Fox Reality The Academy

[HERBIE1]

Considering that my quote was made in direct response to someone claiming that a valid reason to expect people to show up 2 hours early is because other people want to do it, your refute misses the mark.

I would say that showing up early because someone else wants the job is only a small part of the reason. It's also a matter of pride and practicality. You already made through training, now you need to show your bosses and coworkers you are up to the challenge. You need to PROVE yourself to be a productive member of a team.

Let's see here. Checking out the apparatuses, supplies, restocking (which should really be done by the off going crew to begin with. How about we target the people who are failing in their duties to keep their units properly stocked unless other, official, means are provided (like vehicle service techs for units that post all day)?), and paperwork (why are you doing paperwork first thing in the morning to begin with that isn't related to restocking?) are all things that can easily be accomplished in the course of the normal events of the day.

I don't care what anyone tells me about the condition of the apparatus, any potential issues with supplies, maintenance issues, etc, I check everything out. It's not a matter of not trusting what someone tells me, it's a matter of accountability. As soon as you relieve the prior crew and start work, YOU are responsible for that apparatus, and anything the off going crew misses or forgets to tell you is still YOUR responsibility. If you find a discrepancy, then yes, the onus is on your to address it with the previous shift, and/or rectify the problem yourself. If something is missed, YOU are the one who will need to be accountable for it, and if you do not check for yourself, it will become YOUR problem.

As for paper work, there is plenty to do when your arrive. Attendance records, documentation of the apparatus and supplies, citing any personnel problems, training schedules, maintenance logs, citing members on vacation, ill, traded tours of duty, ensuring equipment is functional, batteries charged, SCBA's are in working order, saws start up and are fueled- tons of things to do. Once you walk in the door, you may get a call immediately, and the sooner you know that everthing is OK, the sooner you are ready to work.

You're just as likely to be interrupted with a call 5 minutes before an hour as 5 minutes after. Preparing for drills? Ok, I can see that, but does it really take everyone showing up 2 hours early to accomplish that? Additionally, showing up at 5 (2 hours early) means getting up in the 3-4am range. Nice way to start screwing with people's circadian rhythm for no better reason than because someone want's to watch People's Court instead of doing their work (like, say, cleaning their unit). Considering that emergency services are already a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week service with ample opportunity to screw with natural cycles and keep people from getting a proper amount and quality of sleep, why make it worse so someone can watch soap operas?

Circadian rhythms? This is the wrong business to be in if you are concerned about your sleep cycles- especially in a busy system.

I realize there is a wide variety in the types of services people work for- busy urban systems, slower rural areas, etc. If call volume is low, you may be drilling all day, cleaning/polishing equipment, studying, etc, or you may only have time for a quick check out and you are busy all shift long. Typically, even in a busy system, early AM is slower, and is the only time you would be able to do a good inventory, so it only makes sense to get there early to accomplish your responsibilities.

Preparing for drills- or a call- means that you better be damn sure your equipment is ready when you need it. What if someone puts a piece of equipment back in the wrong place? What if they were cleaning it, servicing it, or training with it and they forget to put it back on the apparatus? It happens, and in the middle of a fire or EMS run is NOT the time to find out.

How would you know everything is OK unless you do a proper check of these items? The first thing you do is go over the most important items- the ones that you cannot do without. SCBA's, masks, saws, Thermal imaging cameras, monitors, vital medications, O2 levels, ensuring the main ladder is operational, ensuring the engine is able to pump, the booster tank is filled, etc- whatever your particular role is, you ensure you can function properly in that role. Maybe a new piece of equipment or a new model was issued? You had better be familiar with it's operation. What if you are detailed to a different apparatus than usual, or have a different job responsibility for the day?

Your team/partner/public depends on you to be ready and that means knowing you have what you need and it is present and in proper working order.

The rest of the details and a more comprehensive inventory comes later, but a 5 minute check out? No way. Not if you are serious about your job.

Edited November 16, 2009 by HERBIE1

[JPINFV]

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not arguing that you don't check out a unit when you start your day for the very reasons that you state. However, you shouldn't have to show up early to do it and, ideally, everything should already be there since you should be restocking the unit with supplies that you use as often as possible. Similarly, the paperwork you cited are generally not completed by everyone (HR/attendance paperwork is what HR/officer/crew chief is for, not your standard fire fighter or EMT). Unit/equipment checkout paperwork should be completed as you're checking out your unit/equipment, so that get's rolled in with the actual checkout. Maintenance logs are what the mechanics are for (Sorry County Dispatch, we can't respond. Jim Bob has the ambulance up on blocks doing an oil change because it's been 3000 miles. No, we didn't ask for a backup unit, Jim Bob said that this should only take 5 minutes). The fact is that you can get a call 5 minutes after you walk in regardless of what time you walk in. If you show up 2 hours early at 5am, what's stopping you from getting a call at 5:05? Do you decline the call because you haven't had a chance to check everything out yet provided you are in a static, station based deployment model?

So, because there's already ample opportunities to mess something up, there should be free license to ignore it completely? Since when does tradition trump safety. There's a reason, for example, that medical residents are now limited to only 80 hours a week. Why? Because the lack of sleep was causing mistakes that lead to adverse patient care events. Just because there's a chance, even a probability, that a late night/early morning call can come in doesn't mean that such a disruption should be designed into the schedule for giggles.

[HERBIE1]

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not arguing that you don't check out a unit when you start your day for the very reasons that you state. However, you shouldn't have to show up early to do it and, ideally, everything should already be there since you should be restocking the unit with supplies that you use as often as possible. Similarly, the paperwork you cited are generally not completed by everyone (HR/attendance paperwork is what HR/officer/crew chief is for, not your standard fire fighter or EMT). Unit/equipment checkout paperwork should be completed as you're checking out your unit/equipment, so that get's rolled in with the actual checkout. Maintenance logs are what the mechanics are for (Sorry County Dispatch, we can't respond. Jim Bob has the ambulance up on blocks doing an oil change because it's been 3000 miles. No, we didn't ask for a backup unit, Jim Bob said that this should only take 5 minutes). The fact is that you can get a call 5 minutes after you walk in regardless of what time you walk in. If you show up 2 hours early at 5am, what's stopping you from getting a call at 5:05? Do you decline the call because you haven't had a chance to check everything out yet provided you are in a static, station based deployment model?

Again, early morning usually means there is downtime- even in a busy system. Yes, you can still get a call 5 minutes after you walk in, and in that case, you need to hope everything is OK and in proper working order until you can verify that for yourself. What else can you do? As for paperwork, many times members have a checklist to complete for a particular compartment, area, or set of tools. One guy needs to start the saws, and Hurst tools. Another verifies fittings That list is then forwarded to an officer to complete a master check out form. The driver needs to verify fuel in apparatus and tools, fluid levels, tank levels, emergency lights/siren, etc. Individual members need to sign and be accountable for their own equipment like SCBA's. It's a team effort. Each person needs to rely on the other that they have properly executed whatever their responsibilities are for that day.

As for serious maintenance issues, well, the apparatus would be out of service until those problems were fixed, wouldn't it?

So, because there's already ample opportunities to mess something up, there should be free license to ignore it completely? Since when does tradition trump safety. There's a reason, for example, that medical residents are now limited to only 80 hours a week. Why? Because the lack of sleep was causing mistakes that lead to adverse patient care events. Just because there's a chance, even a probability, that a late night/early morning call can come in doesn't mean that such a disruption should be designed into the schedule for giggles.

There are plenty of things that occur in public safety simply because of tradition and there is no good rationale for doing it. Teasing, titles like probie or candidate, the expectation that the new guy is first to do menial labor or unpleasant tasks, and the last to finish. Certain informal rules like respecting veterans favorite seats at the dinner table, etc all can happen. As for lack of sleep- if you come in at the same time every day and are relieved at the same time, you don't work any longer than the next guy.

This lack of sleep is part of the job. You can't decide that you are too tired to take in a fire or medical call at 3AM. You can literally be up for 24 hours with no rest. Done it countless times in my career, as have many folks in this business. Is it optimal? Of course not, but if someone cannot handle this schedule, they need to find a new career, a place that does not work 24 hour shifts, or a locale that is simply not very busy.

Will the 24 hour schedule be disregarded, as the residency schedule was changed? Maybe, but the logistics of changing an entire fire crew 2-3x's a day could be a logistical nightmare in a busy system, not to mention you would need to hire more personnel. Not an easy solution, especially in these times.

[CBEMT]

My impression from FF friends is that the hour+ early thing is two reasons- prevent the offgoing shift from catching a late run (possibly more than one in busy departments), and camaraderie- instead of just saying hi to each other as they pass through the door, they spend some time around the kitchen table with a pot of coffee.

I know that in the FDNY (fire side), their day shift starts at 9. If your gear isn't on the truck at 8, you're late.

[46Young]

It's freaky how much my academy is like the show. I know I've said this before. We lost 8 people to failures. Two strikes and your out. The instructors are right - if you can't handle the pressure in testing, how can you perform in real life? It's no different for EMS.

That recruit who turned his back on the other FF ought to be released from the academy. You don't leave your partner for ANYTHING. That willingness to risk your life for a fellow FF and stay with them when things go bad is a given when you apply. When you're working inside you do what the Lt says. Sure, the Lt should utilize crew resource management, but they're directing our actions. If he stays, it's highly likely that the incident will follow him to the field.

I can't wait for the maze training portion of the show. I loved it, but it's a claustrophobic's worst nightmare. You're blacked out, on air, and need to negotiate tight holes and corners, take off your pack to get through a reduced profile, and disentangle yourself from the cables. It can be rough. My academy had a maze trailer. Twice they took out the disentanglement and reduced profile, and made a super maze going through the entire high bay, up/down steps, through a moving pipe, through a bus, under a pumper and the bus (several tight squeezes). I ran out of air on one of them. The instructors teach you to get every last "drop" of air out of your cylinder, and let you just about pass out before they remove your regulator. It's miserable. They also like to cut off your air when you're distracted and don't notice them turning the knob, and you need to know what to do. In either case, you DO NOT take off your regulator.

On a sad note, there was a woman going through the Prince William volunteer FF course recently, doing maze training, collapsed and later died. The maze is no joke.

I'm suprised that they didn't show the recruits climbing the aerial (85 degree angle), hooking in at the top and leaning back. To get control of one's fear of heights.

2:45. Check it out.

[Jwade]

Key phrase..."right of pasage." Dont residents work extreme hours to learn and prove themselves during there training? Don't white collar/college educated peoe go through years of tough education for a good job?

Physician Resident work hours have been curtailed in the recent years.

On November 1, 2002, the 80-hour work limit went into effect in residencies accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). The decision also mandates that

The trainee shall not be assigned to work physically on duty in excess of 80 hours per week averaged over a 4-week period, inclusive of in-house night call.

The trainee shall not work in excess of 24 consecutive hours inclusive of morning and noon educational programs. Allowances for inpatient and outpatient continuity, transfer of care, educational debriefing and formal didactic activities may occur, but may not exceed 6 hours. Residents may not assume responsibility for a new patient after working 24 hours.

The trainee shall have on alternate weeks 48-hour periods off, or at least one 24-hour period off each week.

Upon conclusion of a 24-hour duty shift, trainees shall have a minimum of 12 hours off before being required to be on duty again. Upon completing a lesser hour duty period, adequate time for rest and personal activity must be provided.

All off-duty time must be totally free from assignment to clinical or educational activity.

Rotations in which trainee is assigned to Emergency Department duty shall ensure that trainees work no longer than 12 hour shifts.

The trainee and training institution must always remember the patient care responsibility is not precluded by the work hour policy. In cases where a trainee is engaged in patient responsibility which cannot be interrupted, additional coverage should be provided as soon as possible to relieve the resident involved.

The trainee may not be assigned to call more often than every third night averaged over any consecutive four-week period.

There have been some BIG NAME institutions that have gotten nailed for not following these rules........

Respectfully,

JW

[VentMedic]

On a sad note, there was a woman going through the Prince William volunteer FF course recently, doing maze training, collapsed and later died. The maze is no joke.

That woman was well into her 40s. There are people a lot younger than that dying of cardiac arrest while doing very little. We've got young FFs and EMT(P)s dying at the scene while caring for other patients. It is actually very rare that anyone dies at the Fire Academy.

I would have hoped a physical exam by a qualified physician would have been done on volunteers prior to the academy to determine risk factors.

[fireflymedic]

I think the major problem is most get into the academy without reasonable preparation for it, then get in shape through the academy in good shape, but quickly let that conditioning fall off as it's tough to maintain. Also there are several depts that don't require yearly testing after hiring or any encouragement to maintain the condition of health. Another thought is the fact that many regular physicians aren't that aware of the full demands placed on the body to do the job and with that how can they adequately assess someone when they don't know what they are looking for? I know many times I've walked into my personal physician's office and he's just looked at me and gone - "can you do this?" and I was like uh yeah and he signed my sheets (granted my current doc is a med director for a service, but prior doc did the exact same thing and he didn't know what a medic's scope of care was or what all was involved with being a FF). So something to think about. Need to start holding more people, ourselves included, accountable for it and getting into prevention as many of the deaths are perfectly preventable.

[VentMedic]

I think the major problem is most get into the academy without reasonable preparation for it, then get in shape through the academy in good shape, but quickly let that conditioning fall off as it's tough to maintain. Also there are several depts that don't require yearly testing after hiring or any encouragement to maintain the condition of health. Another thought is the fact that many regular physicians aren't that aware of the full demands placed on the body to do the job and with that how can they adequately assess someone when they don't know what they are looking for? I know many times I've walked into my personal physician's office and he's just looked at me and gone - "can you do this?" and I was like uh yeah and he signed my sheets (granted my current doc is a med director for a service, but prior doc did the exact same thing and he didn't know what a medic's scope of care was or what all was involved with being a FF). So something to think about. Need to start holding more people, ourselves included, accountable for it and getting into prevention as many of the deaths are perfectly preventable.

I would say I recently got a more thorough physical from my physician when preparing for a scuba diving vacation than many FFs/EMT(P)s get. However, when I went in for a yearly checkup with Paramedic as my job title, I got a quick "any problems question" and a sign off of good health. It is strange that many doctors got the memo about the number of diving deaths related to medical problems but don't get the same message for FFs and EMT(P)s.

Edited November 25, 2009 by VentMedic

[46Young]

I suppose we're fortunate here. We have a FT occupational health center that does a full yearly physical including blood work, TB testing, pulmonary function, treadmill stress test, hemoccult testing, vision/hearing and such. We're required to PT every shift, and we have gyms in every station, access to county rec centers, and hookups with local gyms for on duty PT. Smoking is prohibited for all employees as well.

As an aside, during the summer, if we get toned out during an intense session, I have Gatorade ready. I use the Deer Park 3/4 gallon jug. I use 1/4 the recommended concentration of Gatorade powder. I keep it 1/2 frozen, so I can down a quart or so of the slurry on the way to a call. Works great!

Edited November 25, 2009 by 46Young