Phoenix_Pixie697

In Flint we very rarely just transport chronic druggies just to transport them, but frequent flyers that are "out of control" or Overdosed all go to the same place, and they're pretty efficient in dealing . PP[/font:91e069f445]

I am not sure if you'd call it equal,but I have school 8hrs a week and work 72hrs a week, plus clinicals. Thank goodness I don't have kids, I'd die. PP

It depends on where you go around Flint, most places don't have a "lift test". As someone who is five foot tall, I admit when there is a steep drop down a railing it's a lot more about lifting smart than just lifting. However, I can lift more than a lot of the people at my company, and there is one person I can't work with because I have been hurt by her one too many times. It's the way of the road, I guess, to have one person who can't pull their own weight so to speak. As for the company in Saginaw, they have a very interesting lift test.. you are given weights up to 180lbs,and you lift them across the room to a box... When you get the box full, you have to lift the box over your head, with good lifting technique. I just don't' see a time or place where someone should be lifting 180 lbs over their head.. maybe that's being shortsighted.. PP

I think that the point here is that some of us have been feeling slammed for the whole "we're bad drivers" idea.. :twisted: .. We're human, we make mistakes, and we (although many of us trained) have to take more risks than normal drivers, thus causing more troublesome errors, and whether or not there are studies, or opinions,etc. We, as EMS providers, are in a very dangerous field. A lot of us are probably thinking :wink: "I'd like to see what happens when some idiot guy I pulled out of the vehicle last night tried to drive the way I had to to rescue him", or :shock: "I know that my sister can't handle 25mph" or something of that like. The thing is, that studies don't look at the way someone trained for a situation reacts/acts compared to the untrained individual and how they would react/act. Despite the validity, or lack of, etc of these studies, it just comes down to they're not really all that fair to the EMS/Fire/Police because they don't' compare what an untrained individual would do. PP[/font:0a75748acf]

I've never cheated on anyone, with EMS people or otherwise, but I did date a guy from EMS once, and never again.. Why? because I'm very happy with the relationship I am currently in... but still. We started dating before I got my license, I never had sex with him at his or my work, and I worked very hard to not work at the same company as he did, but I got him a job at my previous company because I got tired of paying his rent and not even living there. Good thing I got him that job, he was screwing everything that had an XX chromosomal make up. The break-up was ugly, the rumors worse, and I vowed never to do it again, and to just leave the next guy who tries to get me to pay his bills. PP [/font:3f919c1bb6]

I worked with a female, she was seven months when she left for leave because she couldn't keep weight on.. she lost 16lbs (her baby was healthy, but she herself wasn't). She lifted, she stayed safe, and she didn't do anything in a way that was anything other than "normal" for an EMT to do. I've also worked with a medic who at 4 months pregnant "couldn't" do anything. She wanted me to lift everything, she had called for a lift asst. for an 80ish year old pt approx 105lbs. because I couldn't' do the whole backboard thing without some help (go figure a six foot backboard horizontal needing two people to lift safely..huh). It all depends on the person. In all reality I would like to say as long as the EMS professional feels safe and able, but it seems some people really need to check themselves. As for a personal choice, I wouldn't work the field pregnant at all, I would find a nice cushy job in a doctor office or an exciting one without the lifting in the ER, but I wouldn't work the road. I do respect those who do though. PP[/font:3dce9088fc]

I don't think it matters where we work, or what exact care is preformed in transporting someone to the hospital. You wouldn't call the IT guy working on the computer out front in the customer service area a secretary, even if he was just answering questions and directing customers to specialized areas for help with their computer. You wouldn't call a champion ballerina "the dancer" if in Vegas.. So, why would you call a medical professional a driver? PP[/font:564be08795]

I should have made that a lot more specific to my state.. I forget that other states have different standards. At the places in my state, of MI, that I have looked into (which are many) to work at and at the three that I have worked at (as well as others I have either applied at or checked out) there are very strict guidelines, including no DUI's etc, for EMS personnel who will be on the road. If it's not like that in most states that does scare me a bit. PP

When you know what rank your city has in the nation for murders When your CSC hits on your partner When your patient's son and grand-baby are the same age - and she's 30. When your echo on scene is smoking one with the GSW pt sitting on a corner waiting for you - fourth rig on. PP[/font:180d26ca8e]

Big city?? Sorta, not like Detroit, but a lot more violent than Detroit. Flint, MI the number two city in the nation for murder. Yeah.. so I'm bragging.. but not in a good way, it's not like I'm brave enough to live there.. I'm a whimp when it comes to that. sorry. PP [/font:b0ad014ad8]

In comparison to what?? What it should be?? The nationwide record for people in EMS receiving lift related injury is also horrid, and the nationwide record for exposures to possible bio-hazards isn't that great either, but that doesn't make EMS or any other medical professional a complete moron, totally inept, or a profession of back lifters. That would be like saying that because you are an EMS professional, or if you are a medical professional that just drives EMS equipment, you are completely inept both medically and as a driver. Judging by your credentials you're neither, so saying EMS personnel are the worst drivers in America doesn't really fit either, you're drawing corollaries without a way to inversely make them. PP [/font:194eb6fdd6]

Being as though you have such EMS experience, then you should know that most of the people in EMS have to have a very good driving record, and thus are not the worst drivers in America... I am not saying in any way shape or form that we're the best drivers in the world, I just feel that your previous claims are contradicted by the training and background checks placed to otherwise deter any real "problem" or "bad" drivers from entering a field in which they place other people's lives in danger. I agree that some otherwise safe and sound drivers go crazy with the L&S, but they usually don't last long where I from. PP [/font:9e766efc5e]

Ever hear of EVOC??? You should probably do some research before jumping to some really huge assumptions. As fore EMS personnel being the worst drivers in the USA, you should see some of the driving tests many of us have passed to get our jobs. There's also the driving record check. Yeah, they don't just go for points at some of these places, they look at some of the "forgiven" things that happened more than three (or seven) years ago. PP [/font:2963730021]

Now I see what you're driving at.. and get it.. We don't have that problem so much being most places are privately funded where I'm from.. but in the county next to us,they have tht prob. too. PP [/font:634190774e]

For an assist I've always had great luck with the FD's in my area, especially when I ran on w/ a rural EMS outfit.. they were always helpful and knowledgeable. PP [/font:4ff75ee789]