Richard B the EMT

A few days ago, while driving around a friend who is running for the local NYC Council seat, we passed 2 swans on Cross Bay Boulevard, sitting on the median, in the middle of the Jamaica Bay Bird Sanctuary section of the Gateway National Recreation Area. Perhaps an hour later, over my scanner, I heard an NYPD patrol car crew being directed to assist the swans. What? Did they need someone to assist them in crossing the road? On a different topic, while driving the candidate around on another night, I got a panicked call from the home care aides taking care of my mother. Seems the doorbell was going off continuously, and nobody was visible on the security camera. I was a short distance away, and when I responded, kind of kidnapped the candidate. On arrival home, found out the aides had called 9-1-1. I also found the damn doorbell button had simply gotten stuck when the aide who works overnight had arrived. I stayed on the scene until NYPD arrived. They agreed that it might have appeared suspicious had I called to cancel the 9-1-1 response, so they were glad I remained there till they arrived. They "carded" me, took the report and resumed patrol, as did I with my candidate.

How many times has anyone read my "sign-off" at the end of all my postings? Over the years, I have seen numerous non-9-1-1 Inter Facility Transfer (IFT) ambulances running L&S as if they are trying to get out of town before the nuke explodes. If I caught up to them at the ER, I'd ask why they were trying to break the ground vehicle speed record, whatever the current MPH/KPH at the Salt Flats, on the streets of NYC, and too often get as answer, "That's how the bosses want us to respond!" Check back on my postings over the years, and you'll read of an EMT/MVO (Motor Vehicle Operator) who, while doing such type response in Brooklyn, "T-Boned" a private car, killing 2 pre-teens and severely injuring their mother, the driver. Madam EMT was brought up on double homicide charges, and found by jury trial to be guilty. Never served a day, because the mother asked the court not to send the now former EMT to jail, as she was now going to have a life sentence of knowing what she had done, no matter what punishment the courts might assign. The courts and judge actually went along with the idea! Going with a theme one EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations Course) instructor used in a class I attended, how many ambulances do you take out of service if you crash? There's the one you're in, of course. Another ambulance now has to go for the patient you were running for, and a third one to check out your partner's and your injuries. Add a forth to check out the person driving the other vehicle in the collision. More if there's numerous folks in the other car. No, they just declared an MCI (Multiple Casualty Incident) because you caused a fully loaded 49 passenger intercity bus to overturn when you broadsided it. Now how many ambulances? Even if there wasn't a bus involved, how are the other crews going to feel, knowing "one of their own" got hurt? I'm not going to mention they might be thinking of your partner instead of you, as partner might be more popular than you (sorry, had a day someone pushed my nasty button). I also mention New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law 1104, which translates to, no matter if driving as a regular vehicle or emergency vehicle in your ambulance, you MUST drive with due regard for any and all other drivers on the road. Last comment regarding the driving:

First off, WELCOME ABOARD! In NY State, you have to be 18 to be an EMT. Back in 1974, one of my then brand new Volunteer Ambulance Corps members somehow got her EMT cert before she was 18. By the time it was investigated, she had then passed her 18th birthday. She later worked for the municipal EMS, becoming a Paramedic, and my supervisor therat as a Lieutenant. If I recall NYS DoH (Department of Health) rules and regulations, as long as you're 18 on the day you take the state written test, even if the test is on the 18th birthday, it is OK. As for "junior" members, most volunteer EMS agencies allow, under strict "senior member" supervision, 16 and 17 year old members to ride, but each of them are by individual evaluation as to how suited they are as underage personnel. (One of the Jr Volunteers offered the privilege to ride with my VAC declined, stating she wasn't ready.She also eventually entered service with the municipal EMS, and also became a Paramedic/Lieutenant.) Just mentioning in passing that perhaps 15 or slightly more years ago, there were some "Ride-Along" shows featuring EMS from around the US, they had a couple of episodes featuring Junior members of the Teaneck NJ Volunteer Ambulance, again, under strict supervision.

Friends of mine who served in the military, and spent time fighting in Vietnam refer to an unspecified snake, with venom so toxic, they called them "a 2 step snake. They bite, you only get 2 steps before you die." Unconfirmed if this actually was, or is, the case.

Your patient is already in a state of altered mental status, might not be able to voice concerns or location of other pains. Me? due to that uncertainty, I'd do my best running L&S to the scene, and decide if the trip to the hospital is also going to be L&S, dependant on V/S and S&S observed when with the patient. Remember, all bleeding stops...eventually.

Remembered a set of twins, age 3, I took to the ER. On a later call, I asked the doctor about them... "How is the child who swallowed some of a coin collection?" "No change yet." "And the one swallowed the roll of film?" "Nothing has developed."

I'm still teary-eyed after the death, both in real life, and finally responding in the show (reel life), of a "soap opera" actress/character (Jeannie Cooper as Catherine Chancellor, "The Young and the Restless", CBS TV network)

ERDoc beat me to it. Good to know your third party co-pay covers the hearing aides, so I'll just hope it's full coverage. Even partial payment is good.

I'm full out civilian, but the son of a WW2 US Army T-4 Sargent and a US Army WAC PFC. They were 2 kids from Brooklyn, attended different units of the Pratt Institute, at the same time, and met at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

SoldierMedic, one thing you will find here is a bunch of folks who are quite good with "Swattin' flies while swappin' lies." Figure it as the fish that got away keeps growing every time the story gets told. Yes, I resemble those last comments.

Fast as you type, gotta presume you talk too fast for me to follow.

Well, that's one great thing about the FDNY's EMS Command: NOBODY even gets out of the academy until they pass EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations Course).

No, as in 3rd sub-basement, and elevators and escalators are off line.

It's alive? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuoKNZjr8_U

What if you're at the bottom, and you're needed at the top?

Selective deafness? ​Children allegedly suffer from "Selective Hearing", which prevents them from hearing mom screaming at them from 10 feet away, but then lets them hear the ice cream truck's bells from over a half mile away. ​Seriously, sound at over 110 decibels is painful. While doing the daily equipment check, which includes confirming the lightbar and siren work, I was standing on the "running boards" looking at the lights, when my partner blasted the siren, my ears less than 6 foot from the speakers. The pain caused me to fall off the ambulance (circa 1980-1985, before the speakers got moved to the bumper or grille).

Nope, He's running for NYC Mayor, my guy is trying for NYC Council 32nd district

Attending the CMEs? I'm just maintaining my EMT status, not even working or employed and probably won't see the inside of an ambulance except as a patient, but I have multiple places I can go to for free CMEs.

Just for the comedic touch, ... The psychiatrist told the patient to throw himself into his work. The patient told him it was a bad idea. He worked mixing cement.

Just a suggestion, but inquire at your service if you can be included in Continuing Medical Education lectures, and/or "tabletop exercises" to keep up on what's going on. If you don't have to do anything but sit and ask or answer questions, might be a good thing for morale.

Just found out that RAC stands for "Rehabilitation And Comfort". No cooldown chairs, no BPs taken after 2 SCBA tanks used up by the member of department...as I stated before, per all my reading, something the FDNY should incorporate into extended operations.

Try the FDNY EMS Command's Platooning system. We normally have 3 tours a day. With variations so not all the ambulances are back at the station at the same time, tour 1 is 0000-0800, tour 2 is 0800-1600, and tour 3 is 1600-2400. That was the easy part. Hang on! Each tour has 3 platoons, defined as A, B, and C. Each platoon works 5 days, then is off for 2 days, works another 5 days, then is off for 3 days. Lets say I'm tour 3, "A" platoon. The first 3 days of my work week, I'm with the 3C guy, last 2 days with the 3B. Then I am off for 2 days, and the 3B and 3C guys/gals work together. The next week, I, as the 3A, work for 2 days with the 3C, then 3 with the 3B, and while I'm off for my 3 day "swing", 3B and 3C work those 3 days. Whatever day of the week, and whatever platoon, you know that you're going to be working that week day or night 10 consecutive weeks in a row, then off for that day or night for 5 consecutive weeks. You have a doctor only sees patients on thursdays? You'll know what thursdays you're off to get an appointment with your doc. Need wednesday for a Broadway show, but you're working that particular wednesday, but off Friday? Find who is working Friday who is willing to work your wednesday, and you'll work their Friday. We call them "mutuals". just get a supervisor to approve it. By the way, we also have a "D" platoon. Due to being in EMT or Paramedic refresher classes, teaching those classes, working some office detail, or on light duty secondary to a Line Of Duty Injury, You'll be working 0700-1500,or 1500-2300 but only Mondays through Fridays, weekends and holidays off. I got a headquarters light duty my last 3 years on, but due to the need for people on 7 days a week we were kind of an augmented D Platoon. I was Sunday to Thursday, another person was Tuesday through Saturday, and a third was Wednesday to Sunday. Obviously, Wednesday and Thursday, we were a bit crowded, but we took turns working half hours at a time (don't make it obvious when you're on break, that you're on break). EMS didn't come up with that platooning system, basically, we imitated the NYPD for years prior to the merger into the FDNY. A stunt some employees got away with for an "easy overtime" was, they'd work either their normal tour 2 or 3,on Saturday, volunteer for overtime tour 3 or 2, and, as the paperwork workweek started with tour 1 Sunday, they'd do the Sunday tour 1 as an overtime. This was only available to someone who's days off started on Sunday that week. .FDNY found out about it, and cut new regulations preventing anyone from doing that following the merger.

Just don't release the stress by kicking your pets.

I may be slow in responding, but I can try and do the same offer like ERDoc.

I'm unfortunately going to be unavailable, as I'm on the campaign trail with an NYC Council candidate.