Solution to NJ EMS problem?

[ghurty]

I know I am relatively new at this, but in my “real” life I do corporate efficiency troubleshooting, so this is my free analysis of what needs to be done to fix NJ’s EMS (the BLS part that is, ALS is a whole different issue). I might not have all the facts, so I may be off on some issues. I Also Remember, I am a volunteer as well, so my point of view may be a little biased.

I have to type this in secret or else a hit might be put out on me :glasses7:

The way it is set up now is completely broken. With some squads, the duty night crew doesn’t stay in the building, they go home for the night, and if a call goes out then they go running. But this meens that there is a minimum of about 5 minutes from the time 911 call is placed until a rig will go into service. This is completely unacceptable. I know I enjoy helping out and answering calls, but there is no reason why patients should have to suffer because of that.

First and foremost every link in the 911 chain has to be regulated. As everyone else is saying, do away with the FAC, as long as they are around, it would be too big of a political football to manage to get any normal legislations passed.

I don’t think we should do away with volunteers completely. They are useful (to an extent that is). Towns should have paid squads, but there can be a volunteer supplement to help with surges. For example in one town I know, they currently have two paid ambulances on the road during the day. The town is also covered by three volunteer squads. When a call goes out, the volunteer squads can take or the paid guys can. Normally it is not busy enough for the paid squad to have more than two ambulances in service, but sometimes you have a surge in call volume, and in that case a third one would be necessary. But no way would bean counters be able to justify having three paid ambulances running. So you should have it that the volunteers are still around, and they will be able to help out. They can also (some of them that is) act as first responders, being that they are spread all about, an individual can go to the scene and begin treatment until the paid squad can get there. In some rural areas this would be a great help.

BUT each of the vollys don’t need to have four ambulances. A maximum of two (one in reality) would be enough. Also if they are all serving the same town, they should be incorporated into one squad, as a matter of fact they should even be an extension of the paid squad. (I think the fireballs from heaven just missed me :blob6: ). This will save money and help with regulation and safety.

This will allow volunteers to keep on helping out, (and letting some them play with their blue lights) but will still insure that there is adequate coverage. I think that would be the best of both worlds.

[Asysin2leads]

That's all nice ghurty, but how about we just cut to the chase and close down the volunteer squads, replace them with competent, dedicated, crews, and call it a night? That should just about solve it. So long as New Jersey's volunteer system remains in place, people will suffer when they call 911. There is no getting around it.

[Chief1C]

Never mind. Why waste the server space.

[ghurty]

That's all nice ghurty, but how about we just cut to the chase and close down the volunteer squads, replace them with competent, dedicated, crews, and call it a night? That should just about solve it. .

Eventually yes, but as I stated earlier, no town is going to want all the additional expenses of having enough paid ambulances on the road to cover surges. So the vollys can be around to help out as backup. They dont need to be their own squads, they can be an extension of the regular paid crews. Also the more I think about it, the vollys should act more as First Responders (this will help greatly in rural areas) they shouldn't really have their own rigs, rather just go directly to the scene, and start care until the paid guys can get there.

[mediccjh]

NEW RULE FOR THIS THREAD:

There will no use of the word "RIG." This is supposed to be a professional thread on how to fix NJ's EMS problem, and the use of the word "RIG" is about as unprofessional as being called an ambulance driver.

Dean Asystole, you are in charge of enforcing the rule. And charging toll to leave this thread, since you have to pay to get out of NJ anyway.

[akflightmedic]

NEW RULE FOR THIS THREAD:

There will no use of the word "RIG." This is supposed to be a professional thread on how to fix NJ's EMS problem, and the use of the word "RIG" is about as unprofessional as being called an ambulance driver.

Dean Asystole, you are in charge of enforcing the rule. And charging toll to leave this thread, since you have to pay to get out of NJ anyway.

Relax...it is no more silly than you calling the rig a bus and saying you did 12 "jobs" instead of calls or runs.

Its a geographical thing that isn't ever going to change, so just accept it or ignore it, and move on.

Quite frankly, it seems only the people from the north east practice the silly name calling of bus and jobs.

[mediccjh]

Relax...it is no more silly than you calling the rig a bus and saying you did 12 "jobs" instead of calls or runs.

Its a geographical thing that isn't ever going to change, so just accept it or ignore it, and move on.

Quite frankly, it seems only the people from the north east practice the silly name calling of bus and jobs.

Yes, and all the silly people from the rest of the nation call it a RIG.

I can get into the bus/job debate if you really, really want.

Relax Flyboy, it was in humor. You now owe me a Guinness, or I'll crash my bus into your rig. The bus wins.

[Asysin2leads]

There was an entire thread on the whole is it a rig/bus thing a while back. Just to refresh everyone's memory:

RIG:

BUS:

MEATWAGON:

AMBULANCE:

[Ridryder 911]

How ironic, to see the meatwagon next to a fire engine...

R/r 911

[Michael]

And just to confuse things, relevantly.