helicopter- Protocols are great in the cover your butt situations, but if you are unwilling to force her to go, don't wake up the flight crew. I am all about starting a helicopter based on MOI- car vs. semi in a confirmed PI= helicopter before I am out of the station, entrapment with car on fire= helicopter before I assess the patient, but I use common sense when it comes to that. The last person we flew out was inaccessible for 15 minutes while trying to extricate him and had a compromised airway most of that time- he was in arrest when extrication was complete, but was rescusitated. As for your age and being the in-charge EMT, I sure hope that was a precept situation. I don't have a problem with minors assisting or observing on the scene, that is how people learn. But I think your age may have been a factor in her agitation- depending on how old you look and how you conduct yourself. It is reassuring when someone is "in control" of the situation. A calm voice, strong posture, empathetic ear, and a few choice words will put a patient at ease and you in control. As for Ace- he is right, so even if you don't like him take what he says into consideration.

If it wasn't in Vegas I would. It being in Vegas removes all professionalism from the "convention".

NREMT-IL - There is already a thread based on that concept. I think this was meant to be more general, as in the publics perception not the jokes or insults from within the profession. When I am on the ambulance, the term fireman gets me even though I am and we are "fire" based.

Canine CPR In addition to this information, check the canine First Aid page at From Sharon Braun, (FigNewtn@ix.netcom.com) Here are CPR instructions, as supplied by Dr. Wendy Wallace. CPR - Caridopulmonary resuscitaion - is an attempt to supply blood flow and oxygen to the tissues of the body when normal respiration and/or heart function have failed. Time is critical as irreversible tissue damage occurs within 2-4 minutes of respiratory or circulatory arrest. Signs of cardiac arrest include unconsciousness, cesssation of breathing, pale to grey-white gums, dilated pupils. Check for heart activity listen to the chest feel for pulses - femoral artery Call for help if available! Airway open mouth, pull out tongue, look and feel for obstructions Clear mucus. Careful - DO NOT GET BITTEN! extend head and neck. Breathing with head and neck extended, hold dog's nose with his mouth closed. inhale, place your mouth over dog's nose and mouth and exhale, watching for chest expansion as you blow. remove your mouth to allow lungs to deflate. rate is 12 - 20 breaths per minute. Circulation - CPR for deep-chested dogs, place dog right side down with his spine against your body. position your hands one on top of the other with fingers entwined and the heel of the palm at approximately the level of the 4th - 6th rib, 1/3 of the way up the chest from the sternum. apply compression in a firm, steady downward motion, release. rate: approx 100 - 120 cimpressions/minute single resuscitator: 2 breaths / 15 compressions double resuscitators: 1 breath / 3-5 compressions check efficiency by feeling for pulses DO NO STOP FOR LONGER THAN 30 SECONDS prognosis is poor if fixed and dilated pupils do not constrict down after initiation of CPR.

OK, this is where I feel that a fire dpeartment having EMS transport capabilities is a real assett. I work in a system that all 911 EMS is run from the FD's and I think that this is the situation that best suits that type of system. Your medic (ambulance) arrives with an engine and rescue right behind them. They are used to functioning together and know how to stage equipment and apparatus to coincide with the needs of the situation. They are dispatched together, on the same radio frequency and under the same IC. But even in this system, the medic off of the ambulance is the primary patient care provider, the engine crew is in command and does protection and will assist with other things as needed, and the recue crew does the actual extrication. So the ambulance is in charge of patient care, and the FD does the extrication. The manpower issues limit the ability of any ambulance crew from being any more involved in extrication than patient care.

Thanks for that positive and productive input O9E- you have really added something to the thread. The admin. was trying to right the ship and you just wrecked it. As for the original topic, the only actual issue that I can see is a total lack of professionalism. I have many times had a problem with the way another person is handling a situation, but I refrain from any outright correction until the patient/victim is no longer around unless that person is endagering a patient, which it appears the poster was not. I would just chalk it up to mental issues and stay away from the crazy *****.