Richard B the EMT

Did I just hear an "Oops"? Don't worry. Sooner or later, we all do.

Welcome, from NYC! My nephew was born in San Antonio, in the Lackland AFB hospital, 1972.

Underdawg3ate1, Good comments, but leaves me with a question that is in no way a putdown. Are you speaking as a Law Enforcement Officer, an EMSer, or a Fire Fighter? Each have their own radio frequencies, dispatchers, and protocols, and, unfortunately, some might end up in "turf wars", as in "Whatchoo talkin' about? My agency is in charge here".

If any patient is violently combative, drunk or otherwise, then I have a question: How is an EMSer to get near enough, without risk of their person, to administer any tranquilizer? Which one of us mice is going to put the bell on that darned cat's collar? I am only halfway joking. It is a good question, to which I, at least, don't have a workable answer.

When Carlos Lillo, my EMS Academy classmate signed up, and probably when Ricardo Quinn did, too, they never expected to have a building fall on them. They are the two Paramedics included in the FDNY 343, along with Father Judge, and the 340 Fire Fighters and Fire Supervisory Personnel. Mayor Rudy Guliani, and former NJ Governor Christine Whitman were not air quality and safety experts. The people who were supposed to give accurate information as to the air quality for them to parrot to the media either got it wrong, or deliberately lied. Worker's Compensation was created so that anyone injured while doing their jobs would have some kind of income while recovering from that injury. That covers just about everyone who responded, either us in the Emergency Services sector, the construction workers, the people who distributed sandwiches and soup to everyone working at Ground Zero. I don't have a good figure to quote as to how many Rescue and Recovery workers were exposed to the dust cloud, and what poisons were in the cloud. All I know is people are dying. I have attended too many funerals, and expect to attend many more. Even though I was NOT one of the FDNY personnel, fire or EMS "side", to go to the disaster, the department is going to be keeping track of me, medically, just because I was a member of the department.

You say Communications? FDNY EMD, or where? Just retired from the EMS Command, 25 years, but the first 11 in NYC HHC EMS Communications Maspeth, tour 3, before the floor tilted. Then Station 47 (Rockaway), and last 4 in 9 "Metrowreck" in BHS.

FDNY EMS is part of a Pilot Program for it. Back soon with more details.

FDNY EMS BLS protocols allow EMTs to administer ASA for chest pain (unless allergy or other factors contra-indicates). We can also "assist" a patient in taking their own Nitro after assuring the "Rights". We do not carry Nitro, either pill, paste, or spray. The FDNY EMS ALS protocols have the Paramedics carrying Nitro pills, for use by their patients under the ALS protocols.

Just mentioning, today's temperature in NYC is 27 degrees (F), before adding in the wind chill factor! (don't recall the conversion to [C], but know that would read as below zero [C]) That's roughly 10 to 15 degrees lower than normal for this time of year.

There are times I have felt like that, but if it feels good to say it, you're probably going to regret it.

...And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I always ask for us to not use abbreviations, or follow with a translation, as some abbreviations are not universal. Some of us have had THAT patient threatening to sue for calling them an SOB, when what we meant was the patient had Shortness Of Breath!

In the VAC, the 5 IFT services, and in the municipal service that I have been in, I have done CPR in a moving ambulance. Had a few saves, mostly pronounced at the receiving ER, but doubt I had any "Quality of Life" saves, I.E, where they walked out of the hospital under their own power. Types of calls ranged from oceanfront submersion or drownings (mammalian diving reflex or "not dead until warm and dead"), streetside arrests with bystander CPR in progress on EMS arrival, and one man who we didn't realize had been shot until we got to the hospital (2 gangs on the beach, Puerto Rican versus Irish, someone pulled a gun, and the bullet traveled to hit the uninvolved black guy a block away). As for not being seat belted in? Were we all not taught to put the upper body weight over the patient's chest when doing compressions? While I heard reports of associates of mine playing around with harnesses suspending them from the ambulance ceilings, never saw such, and never tried. Also, never in an ambulance designed with the seat on the other side of the streacher. Mea Culpa, not belted in while doing compressions, and I am hanging my head in shame admitting it.

1) You must not have too many human gorillas where you might use an AED. 2) Pull the hair with one set of pads, then go immediately to a second set of pads. 3) Disposable Razor included with our sets, as we are instructed to have them there. Doesn't make EMTs or Paramedics into barbers, however. One chestpain call I was on, they took almost 10 minutes to shave the guy's chest. 4) If you feel the charge when defibbing, someone didn't get "Clear"! Heavy potential for EMS personnel to get zapped when the patient is riding the lightning.

That could be in ANY service, municipal, paid, or volunteer, being gluttons for punishment. To the OP, what, if anything, did your volunteers get for EMS Week 2010? FDNY EMS, a municipal service, got lapel pins with the member's station number on it. As I was temporarily in HQ, I didn't get one specific to my usual Station 47, but got one for the entire EMS Command, as did everyone from EMS in HQ. The year before, everyone got a nice T-shirt with a picture of an FDNY Ambulance in front of the Brooklyn Bridge on it.

From the discription, all you needed, in addition, was this .U S Marine

Sounds like a rookie mistake, by someone who at the time WAS a rookie. However, a partial fail to the ER Doctor, due to personal experiences, I don't recall so much whatever the lesson, just that I got humiliated in public. Before I get attacked due to that, just know, everyone, I hate being humiliated in public, no matter what the subject, or the person doing the humiliation. I view public humiliation by anyone in a supervisory position as a form of legal bullying. Let's discuss that, if at all, in another string, please. I've hijacked this one too long already.

Wow, are our trainings and protocols different. Here in NY State, whatever type or brand traction splint, CONTRA-Indicated to use for fx leg if possible tib-fib involvement. Devices supposed to only be used for Femur fx. Admit I keep hearing debate if contra-indicated when "open" femur fx, due to possibility of infection, other side of the coin is to use, and have antibiotics for possible infection ready at the receiving hospital.

Probably a minor typographic error, but that should read www.nremt.org. I would also google each US State's Department of Health, and ask about the international reciprocity. Good luck, and welcome to the city!

I have a few more, some are from persons already named, others are not. I made the list, not from any other source than my own memory. "This....is London." "Man....Woman....Birth....Death....Infinity." "But this time, YOU ARE THERE!" "Do not adjust your TV Set, we are in complete control" "Good night, Chet." "Good night, David, and goodnight from NBC News." "Zoinks!" "You lost me at the bakery." "Ten-Four!" "Station Fifty One, K M G Three Six Five." "Good night, and may god bless!" "Good night, John-boy." "Missed it by THAT much. Sorry about that, Chief!" "Six Two and Even, over and out." "Smarter than the average Ranger." "Do, or do not! There is no 'Try'." "Stay on target. STAY ON TARGET!" "Jeepers, Mister Kent!" "Ya know something, 'Goose', She's lost that loving feeling." "Frankely, my dear, I don't give a damn!" "Only you can prevent forest fires!"

Hey, ease up. With my new computer, even I am having trouble with the spellcheck, as it doesn't seem to want to work. PM me, and I'll send my personal E-Mail for this corrispondence.

IMHO, Little Johnny has been around so long, perhaps he is Little Kenny's father?

In support of that, I mention a guy my mom used to date. Almost until he died, at age 90, I swear he could have taken me in a fight, straight 2 out of 3 "falls".

Who said it? I Family sitcoms: "Dy-no-mite!" Jimmy Walker, forget the name of the role. "Aaay" Henry Winkler, as Arthur "Fonzie/the Fonze" Fonzarelli "Stifle!" Archie Bunker, by Carrol O'Connor "Oh, my nose!" See my previous posting II Other sitcoms: "Baby, you're the greatest!" Jackie "Ralph Kramden" Gleason "I know nothing!" "Sgt Shultz" "How YOU doin'?" from "Friends, forget which character. "No soup for you!" The Soup Nazi, Seinfeld. III News catchphrases: "And that's the way it is." Walter Cronkite "Good night, and good luck." Edward R. Morrow "One small step for man ... " Neil Armstrong, Astronaut,The first human standing on the Moon's surface IV Cop show catchphrases: "Book 'em, Danno." "Steve McGarrett", both the 1960s and 2010 versions Hawaii Five Oh "Just one more thing ..." "Lt. Columbo" "Let's be careful out there." Sargent Philip Freemason Esterhaus, Hill Street Precinct, "Hill Street Blues" "Who loves you, baby?" Telly Sevales as Lt. Theo "Kojac" V Sci-fi catchphrases: "Resistance is futile." The Borg collective, Star Trek - The Next Generation, and Star Trek - V oyager "The Truth is out there." The X-Files "Beam me up, Scotty." Countless paradies, and Star Trek - The Original Series "You've just crossed over into the Twilight Zone." Rod Serling, then other hosts, The Twighlight Zone VI Catchphrases from cartoons: "D'oh!" Homer Simpson "Heh-heh." Bevis? or Butthead? "Don't make me angry ..." Depending on which version, David or Bruce Banner, before he morphs into the Hulk. VII Game show catchphrases: "Is that your final answer?" Weaqkest Link "Come on down!" You're the nexst contestant on "The Price Is Right" "Once you buy a prize, it's yours to keep." Let's Make a Deal VIII Sports catchphrases: "Do you believe in miracles?" Possibly Casey "the ol' professor" Stengle, talking about the 1969 NY Mets "Let's get ready to rumble!" Don't know the name, but a wrestling announcer "Know your role, and shut your mouth!" No clue, sorry IX Comedy catchphrases: "What you see is what you get!" Song Title, either the 4 Tops, or the Temptations "Mom always liked you best!" Tommy Smothers, usually said to brother Dick Smothers, numerous of their routines "Sock it to me!" Primarily Judy Carnes, and the rest of the cast of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In (one time by then Presidential candidate Richard Milhause Nixon) "We are two wild and crazy guys!" Steve Martin and...?, SNL X Variety show catchphrases: "Here it is, your moment of Zen." George Carlin or Steven Wright "Now cut that out!" Jack Benny "We've got a really big show!" The ol' Stoneface, himself, Ed Sullivan XI Ad catchphrases: "It takes a licking ..." John Cameron Swazy for Timex Watches "I can't believe I ate the whole thing!" Alka Seltzer commercial "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV." after being said in a commercial, numerous parodies XII Reality show catchphrases: "The tribe has spoken." Survivor (?) "You're fired!" Donald "the Donald" Trump, The Apprentice "Smile, you're on 'Candid Camera'!" Alan Funt, other hosts, Candid Camera XIII Political catchphrases: "Oh, the vision thing." "They misunderestimated me." "W", as in George W Bush "I didn't inhale …" Bill Clinton "I took the initiative in creating the Internet." Allegedly, Al Gore Jr. XIV More political catchphrases: "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy." Said to VP Candidate Quail, forget by whom "I'm not a crook." "Tricky Dick", Richard Milhouse Nixon "There you go again." Ronald Reagan "Ask not what your country can do for you ..." John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Inaugural Address How'm I doing? (NYC former Mayor Edward I. Koch)

Just mentioning, some hold the Galls catalog as a good thing, some as the gate to Wackerdom. My opinion is some items are good, others, they gotta be kidding!

First off, I, and others both on this site, and not on this site, thank you for your military services. Second, when reclassifying from one primary mission in the military to another, doesn't the military require some time in the new or reclassified primary mission, to "get their money's worth" from the personnel with the new line of training? In the Pre-FDNY EMS in NYC, such time commitment was required from anyone who upgraded from EMT to Paramedic, at least 2 years (I think), or pay back a cash penalty to the service. Doesn't the military do something similar, as I already asked in this posting?