Thanks Fire! For Screwing us over... yet agian.

[Michael]

Can anyone direct me to a web-page that (briefly) presents the best reason(s) for fire-based ems?

[Arkymedic]

Can anyone direct me to a web-page that (briefly) presents the best reason(s) for fire-based ems?

You mean there are some :wink:

[DwayneEMTP]

I have to hand it to them though, Fire Depts have some fantastic PR. We should take a lesson from them, then maybe EMS could get a piece of the FD's massive budget.

Absolutely. Many of the firemen I work with won't like this ad any more than we do, but you can't fault them for their promotion.

We have a whole industry of heros that almost never lift a finger where it applies to their job title, and they get paid better than any of us! That is how you run a business...

Dwayne

[NREMT-Basic]

Yep, no facts whatsoever here, Just keep repeating, Fire based EMS is the best, Fire based EMS saves lives, Firemen are heroes, Fire Depts without EMS cook really well and get a full nights sleep, ummm i mean EMS needs Fire...

I have to hand it to them though, Fire Depts have some fantastic PR. We should take a lesson from them, then maybe EMS could get a piece of the FD's massive budget.

Massive budget? What planet do you live on? The department I am training with recently got a referendum of 1 cent sales tax increase in their district for 3 months. First increase in budget in several years. Many of the FFs are still buying their own gear above and beyond what they are issued to be as prepared and effective as possible. I understand that certain EMS providers are threatened by fire based ems response, but is the constant slander and insult to firefighters really necessary. Shall we just close up shop and let EMS agencies learn how to use fire extinguishers so they can fight industrial and residential fires. With my department, you'll be happy to know, primary EMS was taken away from the fire fighters several years ago as was the department's sleeping quarters so that a private EMS agency could set up shop in the fire stations and then whine about having to get out of their recliners and put their clothes back on during sunday football games. As a result, there can be no duty fire crews because there is no place to quarter them which in turn slows down fire response.

[JPINFV]

Well, if fire fighters can learn to be paramedics, why can't paramedics learn to be fire fighters?

[p3medic]

Slows down fire response....interesting. Bet there are a lot more medical emergencies needing responding to anyhow. What are they training you to do? Is it an IMSERT thing?

[NREMT-Basic]

Slows down fire response....interesting. Bet there are a lot more medical emergencies needing responding to anyhow. What are they training you to do? Is it an IMSERT thing?

Yes it slows down fire response, logically, when you remove firefighters from the building where they were quartered and they respond to the station from home, change into bunker gear and deploy from there. You are right. There are alot more medical/rescue calls to be responded to. And the fire department is the first response agency. It is quite ironic that we are the first response agency yet we cannot be quartered at the station.

As for what they are training me to do, Im not sure I understand the question. If you mean what am I training with the fire department to do, it is to be a firefighter and I will also be serving as a first response EMT. Im not sure if thats what you meant. An IMSERT thing? You lost me there. Could you explain please?

[Michael]

Well, if fire fighters can learn to be paramedics, why can't paramedics learn to be fire fighters?

Perhaps not all can learn to be good ones, because the two sets of tasks call on different aptitudes?* But maybe your question was rhetorical/ironic. Haven't done it, but I imagine that firefighting requires more brawn and athletic endurance and a higher threshold for certain physical stressors such as smoke. Admittedly, just a guess.

*Edit: I would also, all other factors being equal, prefer to be treated by a provider whose primary interest is in medically treating (and of course transporting) patients. People usually perform better in tasks that most interest them.

[seems to be my night for rehearsing the obvious.]

[spenac]

IMHO choose one profession and become the best at it. Being divided hurts you and more importantly the people you claim to want to help. Fire and EMS are completely unrelated monsters and have no business together. The only reason they are combined is the cheap penny pinchers at city hall don't really care what is best they only care what is cheapest.

[mrmeaner]

Wow. I was waiting for Tom Cruise to appear on screen to talk about how "When you're fire-based EMS, and you see an accident...you just know that you're the only one who can help..."

Then again, what kind of video do you expect from a fire lobbyist group, er, educational media group.