TOPDOGEMT

Well a note about this issue. The state has released protocols for 2008 from EMT-f to CC EMT-P suprisingly they are very well written and cover most situations. The real test will be how many agencys adopt them. Back to my original question though. How many of you work in a district/county/city/state with multiple agencys that operate under the same protocols and if so how well does it work? there are understandably differences in areas, training levels etc. but in my opinion an EMT-B on the west side of the city should be doing the same thing as an EMT-B on the east side. Call me crazy. I AM NOT TURNING THIS INTO A MEDIC VS EMT ISSUE!!!!!!! it is simply an operations question.

ya know your malicious remarks are not constructive i merely asked a question did not ask to be bashed. I am a professional EMT with 10 years experience the last of which as training officer, I work with some really great people paramedics and basics, if you don't have something constructive to add please refrain from replying to my posts.

Well let me explain a little better, We cover a national park and "park medics" (EMT-I 85) that are allowed to go out of NREMT scope for there level because they are on federal land, ie; an intermediate giving MS and requesting a BLS ambulance. Or never knowing which service can provide what care prior to our arrival. I think it would be beneficial to pt care if everybody was playing with the same deck of cards. don't you?

I work in an are that has 19 ambulance services, 43 fire departments and one helicopter, it would seam that each and every service has a different set of protocols. My question is how do other areas handle this issue and has anybody had success on correcting the situation? thanks in advance.

I 100% agree with you. Its my personal opinion that when you turn on lights and sirens you become responsible for yourself and each and every other idiot on the road. As for intersections controlled or not our policy is that the rig needs to be able to stop in 50 feet in other words you should crawl through an intersection. According to local highway patrol officers, if you are involved in an accident while driving code three be prepared to tell a jury of 12 people why you were driving that fast or why you didn't see the other guy. Bottom line watch your tail and be able to justify your actions.

I guess I didn't make my self clear. We are an ALS service prior to the helicopter's arrival we have iv access, 12 lead done, pt packaged for transport, and usually the proper treatment started. I believe that a helicopter is requested, it is not for just the higher level of care it is for rapid transport due to the pt's condition. For a flight crew to take more than the golden ten minutes on scene can be detrimental to the pt's outcome. Please don't take this personal it is a local problem that we have here and I hope that some day for our community's benefit it is resolved soon. We do have one of the first helicopter services in the country here and for the most part I as well as most other responders are very proud of them. By the grace of God we have only had one "crash" in 30 years and nobody was seriously injured. Sorry for getting off on a tangent but I thought I should explain myself.

Allow me to sound off on this topic, The service that I work for started in 1964 as a BLS volunteer service, in 2001 we went ALS but still volunteer backed up by a service 20 miles away along with a helicopter. 2 years ago we finally went fully paid. We cover about 5000 square miles ( not a type o its really five thousand) we have multiple volunteer services in our area, quick response units, fire departments and other ambulance services. I could not imagine doing my job without the volunteers getting to the scene prior to our arrival. Even if you feel they don't know the score or are in the way, remember everybody starts someware. In our area in peticular I would wager that 90% or more of all of our responders either are volunteer or started out that way. Sorry if this sounds like a rant but I deal with a areomedical service here that tends to get a little pig headed on scene and refuses to listen to a report from somebody that has been with the pt for 20 minutes waiting for there arrival. If you dont like the situation and you can't change it then change your attitude about it.