Lone Star

Spitting on the grass/sidewalk, ground is just as unsanitary as spitting into a cup (that can and will ultimately be knocked over, dropped or otherwise spilled). Not to mention how discourteous it is for someone that just happens to be boppin' through the grass barefooted or in sandals/flip flops. Don't fool yourself here! The pouches are cause just as much damage as the 'raw tobacco' does. It's the acids in the niccotine that does the damage. As far as you being just a 'combat medic', as Mike said; your troops look to you for the 'medical answers'. Just because 'everybody does it' doesn't make it any less dangerous, unsanitary or any more 'cool' or acceptable.

As far as 'dipping' is concerned, maybe you should take a look at Rick Bender, and listen to his story. Hopefully, it will change your mind about that habit! More images of the effects of 'dipping' Timmy, 'Dipping' is the use ofsmokeless tobaddo; chewing tobacco or 'snuff', (ie: Skoal, Kodiak, Red Man, Beech Nut). Essentially, its a tobacco product that is either placed between the cheek and gum, or between the bottom lip and gum. Even if it doesn't cause cancer, it has a tendency to cause the gums to recede, (leading to tooth decay/loss) and the acids from the niccotine destroy bone mass in the mandible.

Oi! The proper greeting is: "All hail Spenac, King of the Taxi Drivers!", the official title is 'Spenac, King Taxi Driver'. Do I have to teach you guys everything? Oh wait, I already do.....

Grüße! Es ist gut, dass Sie sich uns anschließen konnten!

And while BLS is busy treating the patient, tsk is putting the socks in a 'safe place' so he can take them home at the end of the shift. He'll never have to worry about mice in his house again!

Who are you trying to kid here? We all know that the FDNY/EMS is still using candles in front of mirrors for lighting!

If your boots have ever been seized by the EPA, Federal Nuclear Regulatory Committee, OSHA, FEMA, NIOSH or National Safety Council; you might be in EMS!

Ruffles, I've only got two things to say: 1. Just because my socks can get up and walk to the laundry on their own, there's no need to be hating! (ROFLMAO) 2. While gloves are actually cheaper than the trauma shears, I guess they didn't relish the idea of having the gloves disolve while their hands were in them..... (ROFLMAO again)

My deepest and most sincere condolences to Bill's family in their loss. There were many times that he and I talked, and he was a great listener, knowledgeable and just a great guy that I feel honored to call 'friend'. He and I had a running joke in chat about how he resembled a cross seection of Captain Kangaroo and Alan Hale, Jr. I used to jokingly call him Cap'n Gran'pa. He had an inate ability to say the right thing at the right time to bring a smile to your face. If you had a problem, he was always at the front of the line, ready to listen and offer whatever support he could. He made it very clear that his family was the center of his life, and he loved telling me/us about his grandchildren. My prayers are with his family in their time of sadness. Brett (Lone Star)

Josh, I just found out tonight that there IS a 'bridge class' from I-85 to I-95. Being in GA, I would have to attend classes in SC in order to get it, but I doubt that's too much of an issue. I would check with the state OEMS (Office of EMS) in the state that requires the I-99 to see if they offer it as well. The only 'drawback' I can see at this point is; if I go to SC to get that bridge class and pass it, I'll still only be able to work as an I-85 in GA. LS

When I was a patient after getting wiped out on my motorcycle, I found out the next day that the EMS crew that treated me hacked up clothing that there was no need to cut. I can understand them hacking up the leather jacket, (even as much as I hated to get it destroyed). I can understand them hacking through the shirt and Levi's I had on...but there's items that they cut which I still can't figure out why they did it... The gloves I had on had a velcro strap to close them. All that had to be done was peel the one side from the other and slip the glove off the hand. Instead, they cut the vecro straps, and slid the gloves off my hands. The socks I was wearing were also hacked up....c'mon now! The western boots I had on were slipped off my feet. Realistically, taking those boots off would have put more pulling forces as well as torque on the lower extremities than the socks would ever could. They didn't cut the boots, but cut the socks....why? Having worked more than one or two trauma calls, I can understand the need to cut clothing away. I can also see where preserving the patients personal property is also required. Far too often, we in EMS get into the mindset of, "It's not MY clothing/I don't have to pay for it/I didn't buy it" as we grab the trauma shears. Similar to the phrase in Firefighting, "Try before you pry"; EMS needs to "Cut when necessary, but preserve where you can".

Was that an early version of teleconferencing?

Are they using the Federal Signal 'Rumbler'? Here's a website that lists several siren manufacturers and their products: http://trashtrampoline.org/sigs/supersiren/ Under Federal Signal is a button for 'Real Q' which sounds like the old Federal Q siren. There's also the 'Rumbler' which has that 'vibration effect', although it might be hard to tell on a computer.

I got one when I tested in February for the NREMT-I85:

Mario, You've passed the course, so you obviously know the material. 'Brush up' if you have to...but DON'T try to 'cram', it will only make you more confused. Leave the books alone the night before the test. Take the questions as they're presented! Do NOT try to 'read into the question'. All the information you need will be there. If you get 'hung up'...eliminate the 'obviously wrong answers' first, that will cut your choices in half. When the test 'stops' you're done. It's based on how you answer the questions. Don't fret over which 'number' you are on, or how many you did or didn't do. Get some rest, and eat a light meal before you go. Don't overdo it on the liquids. Take a deep breath and RELAX and you'll do fine. Not to add any 'pressure' to you, but remember....you bomb the test...you've got all of us to deal with! Good luck kid, and let us know how it all turns out. LS

All I did was 'multiquote' everybody, then clicked 'Add Reply', 'Preview Post' and then added my comments. I previewed the post a second time to make sure it was acceptable and then 'Add Reply' again. Must be 'User Error'?

Dwayne, Not all seizures will have 'biting of the tongue', incontinence and the full blown 'flopping fish syndrome' expected with grand mal seizure activity (full tonic clonic activity). In petit mal seizures, the patient just appears to 'blank out' for a few, (although I've not seen any that last 10 minutes). Focal motor seizures could produce the 'shvering effect', I'm not well versed in those...yet. After my craniotomy, I've noticed that I have what would appear to be a 'focal motor seizure' in the left lower extremity, but only when it's cold. It's rather embarrassing to see just one limb doing the 'flopping fish' while the rest of the body is at rest and stationary! When I worked security in Texas (many moons ago), I had a partner that would just seem to 'blink out' and start rubbing his sternum with a closed fist. He would 'snap back to reality' with no memory of the event. Once we became aware of his condition, he had to be pulled out of the Patrol Division, and made to stand a stationary post. Felt really bad for the guy, he was the best backup you could ask for....

That's what happens when you sit on the copier.....although, I'm pretty sure there are some on here that would like to see THOSE copies you're making!

I'm reading a book about antigravity -- I just can't put it down.

Wheelie, Welcome back. Family ALWAYS comes first. My deepest condolences for your loss. If you need an ear, I got two. LS

Phil, I suspect you're right on this. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this. I don't think either of us were 'wrong' in our positions, so neither will have to concede defeat. The respect is mutual, and I thank you for a passionate, civil debate. LS

Whether it happened or not, my answers remain the same. It really doesn't matter what your personal feelings are. You're not Judge, Jury or Executioner. Your personal feelings should NEVER dictate what type or level of care you will provide. You don't get to 'let them suffer' because you don't like what they did. Your ONLY concern is to render the appropriate care to the best of your ability. You call a staement like being respectful? I call it antagonistic, and any 'tongue lashing' you got from a patient in pain was well deserved. Additionally, any crew member that engaged in this type of behavior would be facing disciplinary actions. What do you suggest that the company do; remove the truck from service and make one less crew available to help the public? If the crew wanted the rest of the night off, it's understandable. If they wanted to stay on shift, that's their choice. As a supervisor, I would make the option available, and support the crew in whatever choice they made.

The only comparison I intended to make was that with the exception of Bryant, all had gone to college at some point (just like this girl did). Inclusive of Bryant, none of them had a prior criminal record (just like the girl). However, you advocate based on those two criteria, that we just mark this down to 'lesson learned' based on the stress and 'hardship' induced by her arrest, confinement in a holding cell and having charges leveled and having to attend her criminal court date. So "I was too drunk to know what I was doing" is a justifiable defense strategy? Here, what that young lady did is called 'Assault with intent to cause bodily harm'. In some areas, another charge of "Assault on public safety personnel". I'm sorry, but you don't beat someone and rip their hair out of their scalp and get to claim 'oopsie!' after you get sentenced in court. There is only one reason you'd lay your hands on someone in this manner, and that is to hurt them. Intent was proven by her actions. As far as the driver that wiped me out, his 'defense' was "I didn't see the motorcycle", when witnesses say I was clearly visible, and the van appeared to be trying to beat me across the intersection (I had the right of way). Hell, while we're at it, since we seem so intent on patting these little darlings on the head; why not make it MY fault....after all, I WAS on a motorcycle that night! And by what indication/information are you basing this on? The two articles I read didn't say anything about the EMT doing anything other than trying to render aid. What has you convinced that the EMT did anything 'disrespectful'? Whether or not this is her 'first time being drunk' is irrelevant. The whole issue at hand is the simple fact that she admitted her guilt in court and was handed an appropriate sentence. The Crown Court even admitted that they could see WHY the lower court sentenced her as they did. They went further to say that she turned herself into a 'drunken animal' What happened to personal responsibility for their actions? Just because they make the 'sickly sweet high alcohol drinks' doesn't mean that she HAS to consume them to excess. The point hand is she broke the law, and she was sentenced. What kind of message does this send the next person that decides to take a swing at an EMT/Medic that's doing their job? Shed a few tears, offer some weak apology and you'll get away with it! That's clearly NOT the message we want to endorse sending to the public. In Oz, what type of penalty would I get for walking up to a cop and punching them in the mouth? What about a Firefighter? Are those professions more important than EMS? Shouldn't the penalty for assulting one of US be the same as for assaulting one of them? Yeah, she screwed the pooch on this one, and she needs to take the medicine for her actions. As far as 'would the taxpayer benefit'....would they be harmed for making the little darling spend a whopping 56 days in a cage for her actions? Ultimately, the choice is clear....if you don't want to go to jail for smacking an EMS provider....DON'T smack the EMS provider.....bottom line!

C'mon in, kick the boots off and grab a cup of coff......wait....we MIGHT want to reconsider you kicking your boots off..... Anyway, don't just stand there acting 'bashful'....!

If it is, I get half of whatever you 'earn' by extort for keeping my mouth shut! Something to do with 'premeditation' kind of makes it worse when you get caught.....