Medic2588

We had a huge thread on this a few months ago. You may have to dig deep for it but we had some grant suggestions. Devin

I recently ran an evacuation table top drill for my hospital. The scenario was a bomb threat to the hospital. Participating in the drill we included: Our hospital and the 2 hospitals with mutual aid agreements and the VA Hospital we have an NDMS agreement with, the local PD, FD, EMS, ALS, OEM, Public Works, County OEM, County Dept of Health, Medical Reserve Corps, C.E.R.T. team, State Police Bomb Team, neighboring county's sheriffs for bomb dogs, and county jail (where we have planned to set up an alternate care site). Yingyang is right, you NEED to include everyone when you drill. Regardless of how much money you get in grants or fundings for new equipment, it will never mean anything if you don't have the right players in place. Devin

I disagree too. Obviously, I witnessed it on 9/11. For all we knew at the time, that could have been a biological attack disguised as a plane crash, but people still showed up. As for thermonuclear armaggedon, well that could be a different story considering the blast might wipe out the initial responders in the area. But I firmly believe people would respond. Devin

This is too easy! You want good EMS stories, click here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158776122...5Fencoding=UTF8 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158776149...5Fencoding=UTF8 Devin

I've heard that statement countless times: "If (insert your disaster here) happens, I'll be (insert your prefered destination here)" I've found this to be all talk. On 9/11 we couldn't stop people from showing up for work. We had more help than we had employees. People came in who had quit years earlier. Devin

Apparently all you need to be considered an expert is an audience! :roll: It might be rare that you see trach deviation, but it can happen. Its a late sign or a sign of a SERIOUS injury, but you will see it eventually. Some maybe more than others, but you most likely see it. Devin

If you stay within the AHA guidelines you are considered an extension of them. So teach what they teach and don't stray (as tempting as it is) and you should be golden. Devin

True. This just proves the mosts make more sense when I actually read them. :shock: Devin

1ml usually works out to be 1mg of Glucagon. Devin

If you teach someone how to do CPR as an independent instructor, without using AHA or ARC materials, logos, equipment, videos, etc, then no you can't get into any trouble for copyright infringement. HOWEVER, you would be INSANE to teach a subject such as CPR without the official blessing of the AHA or ARC. If someone causes injury to someone during CPR and are asked where did they learn that and they say you, yes, you can be considered liable. I would highly recommend taking the AHA instructor course and setting something up under the name of AHA. You can still make a little extra cash. I think the AHA only requires you to pay them $5 per card. Devin

"Trying to "be prepared" for an MCI can lead into the mentality that we saw on the "impossible scenario" thread. There is always a potential or actual one larger than you can handle. We tend, especially after 9/11, to concentrate on What Ifs and Maybe's. Yes we need to be prepared, but the basic everyday service is guaranteed to be needed - we have to make sure that it is not crippled in the face of escalating "what if's". Interagency cooperation, mutual aid agreements, and planning are the low-cost alternatives to large scale physical stockpiling of goods and equipment to deal with the possible." Medicnorth - good point about the what if's! Before I came to my current position of Disaster Preparedness Coordinator, the county where I work devised this insane scenario for a drill - there was a Sarin gas attack at a court, a riot at a jail, a car accident, a structure fire, and I think a bomb scare at the hospital. What did they learn from that? Nothing! Except that disasters were too large for them to handle. My first drill I gave them was a car accident with a FedEx truck carrying radioactive material - simple, realistic, and sufficiently taxed the system. Afterwards we talked about the scenario and related it to what HAS HAPPENED in the county. And you know what? They started feeling that disasters could be managed. To best prepare yourself, look at what has already happened in the area and start working towards that. You'll find that preparing for what has already happened will actually help you prepare for what will most likely happen. Devin

Well, according to JEMS, all this disrespect for EMS stems from my books. So I guess you have me to take for it. :shock: Devin

This might come as a shock to some people, but EMS does involve a little more than lung sounds and hearing BPs. If the deaf person can perform the other aspects of the job, then I wouldn't care if he or she was working on me. I know plenty of people who have no problem seeing, no problem hearing, no problem with any other physical aspect of the job but are beyond inept and still allowed to perform the job. I guess it all comes down to the individual for me. Devin

Being partially deaf myself I guess I'm a little biased. I have difficulty listening to breath sounds. I can do it in a perfect environment, but with a little noise I have a hard time. But that's what a partner is for. It seems that there are a lot of people in EMS who have some sort of difficulty that could potentially interfere with performing their job... height, weight, asthma, allergies, dyslexia, etc. But they all find a way to compensate. Hearing impairment should be no different. Having said that, I wouldn't want to work with a partner who is deaf as well. That would be very bad for the patient, and make it a very long and conversationless shift! Devin

I've never seen the pupil return to normal size, but that's not to say it definitely won't. Hyperventilating the patient (about 24 breathes per minute) helps to reduce the pressure of herniation syndrome, but I'm not sure if it reverses it. Devin

These are always corny, but what the heck. What is your name? Devin When is your birthday? 9/29 Eye color? green Hair color? dirty blonde What nationality(s) are you? 100% irish Any piercings? no Any tatoos? no What sound can you not stand? someone vomiting Special talents? i'll plead the 5th What is the first thing you do when you wake up? fumble for my glasses What is the last song you sang? flake by jack johnson Do you play any instruments? guitar, harmonica, mandolin, piano Do you know any random facts? i'm a wealth of useless knowledge BE HONEST- Do you listen to show tunes? depends on the show Do you want to go to college? finished, working on masters' Whats the first thing you do when you get home from work? cook Do you dance around your house when nobodys home? who doesn't? Favorite quote? the best navigators are those that don't know where they're going till they get there, and then they're still not sure - Jimmy Buffett Main source of exercise - stationary bike What C.D.s are in your sterio right now? James Taylor - October Road Guilty pleasures? I'll plead the 5th If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? chicken franchese Speak other languages? some gaelic, spanish, and french Favorite song (as of right now)? no particular favorite Favorite flower? none Contacts, glasses, or neither? glasses cuz i'm too lazy to get new contacts Favorite Drink? raspberry snapple Have you ever been in love? (depending on what your concept of love is) yes Have you ever been skinny dipping? yes Assertive or passive? passive Sing in the shower? yup Any regrets? none Do you swear? hell f**king yea Do you have any pet peeves? too many to list Favourite Ice cream flavor? mint chocolate chip Member of the red light club? i'll plead the 5th

Try Tactical Element. They sometimes hold courses in PA. I forget where exactly, but I know they do. Devin

Buy him my books on Amazon. He'll understand completely, and will probably want to join you. Seriously, that's not just a shameless plug. EMS: The Job of Your Life EMS II: The Life of Your Job. Devin

It would be complete anarchy and bedlam. Fire, brimestone, cats and dogs playing together... the coming of the Apocalypse. Sorry, couldn't help myself. I thought they do have units like that. I'm probably wrong on that. I know Philadelphia will pull a firefighter/EMT off the engine and put him/her on the Medic unit when they are short a paramedic. I don't think it interferes with care any. Devin

I had a coworker caught using Valium, Morphine, and Versed from the narc bags. He was falsifying administration records and tampering with the vials so it would either look like an accident or just routine administration of the medications. He was actually caught stoned on duty. He was offered rehab for the drugs, but fired for the falsification of records. I completely agree with the punishment. Its inhuman for me to not support him getting better, even though I couldn't stand the guy in general. But his abusing put me in a bad spot several times... once I had to try to convince the department's pharmacy that I really had no idea why 5 of my 5 vials of Valium were open at the beginning of my shift. Devin

If those are my choices, I'd have to vote for Jeb Bush. At least he's a politician. All Hillary Clinton does is ride the coattails of her husband and try to ban video games. It'll never come to those choices because if the Democrats want to run Hillary Clinton, the Republicans would probably try to run Condolezza Rice... female and minority! Wow, she would be a shoe in if, they can somehow suppress the photos of her watching "Spamalot" on Broadway during the Hurricane Crisis. Devin

Reading, writing books 8) I tried horses once... ONCE! Darn thing threw me off its back and bit my knee. And I was 6 years old, so I don't remember doing anything evil to it. :roll: Devin

Hey, I'm not saying I wouldn't love to do it and get paid to drive that fast. But I'll never understand how people can watch a car go around and around for an afternoon. :roll: Devin

Where's the choice for "Who Cares?" I never understood how racing could be a "sport" when all yo do is drive straight and turn left. But that's just me. I do love the highlights on ESPN for the crashes though. Does that make me a bad person? Devin

I used this in one of books (both currently available on Amazon) but I'll post it up here anyway. "Unit 303, you're responding to 654 Bergen Avenue, that's the YMCA... for the (start's singing Village People) Young man, feeling shortness of breath! I said, Young man, with some shortness of breath!" He was removed from the dispatch center immediately, which was he plan all along. Devin