capfiremedic

Hallelujah!!!!

I came in a bit late on this thread, but I'd like to throw my 2 cents in anyway. I came into this business back in 1975. My company was the only one in the region that required their people to be Nationally Registered EMT's with an ambulance rating (REMT-A). Ya I'm that old... After some of the particularly bad calls, especially fatalities, the young EMT (me included) felt we'd screwed something up. It ain't supposed to go this way. Sure as hell didn't happen like that on "Emergency!"... The visual queues were there for others to see, and the older more experienced hands would take the younger one aside and have a chat. After the shift was over, the crews would assemble at the debriefing site (Ye Old Watering Hole & Beer Can Museum) and with the assistance of some adult libation, work their way through the situation. It had the advantage of solidifying unit integrity, passing on knowledge and just reinforcing trust between parners and coworkers. We truly were family. If one hurt, then we all felt it. And we worked thorough it together, as a unit and family. I don't believe that having a Phd, licensed counselor, or church choir is needed to help in this situation. I have seen some supposed CISD "teams" that were nothing more than a recruiting team for a church under another name. These agencies do much more harm than good IMHO. But, one doesn't throw the baby out with the bath water. A CI team need to be made up of experienced people from the immediate field of service. It does little good for a cop to work with a young firefighter that just hauled out his forst "roast", nor does it do much good for an EMT to work with a cop that just dropped the hammer on a suspect. While we are all emergency services, our job functions and experiences vary greatly. As should a crisis intervention team. I've seen things in my 35 years of service that no one should have to. I've been a victim and survivor, as well as initial responder to the largest natural disaster this nation has had. I've been shot at, stabbed, burned, brained and beaten. And what seems funny now, but sure as hell didn't at the time, came face to face (in the most literal sense) with a lizard that easily could have eaten my fat ass for lunch. You'll have to ask my laundry lady about my reaction to that one... I still have nightmares about the things I've been through. But I've been able to make friends with many of the ghosts. In a strange way, I'm thankful I've had some of the reactions I've had because they still show that I'm a human being. The day I don't care anymore is the one I need to hang up my gear and get out of it, because that's when I've become a liability to my team. Properly done, and not forced upon a person, CI can be a beneficial service. And it should be offered. But a blanket requirement to participate is not only wrong, but an insult to the worker. Many of my old partners are still in the business and feel the same way that I do. CI has it's place, but as far as I['m concerned, the best intervention we can have is our own people... There when you need them and with the same experiences. The family.... Just another point of view...

Other than being a twerp, the guy wasn't much to be worried about. The name, by the way is different from the mutt responsible for OKC. This one was employed part time by the local Sheriff's Office's Traffic Enforcement Division (a glorified meter maid apparently)and was also a licensed HAM... Hence the antennas. The siren and the piece, well.... I have both, but the siren is used for calls, and the piece is somewhat of a need in this neck of the woods. We have problems that show up unexpectedly and can only be dealt with by a 230 grain suppository. Believe me, when you respond to a person down call and you walk up on Wally Gator with an attitude, Colonel Colt is an effective mediator. IMHO this thing has been blown way out of proportion.

"With due regard to safety and traffic"... There you have it in a nutshell. After 36 years of operating Ambulances, Fire Apparatus and Patrol Cars, I've seen so many imbeciles behind the wheel (both civilian and official imbeciles) it makes me want to heave. Yes, we have a duty to respond, but those "seconds saved" can kill. I hammer into the heads of every member of my Department that driving like the hammers of hell does no good at all. We serve no one by becoming another response. Yes, accidents happen. Yes, many, if not most are preventable. No one goes to work thinking "I'll kill or maim someone today". Yet, some seem hell bent on just that by their actions behind the wheel. We need to police our own and get the bad operators out of the seat. As Chief Engineer, that's one of my main jobs. Once the Academy says they're qualified, then they have to pass my tests... And the members know that I keep an eye on all responses by our apparatus. I've worked with departments and companies that don't push operator safety at all. I'm very happy that my Chief requires it. The last thing I want to do is go to an LODD funeral. Especially one of our own making. I'm not going to cast aspersions on the Department involved in this accident as I don't have all the information needed to make an informed decision as to what happened. And it doesn't matter if it's professional or volunteer, municipal or private. Apparently, the investigating agency put the blame on the cyclist. But the operator of that ambulance has to live with the fact that someone is dead and he had a part in that person dying. Would you want that monkey on your back? I sure as hell wouldn't...

Appreciate the welcome. Nope, not a lurker, I just found the site in the wee hours of the morning while doing some reading. I hear you on the FF/EMS relationship, it's been somewhat screwy since EMS specialized eons ago. I remember all to well the Police reactions when we actually started field treatment bech in the 70's... The old "pick'em up and run" attitude was still strong and ingrained with law enforcement and Firefighting. I'll post on that thread you mentioned. My Department is volunteer in an area with heavy industrial, rural, interstate traffic... A real mix of things. Add in natural disasters and it gets interesting right quick... I could curl your hair with some of my Katrina stories.

I started in EMS in Massachusetts in 1975, driving a '66 Cadillac for the Para-Medic Ambulance Service. Nowadays, I'm an Engineer and Medical responder for West Hancock Fire Department in Pearlington MS.