Rescue0ne

...you have to have posted at least 3 times on the site. It's meant to curb the misuse of the chat-room by people who are not interested in the subject matter.

Wha?

There's subject matter in the chatroom pertaining to EMS?

Woa, wait a minute here. Your online medical director has to CLEAR them to use an AED? Those things are at just about every security station at my school. Hell, if there's one of those at the 4th floor sky bridge entrance security booth, I would hope that EMT Basics could be able to use it without directions over the radio.

Noooooooo. OMD = Operational Medical Director. AED use is protocol everywhere. Our OMD signs off on combitube/AED/EpiPen, etc...before the provider is cleared to use these items w/o medical control.

Fire-EMS full 100% volunteer

Proud of it because it gives much more of a heartfelt meaning

Fire-EMS 100% Volunteer and extremely proud of it wouldn't have it any other way.

-100 for posting the same thing, in the same thread, more than 4 months later, for reasons that are suspect.

Pride is a sin. Didn't you pay attention in bible class? I didn't either, but that's beside the point.

Earlier in the thread, I stated "fighting to keep it volunteer". This wasn't due to some misplaced sense of pride in being a volunteer. Being proud is something you do, in the privacy of your home, at the end of the day, knowing you helped someone in need...if indeed, you did. Like dude said, would you like a T-shirt? Wear your pride on your sleeve?

It's like all those idiotic shirts they sell in the GALL'S catalog/website. "Redneck Firefighter", "Absolut EMT", "Tool of the Trade", etc etc. Can we be ANY more tacky?

I'm a career medic, but I volunteer on the side, for my hometown rescue squad, a couple of times a month. I do this because right now, they're a volunteer organization. When they eventually become a career or even part-paid agency, I'll more than likely cease these activities. The county I come from has all of two stoplights, but is over 500 square miles in size, with no economical base whatsoever. Yes, I'm sure some sort of career or contract EMS agency could be put in place. It has been brought up before, on multiple occasions. The rescue squad even leaned toward it. Fact is, the county didn't want it, and the citizens didn't want it. Yes, it was an uneducated decision on their parts. Still, at the end of the day, the volunteer rescue squad is all that county has. That's why I volunteer.

Can we lock this thread now?

And as I have discovered, on multiple occasions, the d*** search feature, keyword or not, doesn't always work.

Remember, there's no such thing as a stupid question, even if it has been asked 234,746,239,346,637 times. Sometimes, the re-asking leads to a decent conversation.

...Around my little corner of the peoples republic of new jersey we have services that encourage mediocrity and are quick to chop off the head that dares to rise above the herd, if an EMT tries to increase their education they are viewed as a threat to the alleged leadership and are dealt with...

I won't mention any names, but....

Wait, I will mention names!

Glade Spring Volunteer Lifesaving Crew (Glade Spring, VA)

God forbid, you hold a certification higher than an EMT-B, and apply for active membership with them. Not one person who has them listed as their primary agency (according to VaOEMS) is certified higher than an EMT-B, and they want to keep it that way.

I won't get into the career vs volly argument here, this is about BLS providers. There is a community college not 15 minutes away from them that offers the EMT-I course (1 year) & EMT-P course (2 years), yet they're bound and determined to stay BLS.

Additionally, they've recently decided to start billing for services...AND have taken out an ad for a Paid Driver, and Paid EMT. If it's that hard to retain members (I wonder why), then disolve your organization.

Additionally...about a year ago, my wife had an allergic reaction to a new medication (she began having difficulty breathing), so she dialed 911, and these people are who showed up. Not a medic anywhere in sight, nor did they call for one from a neighboring agency, although all the other agencies around them are ALS! They transported her to a hospital 20 minutes away. When I got to the ER an hour later, I looked at the patient report from the Lifesaving Crew (oxymoron), and was livid. Oxygen was all that was administered, with 2 sets of vitals recorded, one at my house, and the other 15 min later (right before arriving at the ER).

I realize that all BLS providers aren't like this, because I sure wasn't once upon a time, as an EMT...but I've noticed alot of BLS providers these days are clueless.

I know this is a late post in this thread, but I've been down due to back problems from a work-related injury...and have surgery in a week and a 1/2, so please overlook that. This post was mainly about me venting...but the thread did read BASH BLS. :shock:

I have seen states (including my own) develop multiple levels. This is not always for the "need" of patient care, the best for the public or any researched reasons rather for a "quick fix". If you place a band aid on a arterial bleed it won't last long. EMS has always used short cuts and half ass excuses for remedies.

R/r 911

That's exactly what it is, Rid...a "quick fix", which has actually been in place for years. Nothing QUICK about it. I mean, does anyone really wake up one morning and say, "I'm going to have a career as an 'EMT-Enhanced' "? Of course not...well, I really HOPE not. For many in my area, Enhanced and Intermediate are stepping stones to Paramedic. While no one is told, "move on to a higher level of cert, or you will be canned", advancing to Paramedic is HIGHLY encouraged. These levels are often achieved by some who work full time as a job outside of EMS, or even in EMS, on transport services, etc. Anyway, I digress.

I agree, it IS a quick fix. What can I, as a lone EMS Administrator, do about it? I've already submitted my application, btw, as seen on FieldMedics.com, as well as lengthy correspondence with my legislator(s), and the State Office of EMS as well. Other EMS entities nearby only care about the almighty $, (read ambulance transport services). They're not concerned about education, not the profession as a whole.

All I hear/see is a whole bunch of talk...people making appropriate noise(s) about issues that they could give a damn less about. No one outside of EMS cares about EMS, that I've seen. I've been dealing with this locally & statewide for the last 5 years...and frankly, am getting tired of the runaround.

Like I said...I'm going to focus on patient care, and keeping the local self-serving politicians out of the Station.

In one of the earlier posts w/ pics, you're sitting on your rack with an assault rifle across your knees. Is that an AK-74?

If so...can we know call you "AKGroundMedic"?

We tell every crew that, every week at the safety meeting(s). An ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure everytime.

Welcome back, Dust!

^ Shotokan ? or Shotokai?

If it's "Shotgun"...I don't think that's Karate'. Totally different type of defense :wink:

Congratulations on completing the EMT-E. You ARE looking into the EMT-I, riiiiight?

As far as the argument for doing away with the intermediary EMS levels goes, in a perfect world, we'd all be Paramedics, with BS degrees. Obviously, it's not a perfect world. I can't speak for other localities, but in rural Virginia, the EMT-Enhanced is a valuable asset where your agency may not have a full complement of I's & P's to cover every shift. (While this brings up the other argument of taking volunteers out of the equation, it's one that will not happen anytime soon, so we won't go there right now.) The fact of the matter is, Virginia needs volunteers right now. Virginia Department of Health, Office of EMS must have thought that the EMT-E is a necessary level of care, otherwise they would not have instituted it.

I'm not going to second guess them at this point. After I get my MD license, and they appoint me as Director of OEMS...maybe.

In the meantime, we're all in this together. Volunteer & Career, Basic & Paramedic. Until the legislators & EMS representatives get it right, and the ball is rolling toward the Professional EMS goal...I'm going to concentrate on Patient Care.

Amen & pass the ibuprofen.

I apologize for any role I played in the...whatever you want to call it, and will not say any more of it.

If my volunteering on the side keeps people like you out of a job, then I'm damn proud of that.. Because it's your outright negative attitudes that make EMS look bad.

I almost choked on my spaghetti from laughing so hard. Keep ME out of a job? You don't even know me, for petes' sake. Man, are you from PE? That might explain it.

Wow, don't even give him a chance to get used to you or anything. Just come right out and prove what an as*hole you are. Do you just want people to stop joining EMT City? Scare them off.. Hey newbie, not everyone in EMS is an as*hole. Maybe admin should limit the site to paid and career personnel only, since obviously those of us career EMS personnel who choose to volunteer on our own time, are hurting the industry so much.

Geezus, did you fall out of the wrong side of the ambulance this morning?

My comment about making new hires/vols join EMT City, and the DustDevil remark was a JOKE. You DO know what a joke is, right? It was meant in FUN. There's a LIGHT side to all of this. It sounds like you've been on the receiving end of alot of anti-volunteerism. If this is the case...deal with it.

I'm a volunteer myself, in addition to being career. I don't have an anti-volunteer bone in my whole body. Remember, the topic was "traditions for new hires"...which I interpreted to also mean hazing (which I do not officially condone). It was a hazing scenario that I was referring to when I suggested subjecting them to Rob. No one is trying to run anyone away from EMT City. If you'll take note, many people that Rob engages in debates where the subject is volunteerism (like myself), they don't just up & quit the City with their tail between their legs. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion/point of view. Rob's entitled to say whatever's on his chest. That's what this place is about. Sharing ideas, friendly debates,

Additionally, the views expressed in the post in question are my own, and belong to no other person or agency. Personally, it's my own opinion that if anyone volunteer OR career, gets bent out of shape over their LED/Strobe &/or badge...they deserve to be made fun of...which was the whole POINT of that part of the post anyway.

I've lost sight of what I'm trying to say in THIS post...but my point is, LIGHTEN UP for god's sake. It's EMS. Worry about your patient(s), and the rest will all work out in the end.

Tradition(s) for new hires 8)

Let me think here...

1) Tradition of graciously assigning them the least convenient shift.

2) Tradition of starting them off at the basic pay rate for their level of certification.

3) Tradition of not letting them drive a rig, and/or be released as an "Attendant In Charge" until well after their date of hire.

4) Tradition of having them float from crew to crew until a senior provider decides they like the newbie, and takes them on as a regular partner.

5) If they're assigned to headquarters duty, there's the tradition of having them cook for everyone else that may be present.

6) Finally, there's the tradition of providing them the most reasonable benefits package we possibly can, along with a progressive raise schedule, educational incentive programs, and a pretty decent starting wage, considering the area we're located in.

Additionally, if it's a male, who's not from the area, someone eventually sends him over to the VAREMS building for a "S.T.A.R. punch", after explaining to him that it's a rescue tool. When he gets there, one of the "Special Trauma And Rescue" members gives said newbie a love-tap on the tricep...assuming they think he'll be a good sport about it.

Kids & their games. :roll:

Oh, I almost forgot...I'm going to institute a new tradition. New hires who are also volunteers will be required to join EMT City, and subsequently send an IM to Dustdevil about how proud they are of their volunteer duties, and how much they love their brand spankin' new LED Light mounted on the dash of their 6 year old Dodge Neon, and lastly, that the volunteer squad is taking too long with delivering their volunteer badge to them, that it's not fair, and what does Dustdevil think they should do about it?

:twisted:

I believe I've found what you're looking for...after visiting the CA State EMS Authority website, http://www.emsa.cahwnet.gov

This is taken from the website...

EMT-I FAQ's (found on this webpage: http://www.emsa.ca.gov/Emt1-p/emt1faq.asp)

3. Can I transfer my EMT-I (or Basic) certification to California, and if so, what is required?

In California, EMT-Is are certified by a local (county) EMS agency. You can contact the local EMS agency in the county in which you will be working or residing for information on reciprocity. In most cases, the local EMS agency will review your documentation, i.e., course completion record, out-of-state certification, National Registry card, etc., to ascertain whether or not it meets California and local requirements. Also, unless you hold a current National Registry EMT-Basic card, you will be asked to take a written and skills examination and perhaps additional training specified by the local EMS agency. If you are currently certified by another state and do not have a current National Registry EMT-Basic certification, you will need to pass the National Registry EMT-Basic written and skills examination.

I didn't mind looking it up, because I was curious about that "local ems agency" issue, myself. Remember, in the future...Google is your friend! :wink:

Hahahaha...I love this place.

EMT-A Course, 1990 -------> No Cost

EMT-I Course ---------------> No Cost

EMT-P Course --------------> $3,800 (including fees) + $100's in gas

Being able to post this on EMT City years later ------> Priceless.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no scope of practice involved with a patient assessment.

Agreed.

EDIT: Didn't see Rid's response til after I posted this.

Again, my suggestion is to keep it practical and use good common sense that it is applicable to that situation, not causing delay and attempting to go past your level of license or certification.

END EDIT

In accordance with your level of certification/licensure.

EXAMPLE: if you're an EMT-Basic...and you want to check a patients blood sugar levels...I don't recommend pricking the patient & using a glucometer, unless you're cleared to do so by your OMD & department. Even though it IS diagnostic...it would be out of your scope of practice unless you're cleared for it. Same thing with 12-lead. Unless you're trained & cleared for it...doing so may see you with a reprimand by the end of shift.

I think I interpreted the question correctly. If I didn't, I apologize.

Self-Defense?

Unless the patient is armed with a firearm, the best thing to do IMO is to put something between you and the patient.

Examples of such items include:

1) Stretcher

2) Ambulance or Fire Engine

3) Law Enforcement Officer

Unless you're qualified Tac Medic, AND you're suited up appropriately...why assume the risk of engaging the subject/patient in H2H or attempt a restraining hold? Pile into the rig, lock your doors, and call for PD/SO. We're not paid enough to subdue subjects. At least we're not in my area.

Now, once you're in the rig, and enroute to the ER...that's totally different. In the back of the truck is considered "close-quarters". You need to be able to differentiate between Close Quarter Combat (CQC) & Close Quarter Self Defense (CQSD). I do not recommend baton or tactical knife training initially, w/o approval from your agency/department. Even then, you're opening yourself & your department up to a lawsuit, should anything actually occur that makes it necessary for you to engage the subject.

I impart this advice after 6 years in the military, in addition to 15 years of Shorin Ryu Karate, and service with the NYC Guardian Angels (Patrol & Training Divisions). I didn't mention the years of EMS service here, because they conveniently left out self-defense in the Paramedic Program Curriculum.

If you're insistent on learning the sort of self-defense that would be most effective in your situation, let me know, and I'll make a recommendation based on where you're located.

Did I ever previously mention I'm 1/2 Japanese? Dontcha know all us asians know "kuh-raw-tee"?

Additionally, I'll thank you in advance to keep the "vigilante" comments to yourself.

Cheers!

I seriously doubt they'll actually illegalize volunteering in the near future. Even after every primary EMS agency is a career one (a decade or two from now), I'm thinking there will still be volunteer outfits around, as reserves for the career agencies. Volunteers needn't worry about continuity. There might not be as many incidents for them to respond to, but there will always be work to be done. Granted, take away the dash-strobes and lightbars from their POVs. Burn all those "trauma-junkie" type buffer shirts as well. I swear I saw a tshirt the other day that said "Dixie Tradition", and underneath it was "EMS" the background was a Confederate Flag. YEEEEEEEEHAWWWWWWW!!!! It makes me (insert profanity here) sick to my stomach.

These are my feelings concerning my area, and my state. These views are my own, and they do not represent the views of my agency, or employer.

PS: Is ILLEGALIZE a word? Spell check didn't say yea or nay, and I'm too tired to search it up @ the moment.

Is this, "EMS week" National?

Yes. We even let those in California participate, too.

HEEEEY!

Can't we all just get along?

Sorry...had to be said.

This is off topic...or is it...since the topic has strayed towards this, but personally, why can't the federal gov't issue universal Ten-Codes? Awhile back, there was that issue about doing away with them. I don't know about any of you, but I don't want every Tom/Dick/Harry showing up on the scene of my MCI 'cuz Uncle Joe-Bob heard them thar' dispatcha'z talkin 'bout a shootin' at tha Moose Lodge o'er yonder.

Just a thought.

Good points, I do wonder how those employers obtain their site ? Hopefully, most would never place their full name or personal information.

One way I've found alot of people I went to school with, was to type their first & last name in to the search box on MySpace. Alot of people evidently don't think twice before entering their full legal name. I guess maybe they figure, "I'm not entering my SS#, or credit card #, so what's the harm?"

Heck, even entering your real birthdate is risky these days.

Like it was said in a previous post, best to set your profile to private, where only friends can access it. Alternatively, just don't use your full and/or real name...or put personal info on your Myspace or Facebook, or whatever you use.

Be safe!

If you've read this already, please continue with what you're doing. If you've NOT read it, please take a moment to do so. This concerns the dangers of social networking (Myspace, Facebook, etc), and how it could cost you that new job you want...or possibly get you fired from your current one!

Warning: Social Networking Can Be Hazardous to Your Job Search

Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor

That cute, affable guy who brags of his drunken exploits on MySpace.com may be meeting a lot of other partiers online, but he's probably not getting added to the "friends" lists of many corporate recruiters. A recent study by the executive search firm ExecuNet found that 77 percent of recruiters run searches of candidates on the Web to screen applicants; 35 percent of these same recruiters say they've eliminated a candidate based on the information they uncovered.

"You'd be surprised at what I've seen when researching candidates," says Gail, a recruiter at a Fortune 500 company who recently began looking up potential hires on the Web. "We were having a tough time deciding between two candidates until I found the profile of one of them on MySpace. It boasted a photo of her lounging on a hammock in a bikini, listed her interests as 'having a good time' and her sex as 'yes, please.' Not quite what we were looking for."

"Another time I went to a candidate's site and found racial slurs and jokes," Gail continues. "And there was yet another instance where a candidate told me he was currently working for a company, yet he left a comment on a friend's profile about how it 'sucked' to be laid off, and how much fun it was to be unemployed!"

As the amount of personal information available online grows, first impressions are being formed long before the interview process begins, warns David Opton, ExecuNet CEO and founder. "Given the implications and the shelf-life of Internet content, managing your online image is something everyone should address -- regardless of whether or not you're in a job search," he says. Because the risks don't stop once you're hired.

Twenty-three-year old Kara recently took a job as a management consultant at a high-profile practice in the Los Angeles area. An Ohio native, with no friends or family on the West Coast, Kara put up a profile on MySpace in the hopes of meeting new people.

Kara was judicious in how she set up her site: "I didn't fill out that cheesy questionnaire many people post, where you describe your best feature and say whether or not you shower every day." she says. "I used a photo that was flattering but not at all provocative and was even careful what music I chose."

Within a few months, Kara met many others online who shared her interest in biking and water sports. One Friday morning, Kara decided to call in sick and go surfing with a few of her new pals. That weekend, unbeknownst to Kara, her friend posted some of the day's pictures on her profile and sent Kara a message saying, "We should call in sick more often."

Unfortunately for Kara, her boss happened to be patrolling MySpace to check up on her college-age daughter and came across Kara's site and the dated photos!

Mortified, Kara says she learned an important lesson -- not only about honesty, but about how small the world of online social networking can be and how little control you have over any information put out there.

Not all employers search candidates and employees online, but the trend is growing. Don't let online social networking deep-six your career opportunities. Protect your image by following these simple tips:

1. Be careful. Nothing is private. Don't post anything on your site or your "friends" sites you wouldn't want a prospective employer to see. Derogatory comments, revealing or risqué photos, foul language and lewd jokes all will be viewed as a reflection of your character.

2. Be discreet. If your network offers the option, consider setting your profile to "private," so that it is viewable only by friends of your choosing. And since you can't control what other people say on your site, you may want to use the "block comments" feature. Remember, everything on the Internet is archived, and there is no eraser!

3. Be prepared. Check your profile regularly to see what comments have been posted. Use a search engine to look for online records of yourself to see what is out there about you. If you find information you feel could be detrimental to your candidacy or career, see about getting it removed -- and make sure you have an answer ready to counter or explain "digital dirt."

Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

As for me, my pride in the work I do comes first. Take my FD patch off and I'm still a paramedic. Take my paramedic patch off and I'm still an EMT. Take my EMT patch off and I still know CPR, and if you take away my CPR card, I'm still a darn good guy. That's why I don't get upset when the firemen get all mushy about their brothers and how I'm not one of them, or why I don't get upset when my sorry excuses for chiefs make more boneheaded decisions, because for every person with a white shirt and gold on their collar who has given me a hard time, I have someone with "MD" after their name who has given me a slap on the back and a hearty handshake.

I love that. I'd make it (the blue part) my signature if it wasn't so long.

It's been my experience that alot "white shirts" are all about "CYA". Granted, I have known those that put the job, & their people first. I like to think I'm one of them, and I try my damndest to make sure I am.

I've kept abreast of the FDNY EMS "problem" since it's inception. I agree with Asys. Guliani effed up big time with the merger, dragging NYC*EMS screaming & kicking into the FDNY. While I was in NYC, I spoke to many EMT's & Medics about this issue, and they said the same thing. Noone cares about EMS in NYC. Everyone loves to see the firefighters & police in action, right? It's sooooo exciting. So many TV shows have come and gone. True Blue, NYPD Blue, Rescue Me, 3rd Watch. So much BS. If they're going to do it, do it right. If not, don't do it at all. Anyway...

Brotherhood? He's right about that. Not so much in Career EMS. You do see it in volly alot. Firefighters have to depend on eachother, as a team like he said. In EMS, you depend on your partner. Granted, the two of you might bond closely if you're partnered regularly.

In rural EMS, it's been my experience that there does become a group bond. Most of us see eachother daily. Often times, we're partnered up with different people weekly, if necessary. During mutiple casualty incidents, we all work together as a team...thus needing to depend on eachother. Overall, though...it's not the "brotherhood" of the firemonkey. I'd like to see it become so, though. One day.

EGADS! I didn't see that he said he wanted to actually see one. Shows how much I pay attention.

I have to agree, no showing cert/licenses. That WOULD be irresponsible. Wouldn't it be easier for one to go to the local EMS and/or fire department and ask? It DOES make you wonder.