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In the imortal words of Bill Angvale Heres your sign...........

Flaming: Your missing the point of "just in time" discussion. Cardiac arrests are typically less than 1% of total call volume, and actual ROSC far less than that, yet how much training do we do to save the life of a stranger? I would argue that the lives of those we know is worth at least equal attention. Now, the purpose of this is not to boo hoo the topic, or to shock and awe a rookie into compliance with P&P, its to generate discussion in real time and among our peers followed by "critical self review". Why? Because I believe that "just in time" 10-15 minute reviews save more lives than any merit badge course or P&P out there, that small-unit peer-led training (in what ever discuise you want to take it)is as useful as a refresher course...and that hopefully these discussions will refill the "gut feeling" tank enough that someone somewhere will wait that extra second, take that extra step , that saves their ass or their partner's ass. Thats why I posted it. Now in a perfect world, we would all go back and on our next shift casually say..."Hey did you hear about that paramedic..." and see where the discussion takes you. If your an FTO, hand one of these articles to your intern and say "Hey, did you hear about..." and guide the discussion a bit If your the captain you would casually say over the breakfast table to your crews..."Hey..did you hear about"..and push the discussion a bit.. As Gordan Graham would say..."Every day a training day"

Scene Safety needs to be taught & re-taught, continually discussed & addressed. It can't be just something that is a critical point in our Patient Assessment Practical. We need to pay attention at all times. Anticipation, preparation, and awareness is the key to Scene Safety. It needs to be reassessed constantly. However, it is impossible to predict every act of violence, no matter how prepared you are...

LMFAO: Frustration would be the PC term and as you know that is so NOT in my grumpy old man vocabulary. One of my best friend's and personal advisors is an EMR (although he never CALLS ME !) but thats so NOT the point, it is not a power issue its a realistic rational thought process. Question: Do you have a LPN as the President of the AARN ? Do you have a President RN of the ACSP. Do you have a Dental Assistant President of the Dental Hygienist College ? The future in regulation and scope SHOULD be ones that have that scope and experience, to look forward into the future of prehospital care medicine. The leaders that have actually had to insert large bore IVS into a central vein, give drugs that could kill a living human being, decompress a Pneumo thorax, individuals that have had to decide to commit a human to Life Support, or when to push a clot busting drug and weight the benefit. This in the back of an gut wagon / aircraft. Do you see where I am going with this ? An EMR with a background in the "so called safety industry" is NOT the right background and it is a conflict of interest. YOU have WORKED in the government mandated, Industrial EMS, yes the unwashed and unregulated, never to be inspected for registration cards or inspected to carry the required ALS or BLS equipment ... but to count the safety pins in the OH+S level 3 kit ? To be dictated and controlled by sub contracted NCSO .... haven't you ? <cough> Catch this: The latest move by Transport AB is to "permit" the transport of the sick and injured by MTC on highways provided they have a coathanger for roll bar protection of all occupants in the back of a camper ! btw our overseers were never consulted oddly enough AHS thinks this is a great idea ? So tell me again what is the Ambulance Services Act for then ? Are workers NOT members of the general public should Corporate Industry set standards for Private but mandated government (OH+S level Health Care ? ... oh so don't get me going with that hypocrisy ! I digress. Question: 1-With this so called open, transperant "operation" did you hear anything about this Federal Grant application and besides far beyond provincial health care jurisdiction or mandate, or just like me the announcement in awarding of the federal grant moneys and acceptance ? meh see "UPSTART" in PAC statement. It certainly appears to undo 10 years of federal lobbying besides generating a huge rift across Canada, just saying. excerpt from Presidents of PAC statement OCT 2010: http://www.paramedic.ca/Content.aspx?ContentID=12&ContentTypeID=1 read entire statement, in link. PLEASE Volunteer: help us establish a Canadian exam bank" but oddly enough they got a 1.2 million dollar fund for this ? soooo just where did that go ? One can only wonder if this imply's that the existing exam bank for registration in this province is out of date ? PROBLEM: HOW can this current (bylaw 5.5.1.2) be accomplished, hiding behind privacy laws as there is no realistic mechanism in place. I dare suggest if this was tabled on the floor of the AB legislature there would be some seriously heated debate! With the "closed" access to converse or even contact any member in good standing is IMHO simply a control mechanism. It is impossible to impliment bylaw 5.5.1 for "special meeting" as presently one can not contact any member in good standing (let alone 10%)...like say just off the top of my head discuss the start up of the: ASSOCIATION FOR ADVOCACY OF ALBERTA EMS PROVIDERS AAA AEMS it would put it at the top of the list in a goggle search ... comments ? NOPE WAY TOO LATE, been there tried that, read the new bylaws and look to the history of the PAC incident, the council and registar can overthrow any motion VOTED on and PASSED by the membership, and throw out a council member that disagrees ... got to love democracy in action. BTW take 2 busloads of Paramedics and there will be no BEER left in Red Deer.. j/k but take 30 bus loads of Paramedics and CAF, and RCMP ERT team would be put on standby ! At this point in the movie: I am forced to include a notable quote (from memory) from Past President Paramedic Bill Coghill @ 2010 AGM and its in the minutes. Madam Registrar: The silence you are HEARING ... is DEAFENING. I sure enjoyed the presentation of the sweeping bylaw changes @ the AGM 2009, the rationale being: and I quote: housekeeping issues and were presented 24 hours (at most) at the AGM, as well as the budget this certianly does't allow much time to review the numbers or the all implications (proven now) see annie emt post reguarding that "budget" with her background in finances, I do trust her judgement far more. Then the twisted survey results to "inform the public about the regulatory bodies role" here I thought the questions posed was to promote the profession in its entirety, but survey says: 12 G cost to justify the "councils" goals ... but a refusal to release to membership the comments and that only about 1000 (who knows) respondents out of possible 7000 ... weird eh ? In Closing the Independent MLA Dr. Raj Sherman and the now the entire opposition parties in the legislature plus the AMA state adamantly suggests their does exist a culture of intimidation in vast majority of components with the present AB health care system and oddly enough calling for a independent investigation. I also agree, besides the fact I personally have written PROOF that anyone daring to challenge any council goals are subject to action. btw A copy is in the hands of interested MLAs and Dr. Rajs Shermans favourite Lawyer We need a new government in Alberta before any advancement in the profession is possible, for that matter health care and in its entirety as simply throwing money at a problem without intelligent input by field level stakeholders is simply not working and by very definition ... ECONOMIC INSANITY. <late edit and side bar:> Ok so for those working in the new improved AHS system that was projected to cost 110 million and now estimated at 480 million and no where near completed. Is the public better off ? Is the Dispatch system better ? Is there an improved coverage model for rural Alberta ? Are you practising improved prehospital care medicine and within your registration scope ? Are you actually working / assisting part of the team in rural ERs ? (as past health minister Liepert promised) Are you happy that our fee taking body is actually providing any continuing education like MEDICAL ? Are you pleased with the 3 wize men like Sxxxx, Sxxxxxx, and Lxxx being the ONLY Medical Directors and guidelines are now strict adherence to the cook book ? Do you believe that vision of "improved utilization" in the urban environment model actually works? Were you at AHS EMS issued a lawn chair for hallway medicine ? Just like the Provincial Conservatives have done with all the health care issues, throw gobbs of money at a problem, yet never solve the problem, but make it more complex.(see ECONOMIC INSANITY above) Unsolicited advice: If you have any idea's to improve the system, write your MLA and carbon copy to any member of the opposition .. it just keeps things honest is all. btw this post is bcc'ed to members of opposition parties. cheers <hands over soap box, time for a nap>

I appreciate your concern, but how many millions of EMS calls were run this week, and we had 5 problem calls....................................................... just saying.