Wags

Former probie last year in a neighboring company, talking to one of their senior members: "Jeez, I'm so strung out." "Why?" "I did like three grams of coke last night." "....." "Don't worry, it's not like I'd ever do it on shift." ...see ya.

Sonofabitch! My crew and I went for Applebee's tonight and sure enough, we got a cardiac arrest about 6 minutes after we left the garage. We ended up getting back to the food almost 4 hours later.

Well, the general rules seem to be that you should never go out for your food. Send someone to get it for you or have it delivered. To add fuel to the superstitious fire, I've had two cardiac arrests in the last two months that came within 10 minutes of my departure to pick up food. People also seem very sensitive to the words "slow" and "quiet". And if you're doing something important like changing an onboard O2 tank, or something fun like playing wiffle ball in the parking lot, never mention the lack of calls. This includes commentary in both a positive and negative light. "Thank goodness it's been slow so we can ____." is a killer.

We usually don't have the radios going in the rigs. We have XM Radio in the responders, though. So that's always a plus. Generally the rig airtime is reserved for radio bands, except when we're on the way back to quarters. The tones from Dispatch override the radio volume anyway, so we pump it up on the way back to the garage.

All they've listed are somewhat vague brand names. With the exception of Leathermans, which are pretty much the same, no one has given a specific model of tool.

Does anybody have a recommendation for a specific model of multi-tool or knife?

Here, after medical control consultation over the phone, if the MD requires that the pt be transported, they can be restrained by PD to be moved to the ambulance. Usually upon giving that option, pts opt for a voluntary ambulance ride.

I see. Haha yeah, that'd be me. The alternative is tedious and paperwork-ridden.

Could you provide a link of some kind? I'm not finding it on Google. Thanks.

I don't know how lax your district is, but in Suffolk LI we have strict protocols about RMA-ing patients. You need medical control approval with witness signatures and MD consultation. If a patient in my county had a sat in the 80s with eye swelling, they'd be in the hospital. That's incredibly lazy of him. And it's never the decision of an EMS provider to refuse treatment here. It's upon pt request.

One problem I find with buffing calls is that it sometimes leads to company instability. Regular members who buff calls, who aren't trying to get an accumulation of class time or another mandate, often find themselves resented by the rest of the company. A lot of people have a tendency to interpret that kind of behavior as extremely selfish and with a show-off mentality. And sometimes it's true.

I see. Thanks for the clarification.

Are "skell" and "bus" related to buff in meaning? I've only heard one medic in my district use it before.