Diabetic EMT/Paramedic

[Dustdevil]

I can tell you, as can probably many others who frequent the site, Dust was being kind. You haven't seen him mean spirited or disrespectful.

Exactly!

Hell, I didn't even deduct points for posting this in the wrong forum.

What more do you want from me? :?

[ERDoc]

Hell, I didn't even deduct points for posting this in the wrong forum.

What more do you want from me? :?

:laughing3:

[JPINFV]

Wow, just. wow. In California, you will not be issued an ambulance driving certificate [or any commercial drivers license fpr that matter] if you have insulin dependent diabetes. Heck, if you have a resting BP above 140 mm HG, you have, at most, a year and a quarter to lower it. If you're above 160, you only have a 3 month grace period to get it lowered and you have no grace period above 180. If you're tested between 140-179, you have to have a physical every year and twice a year if initially above 180.

[Dustdevil]

Wow, just. wow. In California, you will not be issued an ambulance driving certificate [or any commercial drivers license fpr that matter] if you have insulin dependent diabetes.

Child molesting = good.

Diabetes = bad.

I hate Kalifornia. :roll:

[JPINFV]

^

That's why life's so good behind the Orange Curtain. Working on an ambulance requires both an EMT-B cert [which could be any county] and a "Ambulance Attendant License [specific to OC]." No way around the background check here.

[asrnj77]

http://www.diabetes.org/uedocuments/CDL080105.pr.pdf

Interesting article about the SAFETEA-LU act where insulin dependent diabetics are now allowed to get CDL's for interstate trucking. (above)

Another little tidbit relating to diabetic paramedics below:

On February 3, 2000, Mr. Michael Day filed a charge with the EEOC, charge No.

281 A0 0442, alleging that North Kansas City discriminated against him on the

basis of disability in violation of the ADA. Specifically, Mr. Day alleges

that he met or exceeded the qualifications for a firefighter/paramedic vacancy

at the North Kansas City Fire Department but he was rejected for the position

because he has insulin-dependent diabetes. The undisputed facts show that at

the end of the testing and interview process Mr. Day was the top-ranked

applicant and had been approved for employment as a firefighter/paramedic by

North Kansas City's own medical examiner. At the time he applied, Mr. Day was

working as a firefighter/paramedic at the neighboring South Metro Fire

Department.

On March 23, 2000, the EEOC issued its determination that there was reasonable

cause to believe that the North Kansas City Fire Department had violated the

ADA. The EEOC found that the North Kansas City Fire Department had violated

the ADA by requiring Mr. Day to undergo a medical examination prior to a

conditional offer of employment and that it also failed to hire Mr. Day

because of his disability. After conciliation efforts between the North Kansas

City and the EEOC failed, the EEOC referred Mr. Day's charge to the Department

of Justice with a recommendation that it file suit.

The ADA applies to North Kansas City because it is a person within the meaning

of 42 U.S.C. § 12111(7) and an employer within the meaning of 42 U.S.C. §

12111(5)(a).

The United States alleges that North Kansas City violated Title I of the ADA

by failing to hire Mr. Day, a qualified individual with a disability, based

upon his disability, Insulin Dependent Diabetes.

Lastly this one relates to the infamous California "Ambulance Driver Certificate" This is an excerpt that I had to retype so please excuse the errors.

"At a hearing before Administrative Law Judge Judith Castro, Larabee argued that denying Garrison a certificate constituted unlawful discrimination in violation of both state and federal law. The Supreme Court recently ruled that each person must be looked at individually to decide if he or she has a disability. We argued that this same rationale applied to determine if an individual was capable of performing a given job. Sarah Garrison, like anyone else, should be treated as an individual. Judge Castro who was not knowledgable about diabetes, listened to Garrison explain how she injected insulin and how that insulin, along with good nutrition, helped to keep her diabetes in control. The hearing itself lasted far longer than expected, but before they left the judge shook hands with Sarah and gave her a big smile, Larabee recalls. Three months later on December 12th, Garrison received her second letter from the DMV. This one was cause for celebration. The DMV admitted that its refusal to issue an Ambulance Driver Certificate "is not warranted".

[AMESEMT]

Thanks all for the advice and help. So I heard from the company and they rescinded their offer because the occupational health doctor basically (shortening what he said) has a blanket ban on all diabetics that come through, he does not look at it on a case by case basis even if the individual has a Federal Exemption or other documentation from the endocrinologist in favor of the person driving. It looks like the search continues for a job in EMS.

Paramedicmike, yea, I understand that driving an ambulance and being a certified EMT/Paramedic are not linked. But my point was that those individuals who are certified are trusted with people's lives more directly (due to patient care) compared to just driving the ambulance. Don't get me wrong, driving an ambulance is a big responsibility too, but I believe pt. care is a bigger responsibility in the scheme of things and hopefully if someone is trusted with people's lives, they would be trusted to drive, but probably not always the case. (Note: This view comes from me having to jump through a few hoops and a little extra paperwork to even start the EMT and soon the paramedic programs). Sorry if the comparison did not come out right (sounded better in my head I hope you are understanding what I am getting at.

Oh, and this for me is no hobby. I love EMS still and I hope that I will continue to enjoy and love it in the future. I am bound and determined to do what it takes to stay in this field and to get an employer that will hire me. I am almost done with college and I have found that this is my passion, my career in life.

Now, I have been told by I think two people or so that I need a thicker skin. My reply, is this: Like I told DustDevil, it is all in presentation and how you go about saying things. On forums it is so hard to the the right tone across, and I understand that. Many of you know each other fairly well and have history with this site. I just ask, keep in mind, us new people don't know any of you and have no history here so we do not know your regular posting attitude. I will admit, when I read the posts I try and figure out the attitude they are suppose to convey (funny, serious, angry, etc.) in addition to the message. I am new here and still learning, mainly the attitudes of people normally and how they come across. As I meet more people and get to know those I have already met I will probably...most likely...change my views to those you which many have now. DustDevil, I am sure you are and kind and helpful person and this is just one of those times I did not see that clearly. I am sure that I will come to realize it in future posts. Hopefully you don't think I am too much of a.....horse's rear..(putting it nicely) and forgive me if I was.

Everyone, thanks again for your posts and I am sure I will see everyone around here in the future.