firedoc5

Welcome. Don't hesitate to ask questions and read the posts of just about anyone here. You'll figure it out.

Just jump right in. You can learn just about everything about EMS here. From rookies to the "old guard" everthing is discussed. BTW: Welcome, have fun.

I'm usually saying "Bah, humbug lovingly to you and yours". But that's just me. Keep Christ in Christmas.

All this reminds me of the movie "Mother, Jugs, & Speed".

You said "working as an EMT", but were you Certified as an EMT at 16? Not questioning you, but just wondering.

It's the big thing you see at harvest time. They usually have a "paddle wheel" on the front end for grains, or a wide forked like thingy for corn. :wink:

I had that same reaction to Compazine. But I had severe muscle spasms widespread. Actually Phenergan makes me hallucinate. So both those are listed as allergies for me. So I'm usually given Visteril, which I've not had a problem with. *Note to all. Do not give Visteril IV. It's like having a nail driven into your arm. But most places to instruct IM only.

That's what I was thinking. The legs are probably very close to already being dismembered. Might just have to cut some muscle and tendons. The bones you may not have to cut. I think everyone else has already said all that you can do for him. I grew up playing on and around farm equipment, and operating them. My best friend's father was a farmer of many, many acres of diverse crops. So I was able to see how combines worked. And other types of augers. There are Farm Machinery Extrication classes around. At one time it was like a next step as an ERT. It's a class that I would recommend. Also Heavy Equipment classes if you are in a rural setting on near an Interstate.

In IL it's 18 to be certified, but you could be at least 17 1/2 to take the class and test. That's what I did. I made my first actual call the day before my 18th birthday. The state allowed me the one day so our coordinator could have a full schedule. She was tight with the area director so she was able to pull the strings. So literally I was the youngest in the state at one time. It was fun. Did my first code nine days later.

I have always favored back ground checks on those testing for either state or national certification. A sex offender may be able to take the class, but when it comes to testing there should also be a back ground check to prevent them from taking the test and becoming certified. Also, employers need to be more alert to the possible sex offender that may have gotten certified. There was only one I know of personally that got nailed. And he was the last person you would have expected. I worked with a lot of creepy appearing people and those that just didn't seem "quite right". But this guy was a Medic that I had worked with, taught, even went bowling with the guy a few times. It wasn't until right after he got his Paramedic and moved south that he did what he did. We heard it on the news and couldn't believe it. I thought maybe since he was now working in a college town there might have been some co-ed that mistaken his actions. But he confessed to it. I don't know if I was more disappointed or p!ssed at the time. I think he got 3-5 yrs in prison. I won't go into detail of what he did, but it was bad.

I wonder if it's too late to apply for something like that. :-k

"Hold On Loosely" - Bad Co.

Take it from someone who was once the youngest certified EMT in the state of IL. You're going to get that, be prepared for more unfortunately. One of the main things is to keep a cool head about it. You need to show maturity beyond your age and have better than average skills. Don't give anyone any reason to doubt your education and skills. Show a lot of initiative. And most important (at least to me), don't give anyone the satisfaction of getting to you or to slow you down. Relax, still have fun with it when you can. And a partner like that, he shouldn't have been paired with you. Or you with him...which ever. But you'll get that in almost any job.

It's just another example of people like "dirty laundry". And the good that is done is taken for granted and not cared about.

This is one of my problems that forced me out of Fire/EMS. I don't know if it's the same with her, but I'll keep quiet of the two things I'm thinking about. On top of my problem, I did have menengitis in 2000. Talk about bad. Ask whether or not she had ever heard her mother say that it was a difficult birth when she was born.

DITTO In our area we have coal mines. A lot of "black lungers", including the owner of the ambulance service I worked for before getting on the FD. Because of that we were instructed on COPD and SOB's more than what you would in an average EMS system. And for some reason, we had a lot asthma pt.s it seemed like, including myself. If it wasn't for my Combivent inhaler I wouldn't have had the career I did. We were all too familiar with knocking out someone's resp. drive, to bag and/ or intubate.

"Lola" - The Kinks

Depends on location. If inside a private residence, we leave them alone. Call for the coroner (10-79). A lot of times just a phone call to the coroner and give the same info as other's here have already stated so I won't repeat. Coroner, especially if he knew who you were and he trusted your judgement would give instructions. We had a few Deputy Coroners on the FD and with the private service in our city so it was likely that at least one of them would be on the call anyway. But if out in public, the Coroner always came out, especially if trauma of any kind was present. Most of the time our Coroner was a Doc so he was able to process the body itself quicker than most, at least in our area. We would cover with the thinnest sheet(s) we had so it was lightly on the body. After Coroner was done used body bag, including the sheet in case of any transfer. And yes, the ambulance, which also had agreements with most of the funeral homes for body transports/ transfers, would transport if asked to by the FH Director. And they got paid for it.

It's no different than a Rescue Squad vehicle not used for patient transport, or like a Rescue Pumper. But we did have a private service that did do all the transport. We did have a Type III ambulance that we could transport in, but only in extreme cases. I can count on one hand that we had to do that. So I don't know what the big deal is.

Yep, that's how it works. You show just a hint of initiative they'll nail ya.

Welcome aboard this roller coaster. Great that you are on a busy service. Going west coast to east coast must have been a culture shock at first. What had you go to NJ? Seattle has/ had one of the best EMS programs at one time. I've done the photography too. Not the other two that much.

Howdy right back at ya. Good to see you again, Owley. It's about time.

I know the feeling quite well. I ran my first call the day before my 18th birthday. The state gave me the one day so our coordinator could have a full schedule. I took my EMT test about five weeks before. Within nine months I became a squad leader. That didn't go over too well with some. Two months later I got my first paying job. That's what got me on the fast track to Paramedic. So take your time. Opportunity will knock. As for your age, and some people not liking it, don't worry. If you show enough initiative and good skills they'll come around. Just don't give them any reason or "ammunition" to put you down. Relax, I know if can get frustrating. And I know the "trauma junkie" feeling quite well also. More power to ya.

Hey, I resemble that remark. Or at least use to.

More power to ya. Everyone needs a goal in life.