Lone Star

In 2001, the State of Michigan began utilizing the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMTs) exam process to facilitate both the written and practical portions of the State Exam. Why didn't you just take the NREMT (State test) when you finished the class like everybody else does? The State of Michigan has been talking about getting rid of the EMT-Specialist for about 20 years now. Since I see they're still licensing Specialists (EMT-I), I don't place much stock in the idea of them doing away with the NREMT testing any time in the near future. I'm starting to smell something here, and I don't think it's the cod....... "EMS Rules." www.mich.gov. State of Michgan, 05 FEB 2004. Web. 20 Jun 2010. <http://www.michigan.gov/documents/2001-016_EMS_Rules_95431_7.pdf>. EDITED TO ADD CONTENT

Until MI files the necessary papers to fully rid itself of the NREMT qualifications, then it is still an NREMT state. One of the 'benefits' of holding National Registry credentials is for this purpose right here...to make reciprocity of licensure/certifications. It also verifies that you've met a certain 'standard' of education that is readily recognized. When I went though the EMT course in '95, we were trained to NR standards, we just didn't have to hold the NREMT card to get a state license. You CAN apply for the NREMT exam IF your CEU's are current (including your CPR card). It sounds like you're considering getting out of the grip of the 'Giant Mitten', so obtaining the NREMT credentials can only help you wherever you end up. I didn't have my NREMT-B when I came to GA, and therefore ended up having to start 'all over again' because I coulndn't apply for reciprocity, and my MI license ended up exipring. Bottom line is this, it's better to just 'suck it up' and take the NREMT. EMT-B isn't rocket science, and you should have no problem passing the test. It can only help you in the end.

For those of y'all that don't ride....here's something to think about: Maybe this will answer the ever popular question, "Why do you ride?":

In my opinion, the only 'sad' part is that so many were too lazy to keep up on their CEU's (Continuing Education Units). The state did the right thing by suspending these people, and firing those 'instructors' that allowed/assisted in perpetrating this action.

While not being a big fan of the full blown raked out choppers, the bike looks good! I had a Kawasaki Voyager XII until November '09, when some chucklehead in a minivan decided to try to beat me across an intersection (I had the right of way). Motorcycle vs the side of a minivan yeilds some very 'ungraceful' flying lessons! His 'excuse'? "I didn't see the motorcycle! Too bad the witness that was behind him said that I was "clearly visible, and there was no reason the van should have pulled out in front of him.". I went from this: to this: The 'aftermath' But as you can see here, I had lots of fun: Riding the Talmadge Bridge to Hutchinson Island Just for the record: I had a full face helmet on the night of the wreck. I NEVER ride without one!

Being able to see who rated the posts and how they rated them will spawn further discussion in the forums, instead of sniping from the sidelines.... This might just erase any 'popularity contest' comments when the rater explains why they dinged a post.

My sincere sympathies for you and your family in your time of sadness. My prayers will be with you, and I hope that you can find peace. LS

While these churches are building new places of worship in other countries,how many of their innocent people were killed by Judeo-Christian terrorists? How many innocent people were killed in the name of God, Jesus Christ or any other god/prophet? How many innocents were slaughtered in the name of a self proclaimed 'holy war'?

One of the jobs I had in MI, I was working for a manufacturing company that produced cowls for several automobile manufacturers. I tried to get onto the 'first response team' since I had credentials in hazardous materials (awareness and response) as well as firefighting and had my EMT-B, (AED, CPR, BTLS, and PHTLS). The supervisor that I had to talk to (who by, the way didn't like me), stated that since it wasn't 'the (insert company name here) way', my credentials meant nothing. I offered to take their silly classes and was told "it isn't feasible to bring the instructors in for just one person". I guess the 'company way' outranks the 'State requirements'! While I agree that the classes would be a break with pay from the daily grind of 'industrial duties', the supervisors (especially if they're trained themselves) need to realize that EMT outranks MFR any day of the week, in any situations where there is a 'first responder' situation. Unfortunately, even as an EMT, if the First Responder does something wrong, the higher license has to answer for it; even if only for nothing more than being a 'higher license'. In the field, the EMT-P must answer for the actions of the lower license levels on their truck. Similarly, if the field crew commits a breech of protocol resulting in injury, the Medical Command Physician must also answer for the actions of the offending crew. This concept is known as ‘Respondeat superior’ (Let the master answer). This applies to more than just the employee/employer relationship. We’re taught this in Med/Legal as an EMT-B. (I can’t say if MFR is taught this, since I’ve never taken a MFR class). The concept is further reinforced at the EMT-I and EMT-P levels. While I cannot cite specific case law where this has actually occurred, there IS the potential for the EMT-B to have to answer for the actions of any MFR on site, simply because they were the ‘higher licensed provider in house’ at the time of the incident. A ‘personal injury lawyer’ is going to go searching to find anyone and everyone that they can make pay. This will include a higher licensed health care provider.

Knowing that your last 3 pair of boots have been seized by the EPA, I really doubt any living creature would be foolish enough to come anywhere NEAR your feet.......

I've seen it said many times over the years I've been here; "You don't know what you don't know", and while it seems a rather inane thing to say, I believe it. In the short time I was in medic class (we all know why I had to drop), I saw that no matter how 'good an EMT' I may have thought I was, I'm no were near where I CAN be. With that said, when I get back into a medic class, Some of you guys and gals are in BIG trouble! I'll be trying to pick through your collective brains until there's nothing left, and then STILL be asking you to answer questions! I know I've thrown some really stupid things out there, questioning 'why we've always done this' and thinking I've got the next Nobel Prize winner of a solution....only to have it sliced, diced and pureed so that ALL aspects and ingredients are scrutinized and proven wrong. I don't take it as a personal attack. I take it as looking at it from all sides, and showing the flaws in the 'solution' so that I may take it back, reanalyze it and submit a better solution to the problem. I don't think I have all the answers, I'm just as blind as the next person here. Solutions to the 'problems' aren't delivered on lightning bolts from the gods...they're bashed, smashed and decimated to make sure it IS a feasible solution. My experiences over the last 12+ years in EMS does not prevent me from putting my big fat foot in my mouth, it just helps me recognize the taste of shoe leather when I do it. Thanks guys and gals, for the learning experiences of the past; as well as the ones in the future. By the way, could someone please pass the salt? Shoe leather is rather bland....

THe NREMT test is 'adaptive'. Each question gets progressively more difficult until it gathers enough information to ascertain whether you know your material or not, then it 'kicks you out'. The prep material doesn't offer you questions exactly like what you'll find on the NREMT, but will pose questions that are similar in nature and wording to what you'll find there. If the 'test prep material' was exactly like the NREMT testing, then it would simply be a matter of memorization of the proper answer to any question. This is NOT what our education is supposed to acomplish. By the time we graduate from the class, we should be able to justify what we do with WHY we do it. In my opinion, the NREMT needs to be more difficult than what it is, to help weed out the 'cookbook providers' and open the field up for those with the drive to increase their knowledge base, as opposed to simply regurgitating information on command. D.O.T./NHSTA/NREMT needs to adopt this mindset, and drive these 'patch mills' out of business!

. " Ron White on "Paying for the War"." youtube.com. Web. 12 Jun 2010. < >.

I'd be surprized if it went much faster than 'walking speed', but the 'autobalance' thing has got to be a great help! I'm just waiting to see the crowd that rides the sport bikes getting one of these and seeing how many 'trick's they can get this to do after speeding it up.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCSQPnGkt78 "Honda Develops New Personal Mobility Device: U3-X ." youtube.com. Web. 12 Jun 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCSQPnGkt78>.

I keep trying to pronounce this sucker 'dead', but I can't seem to stop this pesky 'pulse', and it's screwing up all my plans to get out of here and on the golf course!!

Ruffles, As you can see, with the photobucket account set to private, you can't browse through my albums, only view the picture below: http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g185/LONESTAR08/Voyager/100_1425.jpg You can also upload video, again, you cant browse the other albums: http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g185/LONESTAR08/videos/My%20videos/?action=view&current=GoingIntoSouthCarolina.flv videos are limited to about 5 minutes.

I am confused by all of this! From what I understand, Asystole means 'absence of electrical activity' which means that the cardiac muscle is at complete standstill. This results in no pulse or B/P. If the patient DID have a pulse, then I'd be looking in the direction of some sort of mechanical device that is either pumping the blood through the body, or causing the heart to beat (pacemaker) Either way, wouldn't some sort of device like a pacemaker cause some sort of 'electrical activity' to show on the monitor? Could there be a short in at least one wire of the harness for the monitor that would cause it to read asystolic? Even though there were several monitors, are they using the same harness? I know that there are some 'universal' ones on the market... Can someone let me know if I'm at least in the right ballpark here? For all I know at the moment, I'm just typing to hear 'keyboard sounds'......

That's absolutely fantasic news, Ruffles! After all the worrying and pestering the hell out of the superior deity that we prayed to on behalf of you and your whole family, its just great to hear news like this! Pretty soon you'll be investing in itty bitty baby knee pads and wrist braces to keep the little Ruffle-ette from wearing out her hands and knees as she be-bops around, checking out her little world. Please keep us posted on her progress. I for one can't wait to see the video you were talking about. I'm sure it's going to be better than any schlock that Hollywood can turn out! LS

I'm not sure how the whole internet advertising thing works, but it seems clear to me that the more people that are drawn to a particular website out of curiosity, the more people will see an ad, and the greater the chance that the advertisers will have at increasing revenue (which is the sole purpose for placing the ad in the first place!). How many (besides me) have 'scoped out' a particular news site because of the blurb that was published by 'News Bot' or other RSS feeds? I know that I've been to quite a few of those sites because I wanted to learn as much as I could about the story, or to figure out just where the story was originating from in the first place. Some of these articles only mention counties or 'small out of the way obscure towns'. Each time I check out a story, I'm increasing the chance that the advertiser is going to tempt me into buying something. Because of the increased exposure, isn't that what the companies placing the ads are trying to do? By accomplishing this, how is the publisher of the article actually losing money? I live in southeast Georgia; what lure does Podunk City, IA have that will tempt me to spend money? Hard to say...until I see an ad for some doodad that I found by following a news or article link. Furthermore, if the author is given credit for the article (even if by nothing more than including the 'byline'), just how does that equate 'theft of intellectual property'? From what I've been taught about plagiarism, to take credit away from the original author by claiming that YOU 'wrote' the published work is theft. Just because a poster who is not familiar with MLA (or other styles) of citations forgets to include ALL the information in a works cited page, doesn't mean that they're trying to take credit for the work. By including a link to the story, article or other 'intellectual piece', it gives the reader the location of the publication, date of publication and the original author. Isn’t that the whole purpose of citing the works that the information came from in the first place? Additionally, with the increased traffic to a website, and greater exposure to the advertisers listed there; doesn’t that equate to higher profits for the host publication? If it does, how can they then make the complaint about ‘lost revenue’? This smacks of nothing more than being a ‘revenue generating tool’ through malicious and frivolous use of the court system.

How many of the known terrorist groups listed below are Muslim? Animal Liberation Front Army of God Black Liberation Army Environmental Life Force/Earth Liberation Front Jewish Defense League Ku Klux Klan Symbionese Liberation Army Weathermen I could list a boatload more groups, but only SOME of them are Islamic in nature.... And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31, King James Bible) Noah died 350 years after the Flood, at the age of 950, the last of the immensely long-lived antediluvian Patriarchs. The maximum human lifespan, as depicted by the Bible, diminishes rapidly thereafter, from as much as 900 years to the 120 years of Moses.

The references to Ted Kaczynski and Timothy McVeigh are not only irrelevant, but only serve to inflame the emotions of those involved in this discussion. The actions of Kaczynski were ideological, not religiously motivated. He was protesting technology and development. The actions of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were not religiously motivated either. They blew up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in a plitical protest of the government's handling of the incidents at Ruby Ridge, ID; and the standoff in Waco, TX. We haven't heard of any other places of worship being built in the vicinity of Ground Zero, and to be completly honest; the building of an Islamic mosque so close to that area only serves to inflame the passions of all Americans. While not all Muslims are guilty of the atrocities that occurred on 9/11, it IS however the actions of a few radical Muslims that killed so many innocent people for nothing more than trying to cripple the greatest country in the world. To allow the construction of this mosque appears to be nothing more than rubbing salt in a wound that I doubt will ever fully heal. It's almost as if the Islamic religion is intentionally antagonizing American citizens. I don't think that anyone that's taken part in this discussion has implied, said or even hinted that those victims that were non-Christian are any less relevant than those Christians that were killed. I personally don't care if you choose to believe in God, Yaweh, Buddha, Allah or any other 'supreme deity', or whether you choose not to acknowledge a 'supreme entity' at all. If your belief system brings you happiness, then more power to you! Tolerance is mutual. By the actions of some of the Islamic nation, they have proven that tolerance is not something they are willing to give. As I've stated before, due to the actions of some religious zealots, Ground Zero has become a sort of 'holy ground'. To build a mosque near by is to thumb your nose at the victims and families that lost friends and relatives in that tragedy. It's in poor form, and then to DEMAND tolerance is just adding insult to injury.

Let's be honest here... Building a mosque at Ground Zero is a brutal slap in the face. It sends a message (whether intended or not): "We knocked down the World Trade Center and killed THOUSANDS of your infidel citzens in the name of Allah, now we will build a shrine to him on the very ground that we spilled so much of your blood on!" Be 'tolerant'? I think not! It would be no different than going into Iraq, blowing up the center of their economy, government, militia and killing thousands of innocent civilians and building a Christian church on the site. Ground Zero has become 'holy ground'for this country. To allow a shrine to the very god they were serving to level the buildings that stood there is beyond 'poor taste/poor form'. If we must be 'tolerant' of the muslims, then we should expect some 'tolerance' in return. Tolerance is a two way street; you not only get it, you have to give it.

I've heard some ignorant statements before, but this one has to take the cake! Yeah, you work under hazardous fire conditions, and 'battlefield medicine' is a separate breed from what we do on the streets (unless you're a tactical medic or just happen to work in places like Detroit), but to KNOW about bloodborne pathogens and still WILLINGLY risk exposure is pure insanity! You already know that there are things out there that even Ajax wont f*ck with, and yet you risk not only contaminating your buddies, and yourself....but everyone you come in contact with! Your 'ten foot tall and bulletproof' mentality all but seals your fate of contracting and spreading the next 'evil thing' out there! O.K., so you're 101st Airborne, congratulations. But as another vet with 'combat time' (one of a long list), I'm not going to fall down, kiss your boots, and acknowledge your 'god status'! Since you've 'got your EMT-B'...guess what? Like it or not, you ARE an EMT! Live with it! Just because you're part of a unit with a long and storied past doesn't mean that the rules of nature will skip you out of respect. It don't work that way. Ultimately, it's not about the title; it's about trying to save lives (albeit in different arenas) and trying to do it as SAFELY as possible! If being called an EMT is such an 'insult'...then WHY do you do it? Don't try to fool yourself and bullshit the rest of us...you ARE doing an 'EMT job' even on the battlefield! What I find really amusing is I've worked and gone to school with guys from the 3rdI.D., (who have been deployed to the Gulf region as much if not more than the 101st, and they don't seem to have that screwed up mentality. That testosterone fueled macho attitude may fly within your unit, and on post; but it's not buying you alot of friends here....