FireGuard69

This was a major point of arguement between the guy I am working with today. He was treating a pt whos c/c was dizzieness and nausea. Vitals stable, pt walked to bus. I was driving, and since the pt was, in my opinion, stable, I elected to not go to the hospital Lights and Siren. The hospital is MABY, 3-4 minutes away normal driving speed. When we cleared the call, he went apesh!t on me.

Im talking screaming in quarters between the both of us, completly unprofessional on both our parts, but our debate is still going.....is it appropiate for BLS to go "cold" to hospital with a pt whos c/c is minor, and vitals stable. I am NOT going to go code to drop off a stable pt. It is endangering everyone on the road, no matter how safe I drive, its the other jagoff who we have to worry about.

Opinions?

What about certain Privates?

I would think, with SCTU, certain providers could do ALS/ILS easily

I would love to see ACCC program down here, since I live in OC, so thats a HELLUVA commute.

If I get p/t ED Tech at ACMC they will pay for at least some of it.

I guess its up to out lawmakers to make a change

:roll:

Its OK, ambman.

It seems whenever I work, they run all over, and end up getting recalled.

I can see in order to be certified as an EMT-I, that one would need to have time in as EMT-B/D, and sponsored by their agency/company. This would get more of the wackers who want a different patch out, and more of the "OK, heres how I can deliver better pt care" EMTs in.

I would just like to know WHAT it would take to get an EMT-I program started

Ambman-

I know where 7 Medic is, I just hear them always running to places where they have no buisness going to (for example to me in Somers Point, when my ETA to Shore is 4min, and yesterday, they ended up in the Seaville Section of Upper Township). How are they providing service to their citizens, if they are 35 min away going lights and siren?

If we CANT change the Medic program, do you really think we can get EMT-I?

That would be able to change a LOT, and the call volume for the Medics would go down. So, do you really think that ACMC, Virtua, MONOC, etc. want that wo happen?

I am all for us EMT-B/Ds to be able to start lines, use 12 leads, push CERTAIN drugs, check blood sugar. That WOULD improve the care I can provide to my pts, if I dont have to wait for Meics to come and do that, if they even get here.

A question for those in the Cape/Atlantic area, who is the Medic unit with a EQ2b on the grille? :roll:

To be clear, I am not advocating Anytown, NJ be granted ALS capabilities, but those who a) have Medics on staff, have the finiancial resources to do so, and c) who can find a MD to actually be involved in the program. Not like it has been stated, but who is willing to dig in, and get dirty to fix what is wrong.

And if THAT dont work....

then put more f*cking medic units on the street!!

I feel bad for poor Medic 7.........

If the goal is pt care, then why should one provider that is stretched thin be the only one to do so?

When I have an unresponsive pt. and Medic 7 from way far away is coming, when I could have ALS from a non hospital provider, then why?

Take a look at Florida's EMS system, specifically Brevard County. They have a Medical Control Dr., and they are, in my opinion, some of the best FireMedics around. And they are NOT hospital based., instead, municipal based Fire-EMS.

Step back and look, if GOOD ALS can be provided from a non hospital org (eg Municipal), then WHY NOT?

QI/QA/ Quality whatever can be just as, if not better. Its time the Northeast looked OUTside the box, and moved away from hospital based only ALS.

I have seen the outside world, and it is better.

Its time Jersey got with the 21st Century.

Ambman, you are correct there. I have nothing but the utmost respect for OCFD, and cant wait to get on with them. Hopefully, by that time, they will be ALS..........nah, the way our state moves, thatll never happen

lol

OCFD has MICU Medics on staff as well. They dont run ALS...yet, but with only 2 medic units close by, I cant see why not

A little update;

I now work for Mutual Aid Emergency Services, doing SCT driving, interfacility and 9-1-1, and am in the process of changing my residency over to NJ so I can get on civil service. I have heard a few rumors that AtlantiCare is in a bidding war with Exceptional for AC EMS contract. Anybody else heard anything?

When I give a radio report, if the GCS is anything but 15 (unless a lower number is the baseline, as with a dementia patient for example) I give the components.

I worked as a Communications Specialist for a medivac helo, and if GCS was less then 15, they wanted to know why. And the RNs and Medics usually told us why. It can help with calling in appropiate staff (Level II Trauma Centre)

This is our way of doing things.

Dustdevil; you will be happy to know the Lifeguards in Brevard County have gotten with the times, and are now on the 800 mhz system. Now, if they could only STAY on THEIR channel, NOT the Fire Depts.......

oh well, Lifeguards aint exactly the smartest............

I have and use the FDNY Radio strap and I love it. I added an EMS radio holster instead of the fire one, so it can hold gloves, and those F@$&*g pens I always lose. Wackerish? Slightly. Useful? Highy. Recommend it? Damn skippy!

OK, well, now that I have had a couple of days since it happened I have somewhat cooled off. Heres a few answers to your questions;

1) My friend and her partner are both Lifeguard-First Responders, and both are on their second year as Lifeguards.

2) She abandoned her Tower to come back and yell at me, KNOWING that I am an EMT, so that is what really got to me....and then she walked away from the pt., so abandonment x2 for her, plus a spaz attack.

3) I assisted ONLY AFTER her partner asked me to. I was just going to ask her if she was OK, and if she wanted 911 called, or directions to the closest hospital. In my black and red Quicksilver boardshorts, nobody unless they knew me, would have known I was in EMS.

4) Down here, if you are a Firefighter, you are automatically expected to help, as most, if not all Firefighters are EMTs or higher. Its not a "I run into burning buildings, and you dont, you are a sissy" thing. I never wanted to be a Firefighter until I moved here, and then I relized that they do more. So just cause you aint a FF, doesnt mean I hate you!! 8)

5) I look at EVERY pt as a learning experience. I want to be the best "Bee" I can before I can be a Medic. The more I see, the more comfortable I become.

WOW....thats a lot of replies...

1) I WAS worried about the Legal Issues, as I was trained in NJ, and was told you legally HAVE to act upon an emergency

2) I KNOW she is a spaz, and does not operate well under pressure.

3) Her partner, knew I was a Firefighter, and asked me to assist the pt, so my assistance was requested.

4) My "Friend" has been to my firehouse, and we have swapped lifeguarding stories, from when I was a Lifeguard/EMT, so there is no question that she knows, and she said to me, "you are not a f*cking Firefighter, go away"

5) I only showed ID/Shirt after she made a big stink on the radio to her supervisor, and when the family looked concerned. I was in a pair of boardshorts at the time. I am NOT a wacker/ricky rescue, or whatever you wanna think.It was a girl in her teens who was suffering form heat exaustion from what I could gather from my 5 second pt. assessment

6) For a kicker, she left before Fire/EMS got on scene.......abandonment anyone??? :roll:

OK, I was hanging out with my friend who I had not seen in a long time, who is a Lifeguard/First Responder. I was talking with her at her Tower, when a male came running up to to her, and said there is a woman who just collapsed at the public showers just behind the beach.

Since she was alone, and was supposed to watch the water, I went to to back and tried to assist the best I could. Her partner said for me to go grab my pack that was in my truck (not a wack-pack, just the basic of basic supplies) so I could assess vitals, and give EMS a decent report . My "friend" them gets there, and starts screaming at me to stay away from the girl, and to stop "impersonating" a Firefighter. ( I am a Firefighter/EMT, and work in the ER, and she KNOWS I)

Long story short, she scared the family into leaving AMA, called her supervisor, and I lost a good friend.

Was I in the right here?

Or was she, even though I produced badge, picture ID, and had a Fire Dept. T-Shirt on?

If anybody wants to do a pin trade, then I`m game!

Since I work for First Flight, I will snag some pins from my boss if hes in a good mood.

Any intrested people PM me please!

WOW!

Medic programs here range from 3 months to 1.5 yrs, and are supposidly among the toughest in the country!

But its all worth it.

How bout how much it costs? I want to be a medic liek nothing else, but the cash flow is limited

Last summer. I was in the Firehouse to do a shirt trade, and the Medic was at the computer doing what looked like a report. They were toned out by OCFDs Dispatch, and called on scene at same time as OCFD Ambulance 1.

Maby it was a trial thing.....

How long does it take to become a Medic in Jersey? I am in Fla now, and it aint that long...

So who is the Medic unit at Station 1 in OC in the summer? They had what looked to be a Shore Memorial patch on their shoulder...... oh well..... :roll:

Who do you work for?

pm me if you dont wanna put it up here....

Who all is a Flight Medic/RN?

Just want to collect a patch from ya 8)

I work as a Communications Specialist for First Flight (Health First, Brevard County Florida), and am amazed at all the different agencies out there.

Feel free to PM or Email me.

Thanks guys!

Yea, my eventual goal is to be a FF/EMT for OC, so my goal is to move back to OC, and work my butt off to pay the ungodly rent.

A lil off topic, but doesnt Medic 9 cover south Cape May Cty, Medic 10 as well in the summer, Medic 8 in OC? And the MICU at Shore Kill, I mean Shore Memorial Hospital covers Southern Atlantic and Northern Cape May County? (I was a Jr. Lifeguard for OCBP WAAAY back in the day, and have many friends still on OCBP.)

Are the Townships Paid or Private? (NOT trying to start a debate, j/w)

Like I said, the rent aint cheap in OC, but its all going to the eventual goal.....

Thanks bros

Whos hiring, who runs the best calls, and pays the most? I am coming back to South Jersey, and need a Paid EMS job.

Can an EMT take the Advanced Provider Level of PHTLS? That is all that is offered in the Fla. region, and I am not going to medic before I fell that I have mastered, or at least know my BLS skills in my sleep