do you carry anything when your off duty?

[tniuqs]

The enviroment and cultural views here a as varied as the stars in the sky it may appear.

Ok, well seeing as everyone is fessing up, heres my .016 cents USD. In addition with my remote paramedic "paid hansomely I add" I work with the "volly SAR groups" actually 2 groups will call me here in the great white frozen north, it apears that the common trend is I recieve a "holler" when it is:

1- cold.

2- dark.

3-wet.

No thats not right, that is the rule I am beginning to believe fortunatly I don't get called that much.

I carry a 42 lbs kit, ALS, well except for the narcs, this is a fairly striped down version and quite equvilent to Dusts "bad ass combat pack" I have numerous hi teck goodies than most could not imagine, the SAR pack was donated to me to go and "try to break it" by a friend that manufactures "kit" for CAF in afgan land. I also carry a SKED, and enough "rope" to do helo sling rescue, cause at my day job I have to be prepared to haul some dudes ass out of the bush but then I get to pick my bird, 407, 212 or A star. In the summer I am armed with a defender, why, cause bears just need some convincing sometimes is all... go away... and they can find a downed aircraft way faster than SARSAT. Winter snowshoes.

Dragging the crap in and out of my Cruiser is really hard work so I just keep there, it is just plain unadulterated lazyness is all.

Ok, I know I will be called a Whanker for disclosing this, but "Schit Magnet" is far closer to the truth for me, I can't count how many times that I have been first on scene to roll overs, on remote lease roads in the middle of freaken nowhere with no cell signal, or assisting my brothers and sisters in rural areas, never been called a whanker by anyone hanging upside down suspended by a seat belt. Oh yea delivered a kid while working on a movie set in the Carribean now that was fun, slipery little rats..... "hey why wernt you on the set? just delivering a locals kid....yea right your so funny"

I have banged line's in and even did an Intubation in the back of a rig for a old student of mine, a really tough one thats before we carried succs.Three weeks ago driving home from work, a double fatality was a witness .... now (on my last adventure) assisting RCMP to track down a DUI leaving the scene of an MVC, My headlamp sure was handy and this just last week, was "deputized" or "whatever they call it" on the spot as a assistant to a peace officer "and we did track our man" right to a bar, where he in a drunken state became "impolite to me" should have vidieoed that one.... he looked so happy recieving an early christmas gift of "matching bracelets" LMFAO! can I say prick here? The UP side was the bar, tons of lonely farm girls needing someone to dance with, so being a good sport I obliged now that was duty calling.

Now back to the regular sheduled thread, the rules of engagement here in Alberta are that I have no duty to perform.. legally, but, I could not hold my head up if I passed by a wreck without offering to assist, unless theres an ALs provider on scene already, as for possible legal action against me....bring it on baby! Its been 20 + years, ok maybe a bit more that I have been doing this. So sucking out my EMS brain will just not happen, besides would love to make a precident.

Funny how a imaginary border (s) and a different legal system makes so much difference to the human condition, even provincial eee gads.

So I must applaude those with similar ideals but not condem those that do not.

cheers

[Richard B the EMT]

A quick comment on the male bovine excrement stuff: I once worked overtime as part of the medical coverage at the New York City Marathon. I was there for 7 hours, and handled...ABSOLUTELY NO PATIENTS WHATSOEVER!

But...

On my way home, I actually saw a car turn turtle (flip over onto it's roof), only a hundred feet ahead of me. I treated onscene until the locals arrived, they treated, packaged, and transported, thanking me for stopping.

[dzmohr]

On a side note, if something happens in front of you, and you do decide to stop and help, make sure that SOMEBODY has called the emergency number for the area? I have heard urban legend horror stories for years, where someone stopped to render help, but all the bystanders thought that the individual was responding to someone else's call to 911.

I call it "Elevator Syndrome". Everyone stands in front of the elevator doors, complaining how slow the elevator is, but everyone thinks somebody else pushed the call button, and the elevator never comes.

It happens! Basic as it sounds... I ended up doing 18 minutes of one man CPR in a department store 3 blocks from Portland Engine 13 and ALS Rescue 2 and I sent someone to call 911 and wait for them....only thing is it appears he never called, nor did anybody else...this a bit before cell phones were more prevalent then purses and wallets... good reminder.

This thread has saddened me a bit ( though I did get a GREAT laugh from Timmy and Supermedics joke post)... when did it get to the point that a care giver would drive past a witnessed medical or trauma with nobody else on scene yet and not stop? I can not even IMAGINE doing that, unless it was not safe for me to stop and a few times when I have had my small kids with me alone and it would not have been safe for THEM to have me stop.

I am not talking about scanner responding three cities away, I am talking about randomly coming across an incident before local responders arrive. I don't consider myself paranoid post 9/11but with the increase in disasters we have seen internationally, even since long before that it just made SENSE that everybody should have some level of preparedness. Granted when I was young I was in the middle of the Sylmar earthquake, but many that have said they carry nothing and would not stop live in tornado, flood or hurricane country. How could you NOT carry anything, even if for your families protection?

Guess I am getting old and times have changed ... but I can NOT say for the better if this is TRULY the attitude of the majority.

As to a law that requires some to stop, I will check and see if it is STILL the law, but New Hampshire use to have a law that anyone with medical training was required to render aid if they knew such aid was required... my recollection was it was part of the vehicle code and related to traffic accidents. Several States have laws that if you are involved in an accident and some say even if you witness an accident you must stop and render aid as you are able.

Disclaimer: I have not researched this for like 10 years so it is possible those laws could have changed, but I will be checking to see if anyone wants to know what I find out PM me or post the request here.

[BushyFromOz]

when did it get to the point that a care giver would drive past a witnessed medical or trauma with nobody else on scene yet and not stop?

When us "civilised" people of the western world started taking "civil" action for rediculous complaints.

It sucks royally, but unless required to stop i can fully understand a persons reluctance not to based on this exact reason

Having said this i dont have a position on this as a do not know my local legalities enough to make an informed opinion :?

[Timmy]

My room is packed with medical stuff/supplies that people have given me or I’ve collected over the years. It just sits there, collecting dust; it doesn’t even look that good… I have a Jump kit that I use all the time when I’m doing first aid at something. I use to carry around gloves but don’t anymore as I throw out more pairs because they went though the wash than I did using them on patients. I haven’t really been in a situation were I’ve needed to provide assistance other than being on duty were we already have an ambulance with us. One time Mum and I stopped at an accident but I had my Jump Kit with me because I just come off duty. A few times people have gotten hurt at parties but someone’s Mum or a concerned friend always looks after them, only occasionally have I treated someone at a party which was caused by drugs, alcohol or a fight but I just called the paramedics. You can normally keep someone alive until the ambulance arrives by improvising.

[dzmohr]

Just realized I never answered the question. I have a BLS jump kit I put together I carry in the car. I run a nonprofit that helps do fund raising for PAD programs that could not otherwise afford them and a for profit company that sells them to those that can afford them.. so I carry an AED in my car ( sometimes a few of them) --- if I did not sell them or demo them to prospective clients I doubt I would carry it unless I was with a formal vol agency where it was protocol to respond POV.

I do not hesitate to stop to assist if there is chance my help could be needed, and it is safe for me to do so... but I don't make big deal of it.

Now in my office that is another story ... I miss the street ...BADLY! And I have collected a mini museum of "stuff" I even got a first generation Thumper ( mechanical CPR machine for those of you who have not heard of them) for 50 bucks on eBay ( works perfectly!, a life pak 3 and a life pak 5. I even bought one of the first ambulance types I worked out of but later sold it...have thought about buying another if I find the right one ( was a hearse that converted to an ambulance, GREAT and REALLY fast cadillac with a HUGE engine!)... none of this for the street, they are my toys.

[Richard B the EMT]

Oops, forgot two specific calls:

I saw a car stopped on the Long Island Expressway, with the hood up, and lit up all the "E" lights on my stationwagon as I pulled in behind him.

Somebody swerved around me, but the person behind him hydroplaned and slammed into my car with such force, it hit the stalled out car, causing the stalled out driver to be injured. No other injuries, by the way. $4700.00 worth of damage repair to me, which, surprisingly, the insurance paid, instead of declaring my car a total loss.

Same vehicle, a year later. My Vollie Ambulance is parked parallel to the curb in front of quarters, and won't start. I pull alongside, in a traffic lane, on a local business street. 4 way flashers on, "E' lights on, cables hooked to the ambulance from my battery, and some damn fool peels out of the public parking lot about 50 feet to the south, and slams into my rear. One injury...ME. I don't remember how much the insurance company paid out for my vehicle repair this time.

The fool driving the car that hit me jumped out and started screaming at me as to how I cut him off (in a parked vehicle?) until he realised he was surrounded by Vollie Ambulance people in uniform, firefighters from Engine 268 and Ladder 137 of the FDNY, and 2 beat cops from the NYPD, all of which advised that idiot they had seen him hit my parked vehicle, with me in it, and a junior member almost hit by my car, driven forward by the impact. The only thing going good for that guy was his insurance policy, while still in effect, was due to expire the next day, and he hadn't renewed! My Vollies immobilized me, and transport to the hospital was done by a municipal ambulance.

[tniuqs]

Oops, forgot two specific calls:

.

Ok just me here, but maybe you need a new car?

Brilliant Yellow may be a good option? :shock:

[Richard B the EMT]

I replaced that brown 1984 Olds wagon with a red 1989 Toyota Corolla AllTrak wagon in 1989. That was replaced in turn by a loden green 1998 Chevy Venture minivan, which is still in use.

For continuation on that, try and find an old string on "What Do You Drive?"

[whit72]

I just do not understand the reasoning behind stopping at MVAs when you are off duty. Yes we all have an obligation, and its nice to read of the stories in the paper about the off duty EMS professional that saved a life. Its not so nice to read about of same off-duty person with a wife and three kids being killed or injured while he was attempting to render care in a situation he was not prepared or equipped to handle.

I have been nearly killed a few times at MVAs while on duty and thats with a ambulance with flashing lights, two or three engines with flashing lights, local police, state police, all with flashing lights. I cant understand the reasoning behind it. I might have an obligation, I also have an obligation to my family, not to be killed in a roadside accident that I have no business being at.

I don't take risks on duty, why would I ever take them while off duty.

I am not driven by the fear of litigation, however when you are not equipped and prepared as you are while on duty. You will mis-step and when every Tom, Dick and Harry with a cell phone equipped with a video camera is looking for the money shot, you should tread lightly. You might have the best interest of the pt at hand, however I can assure you the twelve-person jury of your peers in the civil suit also will, and they probably wont be driven by what your initial interests were.

So do yourself a favor stay in your car in the traffic and let the pt wait the five minutes for the on duty crew to arrive, just like everyone else has to.

I have paid accidental death and dismemberment premiums to long to let my insurance company off the hook by being killed while off-duty.