FireMedic65

I don't mind going out to a call and evaluating a patient only to find out they don't need the care. But let's face it, we provide a service, and this service is not free. We need to get paid to make a living. If you are called to someones house or whatever, and they refuse transport, that's fine. But did you assess the patient? If so, then you did provide care, and you will be billed for it. If you do no assess the patient, how can you be SURE they don't need care? I am not sure if I agree with the billing for non transported patients or not. People use 911 as a taxi service as it is, and now they want free medical advice too. Charge them, and maybe they will stop calling 911 for stupid crap. In contrary, what about the elderly patients, or young kids who have a complaint that turns out to be nothing? Friend of mine works for a security system company that mainly services larger companies and hospitals. If they are called out for a service call, that is an AUTOMATIC TWO HOUR CHARGE, from the time the call is placed/service order put in. A charge of something like $200/hr or something. A lot of the time, the problem they are called out for it nothing, and the system just needs to be reset, which could be done by any keyholder or even security guard. Should they do these service calls for free? What makes them different than us?

idiots

Of course he said it wasn't a stunt It would be really stupid if he said "omg you fell for it hahaha losers!" then they hand him the bill.

I'm with ya there man.

Kid was found, in the garage, in a box. Great job to the police who searched the house for the kid.

I thought that at first too, but that side that was always sagging down, was the side that was losing the helium. You could see that side of the balloon was all floppy. Of course that end will sag down.

I knew from pretty much the start he wasn't in there. Common sense would tell you that a balloon that size wouldn't lift a child. Not to mention the dynamics of it's flight. It wobbled all over the place, almost standing up completely vertical. Most likely, he was screwing around with it, it let loose, he freaked and ran off hiding. The brother made up a story because that's what kids do.

VERY TRUE! Training/education should not me measured in regards to "time put in".

Who said I was talking about you? Guilty conscious much? Read the rest of what I said.

In a perfect world, everyone should be a licensed, "college" educated WITH a degree, advanced life support provider. But put into perspective where how often you actually NEED an ALS. Not many providers will want to use their education hauling cheese or normal run of the mill BLS. Then again, you won't really know if you need ALS or not, unless ALS assesses the patient. Where I live, I'm not extremely rural, but I am far from "the city". All that is around me, is volunteer BLS services that if dispatched, it is hit or miss on them responding, let alone a competent crew. Why volunteer BLS you might ask? Because there is no funding, for a service that is rarely needed. If you put up a paid staff, they would have to expand their coverage area greatly to justify their existence by actually running calls. To do this, you would have to do away with volunteer services all over the area, which would be a mess all on it's on. Anyway, I don't even have an ALS service covered in my area, but that's another story why they aren't around. PA, where I live, is adopting the AEMT. Doing away with FR is a good start in the right direction. I am all for this, for the time being. Not sure how it will work out. Maybe paramedics will be forced into more education and training and be allowed more responsibilities. I sure hope so. As for this bickering. EMT-I is not an easy course from what I seen. Some of those people work really hard for where they are. Why don't you pull your head from your ass and support your fellow providers, regardless of their level of training. Stop insulting people, and use your so called knowledge and put it to good.

I like to think I only utilize HEMS when it's absolutely necessary. For example, TIME! Aside from a few meds and procedures, HEMS crews are basically just an ALS that flies. 46young posted up good stuff on when to use HEMS. Location also plays a huge factor. If I am dispatched to, lets say, and MVC with injuries, I will often request HEMS be put on standby (depending on the source of the 'injuries'). Local bandaid stations can handle trauma victims, but they cannot usually provide appropriate care, such as bone doctors, vascular surgeons, neuro surgery, hokus pokus, etc etc. If the patient needs to be stabilized, such as problems like I cannot control the airway, I need to get them to them ro any hospital asap. There has been times where I called for HEMS based on MOI. Crew lands, after we waited 15mins for them to get there, and they take another 10-15mins in the ambulance before they leave. Then it's another 10-15mins to fly to the hospital. Was the wait worth it? Could they have done anything more than I could have? I understand what they are doing, and that they need to assess the patient just as I did. Just, time plays a huge factor when requesting a helicopter. jwade, excellent post as always

OMG television!

I'm taking notes from "Trauma" on how to do this job.

Those kids seemed to hold off pretty well. But we don't know how long they actually had to wait. When I was a kid, my mom told me about similar tests the did when I was in pre-school. Along with general assessment stuff and determining if the kids could function in kindergarten. She told me how I was asked to name colors or something. I told them I did not know the colors. Then I got go to go home. On the way home, mom asked me why I said I didn't know them, because I did. I told her, because I was hungry and wanted to leave. I knew that if I said I didn't know, they would stop asking me questions.

A new medic: Ride with a senior medic (3 man crew). He runs the call, the senior medic observes and determines when they should be released on their own. After they get the feel for the system they are working in. A seasoned medic: Ride with senior medic (3 man crew). Prove he isn't a dumbass by running a few calls while being observed. Just because you have been doing the job for awhile, doesn't necessarily mean you know what you are doing. Also, get the feel for the system they are working in.

We tried all kinds of adjustments. Used the recommended specs in the directions. I just can't believe that none of us could figure it out. My guess is, it was broke. That makes more sense when you explain it that way. A lot less movement with a vent.

Ok, wait a second here. He was nominated and won because of an "idea" he had? Hell, if that's the case, I might win next year. Anyone with a buttload of advisors can come up with an idea. How about lets put that idea into use and oh I dunno... HAVE PEACE.

It was none of those. The package said something like rescue vent on it. Now that you mention it though, there was also a demo CPAP as well. That was meant for the BLS. Sorry, my misake there. The vent looked a lot like a breathing treatment set up, only it attached to an ETT. There was no control box. The settings were set right on the device itself, o2 powered. I was quite confused. I wish I could remember the name of it.

That's a shame, only 2 hours to teach cardiovascular emergencies

We had a demo vent at work. It was meant for BLS use. After reading directions, 4 medics could not figure it out. It wasn't "complicated" is was just confusing. There were settings, where the directions said "set and go". Do not change certain settings. All it did was blow continuously. I even attached it to myself. I let it breath in for me, but I had to tear it off since I could not exhale. Equipment like this scares me. People are going to get hurt or worse. Using a vent should not be taken so carefree as these companies want you to use them. As far as "no one touches the tube". I DO NOT agree with this. If you mean, it's in place with bi-lateral lung sounds, no epigastric sounds, etc etc and you don't adjust it, fine. But if you are in a moving ambulance, bagging the patient, you will bounce around. I prefer the person bagging, to hold the tube manually, even with a device securing it.

I will try to find another location if anyone really wants to see it that bad.

It's funny what you come across at 4am on youtube.

As far as I know, hulu doen't allow viewers outside of the USA to view.

Yea, but it happens