FDNY*EMS What If's

[10-52-EDP]

What if FDNY*EMS was to break-up units and have one EMT and one

PARAMEDIC as one unit

WHAT IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN ?

[Medic2588]

It would be complete anarchy and bedlam. Fire, brimestone, cats and dogs playing together... the coming of the Apocalypse.

Sorry, couldn't help myself. I thought they do have units like that. I'm probably wrong on that.

I know Philadelphia will pull a firefighter/EMT off the engine and put him/her on the Medic unit when they are short a paramedic. I don't think it interferes with care any.

Devin

[Asysin2leads]

You'd have a lot of FDNY medics leaving to work at the voluntaries. Higher pay, more flexible schedule, plus you get to work with another medic, rather than, as on medic put it some "Wannabe firefighter with a yellow patch."

"For over 1,000 generations the medics were the guardians of peace and justice in the city. Before the dark times, before the mensa medic program. A young medic named Darth McFarlen, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, helped the department hunt down and destroy the medics. McFarlen was seduced by the dark side of the budget commitee."

----------Paramedic Kenobi

[mediccjh]

You'd have a lot of FDNY medics leaving to work at the voluntaries. Higher pay, more flexible schedule, plus you get to work with another medic, rather than, as on medic put it some "Wannabe firefighter with a yellow patch."

"For over 1,000 generations the medics were the guardians of peace and justice in the city. Before the dark times, before the mensa medic program. A young medic named Darth McFarlen, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil, helped the department hunt down and destroy the medics. McFarlen was seduced by the dark side of the budget commitee."

----------Paramedic Kenobi

LMFAO!!!!!

[Dustdevil]

I'm surprised they don't do it. It makes sense to double the number of ALS units you have by simply rearranging personnel. Most agencies would do this. Tiered response is an archaic concept. I can't really think of why NYC would choose to stay in the dark ages of "tradition."

Maybe they just can't afford the extra defibrillators? :?

[shookwell]

It's not going to happen anytime soon.

[Dustdevil]

It's not going to happen anytime soon.

I believe that has been established. The question is, why not? There must be some logic they are following. Do you know what it is?

[Richard B the EMT]

As for the "Mensa Medics", former FDNY Medical Director Dr. Lorraine Giordano, and President (Paramedic) Pat Bahnkin, of the Uniformed EMTs and Paramedics of the FDNY (Local 2507, DC 37, AFSCME) are fighting it's being implemented. The usual bad joke of the "fact" that it is a Paramedics (Pair O' Medics in pronouncement) is only the start. 2507's thought is each Paramedic is support for their partner. If one has a bad day and can't get an IV started, the other probably can.

[Dustdevil]

Hmmm... I can see some sense in that. I certainly prefer a 2-medic truck when possible. But in a city that size, I would think it is better to give everybody one medic than to give half the people two medics.

What do you think, Richard? How often are BLS trucks ending up with ALS patients? And do they call for an ALS unit in that case, or do they just load and go?

[Asysin2leads]

Honestly, Dust, I think more good could be done by rewriting dispatch protocol so a medic unit doesn't get tied up on an "unconscious" for a passed out drunk or a "pediatric respiratory distress" for a kid with a runny nose in terms of getting more ALS to ALS calls. Secondly, the department is not doing it because they really are concerned that people who need ALS aren't getting it. If they were that concerned, they's open upa few more spots for the voluntaries to fill in. No, they are doing it for the bottom line, and the bottom line is you can still bill Medicare (and most insurances) for ALS1 and ALS2 rates when you are only using one medic. You know why having two medics on a unit is a good idea? Because believe it or not, medics can have a bad day. Who's going to correct the sleepy medic at 3 a.m. when he's about to push 0.3mg of Epinephrine through and I.V.? The EMT? He won't know if its the right thing to do or not. Mistakes happen, sometimes you forget a protocol, sometimes you look at a an EKG and just go "What the F???" Unless Medical Control wants us to start sending them EKG's and getting their opinion, that is really going to cut into quality patient care. The department doesn't care about good patient care enough even to buy us glucometers. Don't think for a second they are pushing for Mensa medic to get more ALS units on the streets.