Christopher.Collins

Im guessing that The Stig is admin... but since no one knows who The Stig really is, I guess I just came full circle.

Fiz, you wear the cranberry shirt and your not on a Crew shift you have your choice of psych or dialysiss runs. Wait no, DISPATCH has your choice of pysch or dialysiss. I was happy when I went to Crew. Of course you wear the blue shirt... so you probably know what freedom is like? You know, to not be ruled under Nazi dictatorship.

Thanks for the story spenac, Im reminded of an interesting day I had a few weeks back. Im driving down Ocean Ave. past my old apartment in New London, theres an SUV in front of me and an SUV behind me. This road is residential... RITZY hoity toity residential.... you know, where theres like no trees or woods... suburbia type. Anyways, a huge buck runs out in front of the SUV in front of me, slams into it and flips over the hood tearing off some of its antler, gets up and runs off. I slam on my breaks cuz as is I was following a bit too close, and watch my mirror to make sure the guy behind me wont hit me. Would you freaking believe it a deer runs in front of him and he slams into it also. Ive lived in woodsy areas and never seen deers this big, and after about 8 months living in that area had never seen deer in that area once. So I warn the neighbors to bring in any kids and animals they might have and stay inside and check on both drivers then take off. About 15 minutes later Im back on the same road and come to an intersection only to then witness a kid get hit by a car. I mean what the hell, 2 deer strike in 5 seconds and then a kid a little later. Hell of a day it was. Im glad I moved out of New London.

If I had a nickle for every bird I hit last summer with an ambulance in the course of one week / shift rotation, Id be a rich man. Of course, Id request a bonus of a few dollars for the one I brought back to base stuck in the lightbar :twisted:

Not to get too far off track... its kinda the same subject but not... but I really dont get that whole, if your born on US soil your a citizen. I think that law needs to be changed and many need to be deported.

Take it... I like teaching and working with newbies. Maybe someday Ill get an instructor cert. Im leaving behind a AUTOGRAPHED pic of Jeter and Arod spooning in bikini's... just to see if it gets a taker lol. Plus I have no need or reason to have such a pic

Good question... do I NEED critical calls? I want to say no... and to be honest I love doing "routine" fyi I hate that word calls... and most of all I love pyschiatric/etoh/drug type runs also. I love the calls where you can just sit and talk to your patients... perhaps I should be a shrink instead? But I do like to mix things up, granted no two patients will ever be the same even if the chief complaint is. I like the occasional multi-patient MVA, cardiac arrests, falls, GSWs and assaults etc.... but I dont need to be balls to the wall to be happy either. These type of calls means someone having a really bad day, and while Im there to help, Im not God. edit: Also... critical calls and busy shifts = lots more paperwork. I recall a former co-worker (an EMTB mind you) who had a day like the above mentioned. Didnt catch one break.... by the end of the shift she still had 8 PCRs to complete. Think she wound up leaving about 1 1/2 hours late, for paperwork alone. another edit: Damn, I hate remembering/forgetting things. Best thing about "routine" calls... is the interaction. I think there is can be just as much to learn from someone whos AAOx3 as someone in cardiac arrest. Hell, I learned more my first month working for a private sector agency than I did the prior 5 years of running 9-1-1's with a volly agency.

Yea no kidding... Ive heard through a buddy in Texas that some pregnant women cross the border just before or while they are in labor. Sick world eh? Damn stipulations.

Wow, I couldnt possibly agree more with this statement. When my mother-in-law passed away in the hospital a few weeks back... we all, myself included felt that nothing was done. After a little research on my own time my wife and I were at rest with her passing, and was able to help put the family at better rest as well. Because the hospital truley exhausted all possibilities in care. And this was a woman of only 52 years old. Trust me, theres a huge difference in not knowing, and knowing that everything that could be done WAS done. It was unfortunate to experience... but I feel its matured me as a healthcare provider, and as a compasionate human being.

On that note I have to ask... what is one to do when they quite litterally cant afford to go to a walk-in-medical center? (This isnt really my personal situation... just a scenario): Say for instance I make minimum wage... and dont get bennefits. The job market is crap and no matter what I do I can not find a better job, nor can I afford indapendant insurance (whatever its called where you take out a polocy outside work). Maybe I have some other mouths to feed also? Now I get sick or hurt... but not seriously enough that it needs to be treated right away... but all doctors offices and clinics want $200 up front to do anything. Im a hard working American, doing the very best I can to support my family... perhaps I do get insurance but I havnt been their long enough... or it dosnt cover my family. I guess my point/question is... even if someone isnt purposley abusing aid/welfare/etc.... they are truley working the best and hardest they can, is it wrong they go to the ER? I know that the point is many people who DONT need to go, whether they can afford it or their just to dumb and/or lazy to realize, will go anyways and it happens on a large scale that it crowds ED's. But is it wrong for someone whos trying to make due but cant.... to go to the ED for treatment, possibly waste a bed for a true emergency, and not knowing if they will ever be able to pay the bill when it comes... all because they cant make a co-pay or down payment at a regular office? Even if they truley try to make ends meet financially.

Hopefully putting out of business, agencies that hire people that others wont (for a reason). This could be both benneficial and bad at once though... if I never put on the cranberry uniform Id never have gained the experience I have now... on the same token, Ive seen people there who shouldnt have a drivers license much less a public health one.

Well fizz I wore a cranberry shirt if that means anything to you :oops: :roll: And yea its based in a city. As far as the local agency that dosnt take their own calls... I wont mention their name at all. Mostly 1 cuz its my personal opinion and does not reflect that of my former co-workers and 2 cuz outside of this I dont know anyone well enough to make further judgement. Reading what I just wrote sounds kinda snotty... but please know that Im not trying to be.

Well Richard in regards to your post I bring back something Ive mentioned when I first joined this site. An unnamed ambulance company that litterally ignored specific calls and requested mutual aid so they can keep their rig in town. I understand that an ETOH may not nessecarilly be an emergency BUT unless EMS is on scene to assess the patient whos to say otherwise? Even with advanced EMD systems today, Joe-Bystander isnt always ganna know if its ETOH or diabetic. The commercial agency I worked for covered all psych, ETOH and most nursing home calls in said town. Our base was about 15 minutes out (20-25 given traffic). Any time called there there was no EMS or first responders... ok occasionally there was a cop but still not always. Whos to say a psychiatric call isnt an emergency? I had a nervous breakdown once and even though I had no intent of doing harm to anyone the hospital still treated as a risk to myself... any potential weapon or object that could do me or another harm was taken away from me. Thats a pretty high standard, and I believe in it. Its partly about liability if you want my honest opinion. A 15 minute delay in care.... could easily cost someone unnesscarry injury or even death. All because the local agency, often without someone on scene to determin need, wants to pick and choose calls. ~~ Heres another example... you pick up Suzie Q every other day for various complaints. Shes a sweet elderly woman who dosnt mean any harm, just very lonley. Maybe her family wants nothing to do with her. Shes complained of minor chest pains in the past which usually eleviates on your arrival or during transport... maybe you stop hooking her up to the monitor after so many times and/or dispatch stops sending you Code 3 (Ive seen it with frequent flyers). But one day you get there and its for real, your totally off guard, went into her house without your equipment because she usually walks right out with you, and now shes in cardiac arrest. Youve already wasted precious time crossing town with the flow of traffic. What now? ~~ One thing that absoloutley bothers me in this line of work is the use of the word "routine." I HATE that word and will sooner start asking everyone if its been quiet, or start saying, "slow day huh?" Ive had "routine" non-emergent transports go bad, and Im sure its not just me. ~~ Now, I by no means think we should go balls to the wall, lights and siren to every single call. Giving EVERY patient a full work up and every one goes on the monitor. I also know there are plenty of calls that before you get there you can tell its going to be BS... but untill you KNOW otherwise, there is no reason to let your guard down.

Perhaps, part of the problem is all the 3 digit numbers ending in #-1-1? I mean, social services, meals on wheels, all that stuff is important if you truley need it... and if your stressed out you may not remember an 7 digit (10 with area code) number... but if your stressed out will you sooner remember 9-1-1 over 2-1-1 or 4-1-1 or other simmilar numbers? 9-1-1 is a number drilled into our heads from a young age. Needless to say I know better not to abuse 9-1-1 but I can garuntee you I will soon forget what other #-1-1 numbers are for.

Wow, I wish I could go. But thats wayyy out of the question this year. They do this every year though? I had thought about donating my body to medical science, untill I read "Stiff" by Mary Roach. If I have controll over what my entire body is used to research then maybe I still will. But I dont want some freaking cosmotology student screwing with me. I honestly dont care about plastic surgery unless it bennefits the persons health or safety... therfore, I dont want some dumb Hollywood surgeon practicing on me for bimbos like Pam Anderson or Michael (aka Latoya) Jackson.

Im pretty sure a couple cockroaches and Kieth Richards will survive.

Now that Obama is president and this country is ganna become France II... "I know not what World War III will be fought with, but World War IV will be fough with sticks and stones." ~Albert Einstein

Id say if he didnt need the chair... a weapon discharged forcing him to need one perminantley there-after... hed be a great runner up for the Darwin Awards.

Hell, I assisted in an extrication of a person pinned under their car a week or so back.... no gear or anything. They asked me to stay and continue to maintain c-spine (I was first one at the wreck and all responding depts were shorthanded). Everything was fine untill the guy on the other side of the car started cranking away with the hurst tool before taking out the glass. Damn stuff shot right in my face. I didnt sue though cuz Im not an a$$hole... also Im just as responsible for not having propper PPE.

Take it, I NEED IT!!! Work a holiday away from the family but make double time and 1/2?

Well... stop responding to calls? Seriously though, I come from a town where it took an entire fiscal year to vote on the budget... just months before the next fiscal year was it approved. After many cuts to emergency services, which essentially also put 1 police officer on duty in town.... we talked candidly amongst ourselves about not taking calls and putting signs up on the station requesting more adequate funding. Ethically though, we could and never would do that. But the day an outdated piece of equipment causes a delay in care... or lack of manpower causes a death or injury... someone might wake up. ~~~~~~~~~ On a simillar note I was just accepted into my (new) local fire department. They are the busiest district in town with 1500 calls a year fire and medical... and about 1800+ calls a year throughout the town and mutual aid. They have 52 members... only about 8 are active, 3 of the 8 are paid. Thats pretty bad. Most people who apply drop off the radar once they find out they have to obtain certification. Which is sad but also understandable, who in this economy has time to devote about 180hrs to train for an unpaid job? During my interview I handed them a small packet of my certifications.... they didnt even do the interview, they looked at it and said "your in."

We did, she said she didnt know... but was still curious about the "potential" scenario.

Wow, the old memories are just pouring in now... Not a call but my initial EMT class. It was good old pharmacology night too! Instructor: Talking about epi-pen administration Girl: "What happens if the patient has no legs?" Ins: "Then you may be able to inject it into their arm" Girl: "What if they have no arms or legs?" Ins/Class: Silence Girl: (SERIOUS NOT JOKING) "What if they are hiking in the woods, have no arms or legs, get stung by a bee and left their epi-pen in the car?" KED Vest night: Same girl: If you flip her upside down she'll look like a stop light!" Another night: Same girl (about 23y/o mind you) brings mom to class... mom never shuts the fu*k up... asking all sorts of questions. FYI THIS GIRL PASSED HER NR EXAM DO NOT GET HURT OR SICK IN MADISON, CT

I feel your pain timmy. Ive worked many a horse show and other various sporting event. Fortunatley its all covered by REAL healthcare providers. The shows I worked at contract my old ambulance agency for 1 EMT and the duty vehicle. We are issued a radio by the ranch which can contact any of the officials. One day though I was sitting in the duty car outside the ranch and was called for a girl who fell from a horse and was kicked or stepped on (cant remember). I grabbed my gear and was told to stand down that the patient is coming to me. Moments later a golf cart pulls up, the guy driving says he "used to be an EMT-I" and explained to me what happened. Asked him why he didnt try to exercise any sort of c-spine precautions and why he brought her to me, all I got was an "I dunno."