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Sorry babe, but I don't see the codes or the saves here. It sounds as if both kids improved with CPR and vents which likely makes these a bradycardic/respiratory issue more likely, and not cardiac. I don't mean to be a downer, but want to keep things real and in perspective for those new to the field. Dwayne

All right, I'm going to weigh in on this but if my thoughts are jumbled and and I'm not thinking very clearly, it's because I've got a lot of stuff on my mind right now. First of all, I'm all for smarter use of lights and sirens. Should we keep them? I think so. But should we run hot to every call? Heeeell no. AMI? Cardiac arrest? Difficulty breathing (tentatively)? Sure, those conditions MIGHT actually have a LITTLE clinical benefit from getting there a little bit sooner. But should we be speeding to get the patients to the hospital or running hot to the hospital with ANY patients? Honestly, no. Can anyone think of a single medical condition that would benefit to getting to the hospital two minutes sooner? I say two minutes because I think all of the studies I've read on running lights and sirens put two minutes on the high end of possible time saved from running hot. So, is there? First of all, let's ask ourselves, what's the WORST thing that can happen to the patient? Well, the worst thing is that they go into cardiac arrest, and you know what? We can treat that just as good in the back of the ambulance as they can in the ER. What else? Are there any conditions out there that will benefit from an extra two minutes? And if the patient is going to go into cardiac arrest within two minutes if they don't get to the hospital within that time frame, is there any definitive treatment that can be initiated and take effect within two minutes that we can reasonably believe will stave off cardiac arrest? In fact, is there any treatment that can be done only by in-hospital personnel that can be initiated and take effect and reasonably prevent a patient from going into cardiac arrest within, say, ten minutes? How about fifteen? Now when we get to the twenty or thirty minute mark, it becomes a little more reasonable, but that is not the kind of time we can expect to save from running hot unless we were driving seriously dangerously. Seriously, work it out in your heads. The clock starts ticking, this patient has twenty minutes to live, if you drive regular traffic you can get them to the hospital in in fifteen minutes, and being generous, let's say you can get them there in ten if you drive hot. What definitive treatment can be given in ten minutes? For ANY medical condition? Stroke, well they got to do a CT first to make sure it's not a bleed; AMI, no way they can cath 'em and reach the occlusion in ten minutes; trauma, won't see a surgeon have a guy open in under ten minutes starting from the ER doors; sepsis, antibiotics don't work THAT quick. The WORST thing that can happen to these patients is that they go into cardiac arrest, and we can treat that in the ambulance. However there is, to my knowledge (and if I'm wrong help me out), NO definitive treatment that can be given in the ER that we can't give in the truck that will mean the difference between life and death that can be undertaken in under ten or fifteen minutes. And the studies don't even indicate we can get THAT much time out of running hot, but they sure as hell say we can risk not only the patient's life but OUR lives as well from driving like madmen to the hospital.

Really? Really? This is your response? By that logic we should transport every pt on a longboard, just in case there is a crash.

I have a large pickle jar of $1 coins.. The local barber always gives me change in dollar coins. Mostly Kennedy coins, but some of the newer ones. Tonight, I bought a pack of smokes with a two dollar bill, three dollar coins and two pennies. The girl says, but you have a bunch of $20's, I can't accept these if you have something else? I asked to be shown a policy on types of payment. She showed me a sign that said "Cash, Credit or Debit. No checks". I said, it's cash. Grabbed the pack, and said.. $502, eh? You got it. She'll never speak to me again, but her's is a friendship that won't be much of a loss to me.