It ain't just Trauma anymore...

[Chief1C]

Does that include reruns of "Johnny and Roy" on "Emergency!"?

I am one of untold thousands who got the idea to become EMTs, Paramedics, or Fire Fighters (separately or cross trained) by watching that show.

One show, out of dozens, that helped EMS.. In a time when EMS simply did not exist in many places. They were used to seeing the hearse in most towns, and they suddenly saw this, and wanted to do better. But, mostly, I was being sarcastic. I just finished watching an emergency episode. Ironically, it did in their original plan. Paramedics, paramedics everywhere nope. Not enough money? Too many miles? Volunteer EMT-1's w/ CB's.

Edited January 24, 2010 by 4c6

[fireflymedic]

I didn't start this thread to get into a major debate, I started it to show the "complaints" we had with trauma weren't just isolated to the one show. To be fair, if we're going to fuss, need to carry it across the board. I think I'm gonna stick my head back in my shell now !

[Richard B the EMT]

EMSDoc mentioned the Nassau County (NY) PD. I live in the next county.

The way they operate is, on medical calls, a Paramedic or AEMT drives the ambulance to the scene, and is met there by a Nassau County Police Officer. The person driving the ambulance, a civilian employee of the NCPD, assumes patient care duties, and the NCPD LEO takes over as the vehicle operator. I don't know if the LEO is trained to First Responder level, but will presume (for now) that they are.

After driving to the ER, the LEO is either picked up by his partner (presuming 2 man patrol cars), or is driven back to the original scene by the Paramedic, to recover the cop car.

I know several towns in Nassau County do this within their areas, using "town cops" in the same fashon. This is in addition to VFD based ambulance services in these towns, with a few independant community based VAS or FACs.

[FireMedic65]

Alright people, it's TELEVISION! Not documentaries. Shows are made the way they are to try and get the attention of the viewers and hooked to come back for more.

Also, it's not rocket science to do the things we do.

[CBEMT]

Does that include reruns of "Johnny and Roy" on "Emergency!"?

I am one of untold thousands who got the idea to become EMTs, Paramedics, or Fire Fighters (separately or cross trained) by watching that show.

Sarcasm detection FAIL.

[Kaisu]

Oh sure.. cause it only takes about 120 hours to provide emergency medical care and we all know getting cross trained fire/police dudes there in 5 minutes is much better than getting ACLS there in 8. I mean, all those guys do is start IVs right? And as police and fire stuff requires ongoing education, training and practice, its a good thing that EMS crap is so easy.

Sarcasm detection FAIL.

Ditto !!!

[Just Plain Ruff]

Why are we so vehemently against firefighters being medics but no one is bitching about cops being medics and vice versa.

If we are against firefighters working as medics then why not the OUTCRY that has been so prevalent on this forum regarding police officers being crosstrained as medics.

[Richard B the EMT]

Possibly politics, and the statistics saying there are more cross-trained FD-EMS personnel around, then there are LEO-EMS personnel? I believe, either way, there's more cross-trained EMS-ers than there are "mission specific" EMS-ers here in the United States.