Strangeness being the Normal.

[Richard B the EMT]

Most of the EMT City community is aware that I am in the Fire Department New York (City) EMS Command, and that I am also a member of Local 2507 (Uniformed EMTs, Paramedics, and Fire Inspectors of the FDNY), District Council 37, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. The president of Local 2507, Patrick J Bahnken, is a former partner of mine, from an IFT ambulance service provider. He gave me an OK to place the following onto EMT City's pages, as quoted from the "UEP Bulletin" (Vol. 8, issue 1, April 2010), which I feel might be an interesting read as to the craziness of our collective jobs in the EMS system. "Perhaps the most shocking thing I have ever heard as a labor leader was a representative of the City tell me across the table "Management has an absolute right to mismanage". I relay this to you because a recurring theme of this newsletter is that how you get the get the job done is more important then actually getting the job done! "The Operating Guide is filled with directives governing everything from how to respond to emergencies to how far down your shoulder your patch must be sewn to your sleeve. The purpose of these directives is to offer you clear guidance on virtually every aspect of your job. "The problem is that rarely can one follow those directives without incurring the wrath of the system. For example, you are required to perform a thorough check of your ambulance to insure it is properly stocked and ready to respond to emergencies. Everything from the number of 4X4 dressings to oxygen pressure must be checked. However, you are also directed to log on and give an in service signal immediately. "Clearly, unless there is some sort of suspension in the time/space continuum, you will be unable to make yourself immediately available while at the same exact time assuring that your vehicle is properly stocked and equipped. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to ensure the vehicle is properly stocked and your liability if the items in the quick check or part 800 checklist (1) are missing. "Another paradox that exists is in self-dispatching. Yes, we have a moral and ethical obligation as compassionate human beings to try and help our fellow human beings in times of crisis as quickly as possible. Remember the department is less interested in results than actual process. Being much closer than any other unit means nothing if you do not follow the process of getting assigned to the call. "Yes, by the time you follow all the steps outlined in the process, the patient will probably either be dead or discharged from the hospital but again, process trumps results every time. "I hold no illusions about whether or not any of you will do what ever is necessary to get the job done and for that matter, neither does the department. The primary purpose of these policies is to shift the burden of responsibility to you should something go wrong. "In the end, the best defense against disciplinary action is also the best route to getting these policies changed, which is; follow all policies exactly as written. To be sure, if each of us follows all Operating Guide procedures exactly as written, the system would probably grind to a halt. However, to do otherwise is to assume responsibility for things that are well beyond your control. It is managements right to mismanage! "In Solidarity, Patrick J. Bahnken, President." {(1) The Part 800 checklist is the NY State DoH list of what supplies and working equipment are required to be on registered and/or certified ambulances working within the state.}