FireGuard69

Well, another NJ EMT chiming in. The general "culture" of NJ EMS is to run L&S. For all prehospital runs. With very few educated exceptions. I thought it was the thing to do as well. Until I found the liabilities of it, through sites like this, and I started to go "cold", and was ostracized by co workers, who spread rumors that I went cold on life threatening runs. It is a culture that seems so embedded, that it will take generations of reeducation to change it. When I worked AC EMS, we had 3 busses in the winter. For a fairly large city, it just aint enough. When MedCom is screaming at you, "1417, priority calls pending", you don't really have much of a choice BUT to go Code back to the hospital, cause your next due BLS unit (In my area, only BLS Busses can transport.) is at least 10 minutes away...if they aren't tied up. GOd forbid Medic 1 (an SCT bus/backup Medic truck) transports. Not to mention 3 front line Medic chase vehicles, and 2 backup for the whole county, ALS tends to run "hot" alot, just to get to the next call, let alone getting back into service. Is it right? Hell no. But that is what happens when EMS resources are dictated by private companies, who care about saving that all mighty dollar, and not public safety agencies, who care about spreading the resources out to strategic areas. :roll: But hey, who am I to question 30 or so years of idiocy :twisted:

Hmm. I see I will be the voice of reason here. *Clears throat, stands on soapbox* I can comment, having been on both sides of the fence, responding to fire calls as EMS, and as a Firefighter. Do we go to calls where we really shouldn't? Yup. That may be a throwback from the vollie days, so they could play with the lights and sirens. The only time I want to see fire on an EMS call is for codes, difficult access or heavy pts. Despite what some of the buffoons on here say, not all Firefighters are one track minded morons, or toothless wonders staring at the fire they started 10 minutes ago to get their rocks off. I am a Firefighter/EMT, currently vollie, working towards getting a paid spot. I am also a Medic Student. I see both sides, and how EMS hates Fire, and vice versa. Instead of these thread degrading into name calling bash fests, just let it go. Oh, and Dust... you can tell the second degree burn on my neck and my Probie who almost got crushed yesterday at a working fire that its not as dangerous.

Unless you are having C/P, SOB, dizzyness, lightheadedness, or broken leg, your arse is walking to my bus. Then, you are walking into the hospital. At my one private job, they tried to tell me that I was load EVERY pt on the cot, and take them in on the cot. I said, OK, sure, whatever. Walked every pt I could into the ED. MY back comes first. Not some whiner who says mommy hurt his feelings, and he feels depressed, and called 911, and wants to go to the ER. I ain't carryin him.

Sounds like a plan to me!

Damn! no telling people to kiss off? lol Well, that is part of the reason I would like to come back. Jersey is HOME to me. I have friends, and family there. I want to see them get the best care they can receive. If that means me leaving a warm, RED state, to go to a cooler, BLUE state, well, so be it.

Yes, I know, stupit me. Bite me. Anyway, lets say I graduate Paramedic school here in Fla, and pass my NR (Gotta do em first, I KNOW, but knowing this info will help with career planning) And that bug up my @ss that wants me to go back to Jersey wins out, and I do. Will I be able to get reciprocity for my EMT-P, or will I have to do Jerseys version of it? Once again, I KNOW I have to pass first, but knowing what I will be limited to do career wise will help, since Fire/Medics are a hot commodidty here in Fla. Muchos Gracias! (I'm trying to be cultureally diverse....or however you spell it)

Racist? Nope, I am an equal opportunity arsehole. Black, white, latino, eskimo, hindu, gay, straight, bisexual, sheep f*cker, whatever. You have my respect until you do something stupid, like get drunk, and belligerent, call me and tie up an ALS truck, and my BLS bus cause you want a sammich, cut me off, whatever. Then I treat you like a 6 year old, who needs to be constantly scolded, and supervised. Try to get physical with me, my partner, or any other public servant, then I treat you like the piece of garbage you are.

Yup, I meant the actual cards themselves, but with 3.45 in the bank, I am not going to be buying ANYthing for a little bir :roll:

At first I was going to go to Health First`s Medic program, but when that folded like a deck of cards, and Brevard Community College's registration had closed, it was FMTI, or face a wait time that I just couldn't afford to wait. So more or less, it came down to last option. I WILL say that FFTI was MUCH better then alot of other Fire Schools.

I like that idea. Alot. As soon as I have money (DAMN FMTI and their exorbantant prices!) I will be getting a crap load of flashcards.

I have been trying to do that with a few of the meds I recognize, but it is kinda tough. If we had been doing this later in the year, after we went over more of the physics of it, I think I would be doing a little better. :roll: I am just not too comfortable jumping right in to meds memorization, and I haven't even finished chapter 1 yet....

Does anybody else have trouble with this? I just can't seem to remember everything about the drugs...... Going on week #2, and drug quiz #1, and I am having some problems with the memorization. Any help/tips are much appreciated.

I just started the Medic at the Melbourne Campus. It IS a bit pricey..... :roll:

Sounds like any other NJ BLS squad, unless the driver is educated in the proper use of lights and sirens. :roll:

Scarat, I was waiting for you to weigh in ..... At least up there, I HAD a job.... PM sent to ya as well, check your inbox

Scarat, I was waiting for you to weigh in ..... At least up there, I HAD a job.... PM sent to ya as well, check your inbox

OK, having just looked at their postings, while CAOx3, I saw that the low hourly rate, is due to the 24 hr shifts. As soon as the State decides to mail me my EMT Testing info (they have 29 days before I become their worst nightmare :twisted: ), I will be applying. Much thanks for the info!!

I am going to check out their website again, and see what is better, but with the looming tax cuts, I can only wonder if they will be hiring...... They do ALL 911 calls L&S? I thought Florida was educated to a higher standard then that......

I dunno the last time you were at Coastal, but its issss that bad! lol I did look at the LakeSumpter EMS system, and, it just didnt look like they paid that much. We had a guy from our station who just got picked up by R/M, and I am hoping to get the same days as him, so we can carpool out there. Well, in AC, there was low pay, couldn't really do all that much, and we got little respect from the PD/FD guys, unless we got to know them. Sounds like fun to me! Perhaps the move from Jersey wasn't so smart after all.... :roll:

OK, I moved back to Fla, noones hiring around here. Great. Filed for unemployment. Great, now I am sucking off the government's teat. Cause of this looming property tax cuts, no municipalities are hiring. Great. Only thing left close to me (Satellite Beach, Brevard County) is Rural Metro, Orlando, about 40-45 miles from my house. (AK, if you say Coastal, I will fly to Alaska, and strangle you :twisted: ) So, who has worked for them? What are they like to work for, and how is the pay? I can't beleive I am about to say this, but I miss the whole Urban EMS deal. Yea, I'm crazy for wanting to go back to it, but whatever. Whatever help yall can give me, much love and thanks! :wink:

The company I work(ed) for has the contract for EMS in the same city I am a FF for. And yes, EMS is dispatched for car fires, woods fires, Activated Fire Alarms, smell of smoke, CO Alarms, etc. When you do a standby for PD, or SWAT, do you have your gear ready to go, or do you sit in your truck with thumb up @ss? Like I said, the only time I get my gear out and ready is when the dept is going interior on a structure fire. Don't like that? Tough. My Brothers safety comes right after mine and my partners.

I don't know what everyones policy is as far as standbys, but where I am, we are dispatched for a fire standby, we are under the command of the FD. We don't leave unless released by them. If a call is received, then another truck, or mutual aid takes the call. And if you read what I had posted, I only pull all the gear for Structure Fires.

yea yea yea. it was late, ok? :wink:

Dust, take a look at what kills Firefighters. MIs, Strokes, heat related illnesses. Those are the big killers! When I am fighting a fire, and come out, I fully expect to have my vitals taken, and monitored. I plan on staying a Firefighter for many years. Here is another factoid for ya, free of charge; Firefighting is considered an "ultra-dangerous occoupation" I quote that from OSHA, NFPA, and whatever other names are out there. Going into a burning building, with 60+ lbs of gear, makes for a more likely heart attack then a buncha mormons congregating.

As a "firemonkey", I will take that as a complement. I don't know the particulars of CBEMTs story, and I wont delve into that. However, as a "firemonkey", if I pull one of my Brothers out, or a vic, I want EMS staged no further then across the street, gear ready, ambulance pointed in the direction of the route of travel to the hospital. Not staged down the street, playing with themselves. That is what I expect, and that is how I operate. Make note, however, this is for a working fire, not the everyday Activated Fire Alarms, or smell of smoke.