HERBIE1

Feel better, dude. One of the benefits of working in this business is you generally develop a pretty healthy immune system. My entire family(wife and kids) has gone through bouts of strep, URI's, and simple colds over the last 6 months or so. Not even a sniffle from me.

This topic has been brought up many times before. Well, color me a sexist pig since I prefer to work with males. No, not every female is weaker than a male- just the vast majority. We do have a double standard on my job- women do not need to pass the same physical tests as males, thus most of the time, their capabilities are not equal. Is it handy to have a female for OB calls? Sure, but I've delivered over a hundred babies and not once did any woman seem to have a problem with me or express any discomfort or displeasure over my presence- they were a bit too preoccupied with the task at hand. I am respectful, mindful of their privacy, and always professional. In cases of sexual assault, if necessary I have requested a female family member/friend or LEO to ride with us and it worked out fine. I always know if I have worked with a woman. The following day, my back tells me this every single time. Of the dozens of female partners I have worked with, I can count on one hand how many could carry their own weight. Sorry, but it's the God's honest truth. Is it discrimination for a company to refuse to let 2 women work together? Probably, but IMHO, it's also a crock of BS. In a perfect world, you would have one physical ability test, and if you pass- male, female, midget or alien- you get the job. If not- sorry- find another line of work. I am too short to be a pro basketball player, and too small and slow to be a pro NFL player, so should I expect to have special accommodations to allow me to do those jobs simply because I want to? I'm quite sure I can memorize plays, pass routes, and understand the game, so why shouldn't I expect them to lower their standards for me? Sadly, the law says being PC and gender neutral is more important than the health and well being of the workers who must adapt to someone's shortcomings. \\\ I relinquish my soap box, and let the flames begin.

Welcome back, Dust. Sorry to hear of your troubles, but good to see you back here.

I wouldn't put this in the funny forum, but I get what you are saying. Can someone tell me again why the death penalty is a bad thing? I'm having a really hard time understanding why someone like this is allowed to draw even one more breath.

The company can mandate anything they want- as long as it's not illegal. Obviously saying it is mandated by OSHA when it's not is wrong, but irrelevant. The company has no reason to lie- say it's a good idea, say that all employees need to comply, and that's the end of it. Kinda like a soldier or a fire department member(a paramilitary organization) following orders- as long as they are not illegal or immoral, you better obey them. As you say, there is no down side for the test- except that for some, after having multiple tests over the years, false positives are possible- or at least they were, unless they changed the test.

This is about paybacks and vengeance. Lowering the bar does not change the past and it does not address why the problems persist in these communities. We hear of institutional racism, and all types of alibis. Fine. So by changing the rules, does this somehow help the black community, or is it simply a pound of flesh?

Great post, and great object lesson, bushy. Glad you pulled yourself out of it, dude. I can relate to what you are saying- believe me. For better or for worse, this is the type of work that gets in your blood. For awhile, I too lived, slept, and breathed EMS. It does get to you after awhile. You lose perspective on things, and your entire life seems to revolve around the job. Then you get married and start a family and those distractions you counted on to keep your sanity(hobbies, vacations, etc) become a lot more difficult to indulge. Your priorities shift, but you still need those diversions to keep your sanity. Not an easy task. Now obviously it depends on where you work, how busy you are, and how much you are paid. I see many folks in my busy urban system get burned out- it's not hard to do. Having friends in the business is fine- as long as you can do things and talk about things unrelated to the job. I tend to enjoy associating with people in the business- similar personalities, ideas, problems, viewpoints, but that also does not mean we talk EMS 24/7. Politics, sports, vacations, hobbies, music- anything. I also really associating with civilians, since their issues are quite different than mine. Sometimes that's good, sometimes it's not. Problem is, they also want to hear war stories and inevitably the conversation steers back to EMS anyway. LOL Now, I enjoy teaching on the side- still related, but in a totally different context. I get to use what I have learned- book-wise and experience- and hopefully offer insights for the next generation. I am also expanding my teaching skills, branching out into other subjects, and even am BEGINNING the process of writing a book about EMS leadership and administration issues.

Sadly, I actually think you are serious here. Explains a lot. Good plan. If even a minute fraction of what you want comes true, that should ensure the total destruction of this country long before 200 years. Talk about paybacks...

Damn...

You do know that back then, most people were illiterate, right? I think the last few decades of the dumbing down of society and pushing the notion that blacks are incapable of competing on a level playing field have done far more harm than slavery ever could.

I hear ya, Richard. In nearly 30 years on the streets, I have NEVER had a no hitter- even on the slowest rig in the city. Came close a couple times, but never a complete shut out. Honestly, even after all this time, I would prefer to run a few calls just to make the day go by. Of course I would want those calls to not be after midnight, not during a meal, and not when I am on the throne. Am I asking too much?? LOL

Get off your pity pot, already. Everyone "gives up" plenty already. Affirmative action, set asides, quotas, and all the other entitlements have ensured that. Dumbing down of tests, adjusting scores and grades- the list is endless. So how's all that working out so far? How's the drop out rates, single parent households, drugs, and violence in the communities that are supposed to be "benefiting" from all these "gifts"? At some point you need to admit there has to be a better way. Unless you think the black community is incapable of succeeding without this extra help, then when will it be time to let this go, move on, and let everyone stand on their own 2 feet? Poverty pimps like Sharpton and Jackson are relics of a bygone era. It's no longer fashionable- or advantageous- to portray yourself as a victim, and many folks are waking up to that fact- especially the ones who succeed and prosper DESPITE these twisted ideas of "fairness". I don't personally OWE anyone a thin dime. Not you, not the Indians, not the Japanese, not ANYONE. I- nor any of my ancestors for that matter- committed ANY of those atrocities. Do I feel horrible for what these various groups went through- of course. Do I hope we have learned from those mistakes and never let it happen again? Yep. Do we have laws in place that will prevent these things from happening again? Also, yes. Can I CHANGE what happened in the past? Nope. And extorting millions of dollars from people or giving hand outs to people based on ancient history won't change what happened either, nor does it benefit anyone. I think this whole thing is cyclic. We went through some horrible periods in our history. We went from a time where we made arbitrary decisions and committed horrible acts on people until we wised up. Now we are committing horrible acts under the guise of helping people. I think the tide is finally turning on that. We have a black POTUS, which would have NEVER been possible unless the majority of nonminority voters elected him. In other words, this vast racist conspiracy you believe in is total BS. There will always be bias and there will always be prejudice. These are human faults. You also can not eliminate one bias by putting another in it's place. That is simply absurd. The pendulum is swinging back in the opposite direction, and unfortunately it will swing way past the center now. So- how long will this vendetta continue? How long should we continue to punish people for something they never did, just to "benefit" someone who was never a victim of these horrible acts? When will the "debt" be paid? Unfortunately LS, many people have bought into the notion- perpetuated by the poverty pimps and clueless liberals- that the world owes us something. There are no guarantees in life. None. Millionaires find themselves flat broke after bad business decisions. Some people succeed despite overwhelming odds. Some barely survive. Most are just "doing it" every day- and without a handout, or entitlement simply because of something that happened to a distant relative. I like to relate a story my wife told me. She works in a university, and deals with the results of our idiotic ideas on entitlements. She had a black student who was born in Africa- from a wealthy family- and came here for an education. He wanted to strike out on his own path here in America. He was approached by the various campus groups that cater to black students. They explained to him how he could attend school for free, get scholarship money, take special classes, get help with living expenses, receive special tutoring - simply because of his skin color. He was dumbfounded, and actually thought it was some type of scam. He politely told them he did not need the money or the help, but they insisted. You 'deserve it', they told him. They offered to walk him through the process, help him with the paperwork, etc. After my wife explained why these programs and groups existed, he was amazed. He simply could not comprehend what these people did to deserve such special treatment, nor how it could possibly help them succeed.

Not sure of your location, faking, so it's hard to determine opportunities available to you. I would suggest getting involved in something that has nothing to do with EMS. It could be as simple as grabbing a book from the local bookstore/library, finding a nice coffee shop and reading, or taking a free class on a craft or hobby you are interested in. Dance lessons, book club- anything. You never know what may happen- you find someone with a shared interest, or just a simple conversation. Trust me, regardless of how much you enjoy EMS, you need to have a break from it too. Years ago I was totally immersed in the business. Working on a private full time, working at 2-3 ER's part time, working medical at special events. It was too much. I decided to go back to school just for fun. Took accounting and computer classes. Best thing I could have done. It makes you realize there is life outside of our world. I'm of the opinion that often we gravitate towards people in the same field simply because of the shared experiences, and I see no harm in that. Few understand what we do. I also think it's mandatory to have friends and acquaintances outside the field- it really gives you perspective. Over time, EMS 24/7 can really burn you out, and that helps neither you nor your patients. Good luck.

You aren't beating a dead horse, you are beating a Buick. This topic was about lowering the standards so that more blacks can pass an exam. You are comparing accomplishments and test scores with being gay-we'll forget for a moment WHY that behavior exists. Completely different notions. One is about intellectual ability, and the other is about a lifestyle. BTW- You ARE a racist- albeit backwards- since you believe that blacks deserve special treatment simply because of the color of their skin. The beauty of your argument is that even though slavery has not directly affected a single living person here for generations, that skin color still somehow entitles you to "compensation" for past wrongs. Enter institutional racism, cultural racism, and every other similar idea that will never have an expiration date. Now if you are suggesting blacks NEED that extra help and consideration because they are incapable of competing head to head with everyone else, now that's an entirely different argument. Do you also advocate affirmative action for Japanese americans, since thousands of them- US citizens at the time- were interred in prisons? How about Native Americans? What about every immigrant group who came here and was treated like crap? What about the Chinese who were essentially forced to work on our railroads in the 1800's? Why do you think think those groups don't have similar mechanisms in place to address their past injustices?

Give it some time. The EMS gods are very fickle. I cannot tell you how many times we had multiple shootings, a horrendous MVA, a great cardiac or medical call IMMEDIATELY after our student/rider had left for the day or was in class. Just the way it works. Obviously the call volume of the system has a lot to do with your "luck", but all you can do is be patient. If at the end of your scheduled ride time, you still have not seen much, ask the powers that be for another day or 2. It's well worth the extra effort and time.

Bieber- Fiz makes a great point, which I probably should have emphasized. Stepping up and taking control not only comes with confidence, but it takes time. The people around you- coworkers, LEO's, etc will get to know you, they will determine if they think you are competent and will eventually cede to your judgment and authority. You definitely have to earn your stripes, and it takes time. Believe me- if you stay in the area for any length of time, you WILL develop a reputation- good or bad. All you can do is your best, and let the rest take care of itself. Again- you cannot control what others think, but you can control how you act. It's a tough balancing act at first. Yes, you are in charge medically, but you will also be working with people with vast amounts of experience- albeit less medical knowledge. USE their expertise when appropriate, and you will definitely earn their respect and confidence. It's also a sign of a good leader- utilizing all the resources you have on hand- whether they be people or equipment. With each call, each scenario, you will gain valuable experience- and confidence. In fact, the times you learn the most is when everything is a major cluster f_, and it all goes to hell in a handbasket, not when everything goes smoothly.

An oldie but a goodie. LMAO

I have no idea how old crochity is, or where he grew up. I do know one thing- he has learned how to play the victim card(at least in terms of his positions here) to the hilt. The "beauty" of being a victim is that you never have to take responsibility for your own actions or mistakes-it's ALWAYS someone else's fault. The downside is that you become defined by the past- which dooms you to remain beholden to some distant memory. For decades now, people are STILL being treated unfairly here, only this time it is legally mandated to do so. We are paying for what someone did several centuries ago, and ironically, many of the people paying now come from similarly horrible backgrounds of oppression, violence, and yes, even slavery in their native countries. How is it fair that they should be held accountable for something they themselves- or their families- may have also gone through? This is about vengeance. There is no end game here- it's a perpetual punishment for past misdeeds. How much is enough? What exactly will "level" the playing field? When will the slate be wiped clean?

Eyes open, volunteer to carry all the equipment you can handle. Ask your preceptor what they want you to do. Be a sponge- absorb every bit of information that you can. Ask questions- at the appropriate times, of course. Good luck and enjoy.

Here's the fatal flaw in your logic. An entrance exam requires nothing more than the ability to read at a 6th grade level- the same level that newspapers are written at. It is simply general reading comprehension and the ability to follow directions-no prior knowledge of the fire service or fire ground tactics is required. Is that somehow unfair to minorities- or anyone who made it past the 6th grade or watched a couple years of Sesame Street? A promotional exam is generally no more than rote recall of department policies and procedures-all of which are available to anyone on the job. How is that in any way discriminatory or biased? At some point, excuses are like a'holes- everyone has one. I will concede no such thing. That is a huge generalization, so riddled with exceptions and inaccuracies that it's completely absurd, Education been withheld? From whom? In the last 50 years, show me where ANYONE has been refused access to a basic public education. A couple centuries ago, except for the elite, most people were illiterate- black, white, Native, Asian- that was the norm . How far back should we go to keep the fires of victimization alive? By definition, the playing field will NEVER be level with things like affirmative action, set asides, race norming, banding, and quotas. You cannot keep making excuses for failure and expect anything to change. Any child in this country- even the illegals- has the opportunity to get an education. Some- of every ethnic group and race- have hardships to overcome to make that happen, and some do not. By the time a kid gets to high school, they need to make decisions- conscious or not. Those decisions will primarily be based on their upbringing and what they learned at home. Either they will engage in the learning process and eventually become productive members of society, or they will live on the periphery, outside of the law, or live off the tax payer's dime. Simple as that. Total BS. So we should perpetuate that stereotype- little fire, little hose, big fire, big hose? Sorry, but you are dead wrong again. Does a firefighter need to completely understand these things to adequately do their job? No, but their officer, the chief, and the person supplying the water better have a firm grasp of it. Any engineer will tell you that depending on how many lines he is feeding, he needs to adjust his pump pressure. Add to that inline pumping, multiple sized lines and nozzles, the type of water pattern, as well as the various possible water supply options, and it's vital to understand the process. If an engineer is not doing his job properly, lots of people can die- firefighters and civilians alike. So by your logic, a paramedic should never need to know about things like a drug's side effects or it's mechanism of action. Just grab a blue box and a brown box for a cardiac arrest. Do you think a doctor recalls his knowledge of biochemistry class or recites the Krebs cycle every time he treats a patient? No, but his knowledge base and understanding of those things allows them make the right choices for treatment. Why do you advocate the notion of dumbing down and lowering the bar? Who does that help?

Tough call. Lots of factors here. First, we all project a certain aura or personality. Most folks in the public safety business are Type A- act first, ask questions later, and if someone senses a person is tentative or weak they will seize control of the scene. Worse case, if the person stepping up is not in charge, or not in a position of authority, they can create havoc on a scene. The only way to change someone's opinion of you is to step up and take control of the scene. Be confident in your abilities, PROVE that you are capable of controlling a scene. Be firm, authoritative, and aggressive with your care. If you are the senior medical person, then you need to act like it. Next time you are in an ER and there is a code or critical patient, WATCH the person running the code. See how they handle things. Look at their demeanor, the tone of their voice, their mannerisms.how they react when things go bad. You also need to know what everyone's job and responsibilities are. No, you don't have to know all the details, but at least be familiar with them and know how the various pieces fit together. Example- on the scene of an accident, LEO's are collecting information, directing traffic, making reports, etc. The fire company is securing the car, maybe disconnecting the battery, extrication, assisting EMS, etc. EMS of course is caring for the patient. Someone is triage, another may be telemetry officer, another may be arranging transport, another may be collecting information from victims, etc. You need to be aware of all these things and more, keep that data in the back of your mind, and use it- and the resources as needed. THAT will give you control of the scene.

I would love to be a fly on the wall if you- a female- asked for a fitting room after buying the condoms. The look on the clerk's face would be priceless. LMAO

I am all for a face to face. You may or may not get a resolution, but at least you put out your side of the story. Recently had an issue with a coworker. This person was ducking her work, had a lousy attitude towards coworkers, LEO's, family, hospital staff. Gentle kidding and prodding did nothing. It even came to the attention of higher ups- still nothing was done. Someone(a chief) finally DID come down on her, and lo and behold they were threatened with a sexual harassment/discrimination charge. That person has since retired so the charge was dropped, but since then, everyone else has been reluctant to confront her. It was aggravating to me and my partner, and we came to the conclusion that we had 2 choices. Either I continue to be angry and agitated about something I have no control over, or simply ignore her. When we meet, now I barely acknowledge her existence. Finally she decided to confront me. Why are you avoiding me? Why do you ignore me? Played stupid to a "t". I outlined a few things, which she of course denied. She actually called ME immature for not engaging her. I said it was a waste of my time and energy to further this, when clearly she had no intention of changing her attitude or behavior, nor will she even admit she is doing anything wrong. Sadly, I've known this person for years- her personality has changed, and I think she has become one of "those" folks- burned out, and is taking it out on the world. Yes, she has had a couple personal issues in her life- as we all have, so that is still no excuse. Gawd knows the last 6 months of my life have been hell, but I fail to see how taking that out on others will help me. Moral of the story- say your piece, but don't assume anything will change.You cannot control the behavior of others, and depending on the circumstances, things may not change or they may even deteriorate. Best case scenario- things WILL improve, and I hope that is the case, but do not let this situation define you or affect you adversely.

Agreed here- all good points. Remember the old saying "40 acres and a mule"? Notice that is says nothing about guaranteeing a good crop yield, good weather to grow, or good prices to sell your product. We now not only EXPECT, but DEMAND positive results for everything we do. If things do not go exactly per plan, we need to blame someone else and/or require the government to bail us out from our predicament- particularly when we make bad choices- sometimes for generations. Now I am all for a safety net to account for unforeseen circumstances, but that safety net has turned into the world's largest circus tent. It has become far easier to play the victim card than to work. The problem with the issue of "bad parenting" is that no 2 parents are the same, and no 2 kids are the same. That means there is no universal template to raise a child, but I think there are certain commonalities we can all agree on. Encourage the kids to stay in school, encourage them to become engaged in their education, encourage them to take responsibility for their actions, and encourage them to work hard at whatever they do. Most of all, stay involved in their lives- YOU are responsible for your children- not the school, not the teacher, and especially not the "village". Too often, that "village" is actually at the root of their problems. Teach them by example- either yours, or another positive role model. Those things alone would solve a whole bunch of problems. We need to get past the notion of social engineering and simply throwing money at problems. Unless someone is suggesting that only those with money can be properly raise kids, all the programs and money in the world will still not turn a bad parent into a good one.

I really like the idea of decaf in the coffee maker, then suddenly switching to an espresso blend. LOL