Chief1C

I'm still waiting to be taught how to use a SAM as a traction splint for a femur fx.

eBay is a true money saver for poor EMS. I bought four KED's on there, brand new, US Gov't. Surplus, $5 each. I've bought a lot of collectibles, EMS wise, but alot of good supplies, very cheap. Bulk items, cases, etc., pediatric boards. Things that we need, but really can't afford to buy MSRP. Bought some stuff for the WSAR Squad, a SKED, they're expensive, it was only $99, new in box. I like to pick out a few reputable sellers, and stick with them. But I'm always interested in a deal too.

If they're reselling medical equipment, they need a permit to do that. eg. "Reseller License" If they're selling controlled substances and devices, they need a permit and DEA License to do that. Consider in some cases, however, that it may be a family selling products left behind from the death of a post-surgical or cancer patient. This guy, sounds like one of those ZombieSquad ppl that buy crap just because they can. If you ever look close, even some of the most basic equipment we use, has "Federal Law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician". I just read it off the package of a Yankauer.

My worst call/scariest moment are combined. I don't try to talk about them, I fight my mind trying to go back to that night. Nope, can't do it. I would need a sedative to help me sleep tonight. I had a lot of sleepless nights after that, second guessed everything I did, looked behind myself twice in the dark, saw things that weren't there. Never trust even someone you've known all your life, when deep emotions mix with alcohol.

Really? Huh.. Even if the service didn't carry any, I keep separate insurance just in case I get mowed down, shot, get an infx, etc.. to cause death... in the line of duty. I believe I also have something for being a member of NAEMT.

That's not the fricken point. At least if you're on the ambulance, your family will get something when the rubbernecker kills you.

Fear of being killed by a rubbernecker?

I'm gonna use that... A bolus of oxygen.

The consumer, eg the public, see it as, why should everyone pay for one person's misfortune? Well, the services are there for anyone, but I don't see taxation as a well rounded fund raising scheme. They're going to tax the public to death, something that their schools probably already do. Our EMS owns all of the rescue equipment. Local taxes will fund firefighting efforts, but aren't slated for rescue from vehicles, high angle, etc. EMS, in the Commonwealth of PA, can't get tax funding, if they bill patients (that is the law, and if an agency is billing and getting taxes, it's being done illegally). So, we bill patients' insurance, if they need to be rescued. There's a flat fee, all the same, whether you're cut from car, or extracted (yes I meant to use that word) from the wilderness. That equipment is holy expensive, tens of thousands of dollars, expensive. Even if we don't get the full amount of the billed fee, a little each time helps build up for eventual replacement. Five years on hydraulic hoses, ten to twelve years on the tools, not including blades and cutters. One tax, for the fire service, and it should be so that they can do with it as they please.. As long as it's for equipment and operation, not including morale. They just have to work it into the current budget, and stop saying, well, lets add a couple more mils on to the tax log. That's one way to make the community hate you, cities and small towns alike.

Smoked in high school, quit, find it unappealing now. Never used snuff, chew, et al. That's just terribly unappealing. I tend to see a lot more people do it, the farther back in the sticks I get. Men, women, youth. It's their mouth, but I dislike someone spitting all over the ground. Or.. out the ambulance window, so it's splattered down the sides, or on the door.

If you want to feel pain, try that Stop QR Powder they sell in pharmacies! I ripped the side of my ankle open on a large antique resuscitator in the hall one night and had to use that s**t for the bleeding. Holy sock puppets batman, who stole the pink from my cheeks?

So, are you trying to jab me... or...

I know, I was being sarcastic. I believe it can be seen in text.

Foot fetish, eh? You hid his feet? Like that lady that stole the leg?

We'll use your shears then.

If it's a simple device to remove, then there would be no reason to cut it. If it's loose enough to get a shear blade under, maybe it's not tight enough?

Well, the nice thing is.. After a slight bout of near vagal syncope, the effect of eating a banana split (lactose int.), I have this thread to raise my BP and get some color back to my face. HA HA. I wouldn't want to ruin my shears with your socks, Lone.. But I can prolly get eight or ten pairs of gloves on, and gloves are cheaper to replace. HA HA HA

I doubt he has a KED in his medical bag. But the SAM II would fit, and it comes in OD. Used one a couple weeks ago, Medium Sling. Very useful, took away some of the pt's pain. I still wanna know how to make a traction splint, with a SAM. Literally. Like, with a video, that's something that I'll have to see to learn.

I guess it would depend on factors like, where we find the patient, what appears to have happened, degree of damage, age of the vehicle. The older the vehicle, the more damage, the greater the impact, sometimes. Nearest trauma center is about an hour and a half transport by ground, and about 45min to an ER. Not the kind of roads that make it safe to transport "emergent".

When I started in this, all of our apparatus, including the ambulances, had rotating beacon lights. Be it single lights, or Twin-Sonic lights. The ambulance had four single rotators on each corner of the box, and two larger beacons on the roof. I always remember that b/c we had a run one night during a bad storm. Just as the door went up, the power went out. Well, the doors used to release when there was no power, so you could push them up by hand. It came back down about 2", just enough to scrape these four lights clean off the roof. The holes were covered with garbage bags and duct tape the remaining months we had it. Now everything has LED bars, with either flash patterns, or LED rotators. You can get standard lightbars converted to LED. I believe it was Michigan State Police that just had the old fashion lights converted to LED. But it would be a shame to do that to an old four way rotator.

About nine years ago, I ran a really bad call that kinda got to me. I had some trouble sleeping for a good while, and I was prescibed a moderate dose of Ambien to help me get through the night. I took one. Wow. It caused me to hallucinate, slightly. I was seeing colors, and hearing things, like people talking to me, music. It was all so vivid. Someone came to stay w/ me till I went to sleep, and claimed that during my diatribe, I proclaimed I had discovered the meaning of life. I said "Life is who you are, and there's nothing more to it than that". Apparently. Maybe it's true. If there was no reason for our existance, we'd have ceased to be, long ago. Anything that lives and thrives, has a purpose. What is that purpose? Exactly. Maybe we're better off not knowing.

It's something for all kids, these ones just happened to be pink and black, with statements written on them in white. My generation had these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsyVuEANC6I

EMS Student Pet Peeve! Holy cow, nothing pisses me off more, than someone fudging the vitals. If they do it in the classroom, they'll do it in the field. I was the "patient" at a class several years ago. Every student, I was 120/80, Pulse 80, Resp. 16. First, I intentionally slowed my breathing to 10. Second, my pulse was running about a hundred because I had a cold/fever. Third.. My BP prolly went up, every time I blatantly knew they lied. Used to be, I ran 108/70 range. Anymore it's prolly 140/90. But when I hear someone say 120/80, I tell them to check it again on the other arm. But on the ambulance, I'd sooner do it myself, than rely on NIBP, just personal preference.

I spoke in video-voice chat with him on many occasions. I grew up in EMS, taught to value what senior providers had to offer. Which is why I consider myself a student for life. I don't think I'd be the provider I am today, if it weren't for folks like (Retread). I enjoyed our conversations very much. We may not ever meet each other, but each of us take away a little bond with the folks we get to know on here. I'll truly miss, Bill for his sense of humor, knowledge and advice.

I've laid out that your view is not the way it is, yet you continue on the tirade. Had my intentions been the way you assume, I'd deserve it. But it's a plain and simple misapprehension of motive. It is a public forum, knock yourself out. Oh, and by the way, the product uses the word Silly in it's brand title, that's not my words. I'm sure you'll hear about them soon enough, they look like something a child will choke on. I respect Wendy (ed) for her opinions and I value her knowledge, don't turn it against her. I caused a misunderstanding to occur, something that I apologize for, but won't lose any sleep over. Though, I find myself offended by another user, just slightly, I have thick skin.