Leaderboard

While I sympathize with families and victims of violent crime. As an EMS provider with twenty plus years of experience I can tell you that I have seen lots of violence over the years and in most cases there was either a behavioral health issue or a substance abuse issue that lead to the violence. So before we go taking away people's civil liberties and civil rights I think we need to look at the real issues including the lack of access to affordable behavioral health and primary care services and a lack of funding for things such as programs for at risk youth, grants to hire more school counselors, grants to hire more police officers in schools, drug abuse and mental health education programs for communities, families and schools and improved disaster education and response programs for communities and schools.

I could not disagree more. Your situation is exactly why I do not auto-dispatch If I stop to render aid, I am willing to do only what I am willing to do. It is not all or nothing when i'm off duty. I don't carry an ALS monitor (or even AED) nor do I carry ANY drugs. Where do you draw the line? RSI? Cric? starting I.V.s? Carry spinal equipment? Pacer? Nope, I am offering to open an airway, start chest compression only CPR, stop major bleeding, and call for help. Biggest thing I can do is prevent further injury from bystanders or elements. Besides that.... How big is your car? Carry 02? LP12? Full trauma kit? IV supplies? Spinal gear? Where do you put your passengers?

Well as of today I am nationally registered. I did pass. Somehow. My director has started working on state stuff to get me on the schedule as an EMTnext week. UUsually only takes a few days to get licensed in Iowa. .. so I did it!