paramedicmike

Doesn't matter. You don't have anywhere left to put it. The snow blowers can't throw it over the piles they've already created from the more than eight feet you've gotten in the past month.

The next time you're at your station ask about their plans for events at some of the larger properties in your area. Use this fire as an example and tell them you want to learn more about the process. Ask to look at some of the plans (we used to keep a copy of the plans for some of the bigger and more complex facilities in the ambulance). I think you'll be surprised at what goes in to developing and executing these types of incidents.

Today was the first day of spring training. Pitchers and catchers reported. While not everyone is a fan, it is a sure sign that spring in coming. That's a lot of snow.

How frozen are you up there, Ed? Dug out yet?

Rough going, indeed. There are folks out there who specialize in treating, or who have wider experience in dealing specifically with, first responders and health care providers (EMS providers all the way up to physicians). I don't know where you are or how you would go about finding someone like this in your specific area. However, you may have to dig a little deeper or even drive a few hours to find someone. Keep hanging in there.

If you really want to go this route with the discussion that's ok. Let's talk about disease, then. What's the rate of mental health issues involved in the population that comprises EMS providers? If you consider this article (with links to resources included within) EMS providers in Canada have twice the risk of PTSD than civilians. Some resources put the rate of PTSD as high as 24% over the duration of a career. This article from 2012 cites sources that up to 29% of EMS providers demonstrate post traumatic symptoms. While we all agree that numbers are hard to find because no one is really tracking them this article cites a lower number than has been mentioned previously in this discussion for US based EMS provider suicide while acknowledging that this is likely hugely under-reported. But that number is still more than one a week And this is just the discussion surrounding PTSD and suicide. This doesn't count or consider the numerous other mental health issues that plague EMS providers. So here we are with limited numbers and information available. However, what information we do have suggests the risk of PTSD at more than twice the general population. It also suggests rates population wide as high as 29%. At what point, then, do you think the CDC's definition of "disease within a specific group of people over a period of time" is met? Interestingly enough this discussion and the articles I linked pretty much shoot down your idea that we have lower rates as we see how precious life really is. It's seeing the frequency of the wasting of such precious life over and over again that drags people down. To be honest I'm not entirely sure what you're driving at or why you're driving so hard. Whether you want to admit it or not this is a problem. It is more widespread than you want to believe. It affects way too many of us. Burying your head in the sand and simply acknowledging it as "sad", the same as one might comment on the passing of a public figure, only contributes to the problem.

Don't forget or discount psychologists, psychiatrists and professionally trained therapists who can deal specifically with people dealing with PTSD outside of the group therapy/support group circuit. They are out there and they can help. Ask your PCP. Find an ER doc you trust when dropping off a patient and pull him/her aside and ask if s/he could recommend someone. Yes. It sucks that the resources aren't more plainly visible or available. Yes. Post traumatic stress takes on a variety of forms and military service is not a determining factor in who develops the disorder. Yes. It sucks if we have to dig a little deeper or work a little harder to track down someone to help. However, the resources are out there. Just gotta find them. Hang in there.

Wikipedia is not a reliable source. Nobody has argued that EMS is leading the category of suicide by profession. US EMS/First responder suicide rates are likely underreported. There's no really accurate representation of suicide by EMS/first responders in the US. To argue numbers without numbers to argue is futile. That being said, we use the numbers we have to point to the idea that 400 deaths in the US, 34 in Canada and countless others around the world, all of which are preventable, and all of which were dedicated people working to help others, is too many. Mental health issues are still stigmatized and negatively viewed by many despite recent efforts to make it known that this is a health issue and not something by which anyone should be shamed. Four hundred thirty four people may be dead. That may not be a lot in the grand scheme of things. But those 434 touched thousands of lives and that impact has to be worth something more than a casual dismissal. MTA: Two last thoughts as this discussion is making me think. 1) If 434 deaths between the US and Canada aren't worthy of affecting some change what does the number have to be? 4340? 43400? 2) I disagree with the idea that EMS would have the lowest number because we see how precious life is. We see some of the worst that civilian humanity can offer. Military medical folks see the worst that an armed and militant humanity can offer. We may see how previous life is. But seeing that on a daily, regular basis gets old and affects people in different ways. It wears you down and grinds you to a pulp. That's what some develop PTSD. That why some wind up with life altering depression. Ultimately, that's why some choose to kill themselves.

Researchers in Philadelphia are trying to find out. Although, if I remember correctly, I thought they already determined that police transport worked out just as well for the patient.

Nobody here is going to give you a recommendation on sedating your girlfriend's mentally ill brother. That's a legal mess nobody is going to get involved in. Your girlfriend's family needs to talk to this family member's medical team and develop a plan to get this person to whatever program he'll be attending. Those who provide medical care for this individual will have the best information on local resources available, if any exist, that may or may not help.

No. I don't. I also don't think individual EMS providers make enough of an effort to help themselves.

29 years.

Condolences to friends, family and coworkers. Coding a coworker has got to be one of the hardest calls to run. I hope the guys who worked him are ok.

If she shows up I'm driving down to Baltimore to find you.

Well sure. There's a great place around the corner. There's a fantastic EMS/Police/Fire supply store a couple towns over that has just about any piece of whacker gear you could want. Except that's for where I am. Unfortunately, yours is an impossible question for us to answer. Nobody (except maybe Admin with all of his Admin-techy-type-tools) has any idea where you are. However, I'm sure if you asked the folks at your station they'd be happy to tell you where they got theirs. I'm sure if you asked The Google you could probably get some good ideas as well. I will admit to being a big fan of REI. They are pretty pricey but you can get some good quality gear there.

Find a place that has boots. Find something you like. Try them on. Decide what you think feels most comfortable. Buy them. Wear them. It really is that simple. If you really are still in EMT school the only advice that I can offer you regarding boots, or any other gear, is to not spend so much as to break the bank. Yes, this is all new to you and you want to buy all the whacker gear you can to look the part. It gets expensive and it gets expensive fast. One can always tell the new guy, however. He's the one with all the most expensive stuff and most useless gear on his belt.

Quoted for truth. Quoted for emphasis.

This is information you should have received from your employer. Orientation generally consists of review of company policies and procedures, benefits (if applicable) and any specific training that may be required. Whether this is what will will happen to you or not is something I don't think anyone here can tell you. You'll find out when you show up. Unless they've told you otherwise then you dress for success. It's easier to take off a tie and open a shirt collar than it is to find one when you've shown up in jeans and a t-shirt. This is a job. Be a professional. Start from day one.

I'm not convinced that any snark was intended. Nothing he posted was inaccurate. There is a certain amount of responsibility that people need to accept when it comes to moving into a professional discussion/forum/environment. That the OP did not know even basic information regarding testing policies and procedures raises an awful lot of questions. To the OP: you will get answers from a variety of sources. Specifically, however, you need to follow up with NREMT and your instructors to ensure you are both prepared to take the retest and are familiar with the costs and testing policies involved in your limited number of retests.

Welcome. This is not meant to be discouraging but everybody wants to live in Colorado. Everybody wants to live in the Front Range. The job market is over-saturated. Wages aren't great. It's a beautiful place to be, true. Because of that, however, it's hard to break in. Fair warning before you make the leap. Don't go without having something solid set up in writing.

Except... something just isn't right...

Thanks. Same to you, Ed.

If you're 14 like you claim how are you showing up on scene in a car with a license plate that says "firefighter"? You can't drive yet. I'll only echo the comments made by others here and go one further by saying perhaps if EMS moved away from the volunteer model and stopped giving away services for free (and thereby devaluing the industry as a whole) then we wouldn't have to worry about silly things like badges. As it stands EMS has larger things to worry about than wearing badges. Education, for example, is something to worry about.

Yep. Pretty much this. There are too many variables at play that can and will affect the social interactions within any EMS/Fire agency or any other company/employer out there in the world. How any one of these will affect you as it pertains to you individually, your sexuality or gender identity is impossible to predict.

Vent, please go away. You've made your point. Repeatedly. As is your habit to do. Unfortunately for you, given some of your prior participation here through the numerous accounts you've used, very few, if anybody, here takes anything you have to say seriously. You used to be a respected regular contributor to discussions here. I don't know what happened to you. Whatever it was it seems to have negatively affected you in more ways than one. I do hope you're getting help for whatever it is that's turned you into such an unpleasant person. Again, you've made your point. Give it a rest. It serves you no purpose to return and beat your head against the same wall over and over and over again. And again. And again.