akflightmedic

Huh?? WTF?? god is a middle man...to whom, satan?? Is the flying spaghetti monster the real master?

They still use rotating lights?? But yes, our units in FL had strobe lights bars, strobes in the grills and we had flashing lights on the box above the cab that had amber lenses as well as flashing lights in the grill that were amber.

Headboard???? WTF over.... I dont think I have ever tubed someone in a bed, they get dragged to the floor, another room where there is light/room, or outside to the ambo. The time it takes to remove a headboard, I easily could of had them in the floor and tubed. Oh well...I wouldnt be me if I didnt pick on LS....

Jeni, He described a serious patient presentation. I am willing to bet his line of thought, as has been mine on a few occassions, is get the IVs while you can. If the patient is this severe, place a second line in case the first one gets yanked out or occludes. It is never fun trying to restart an IV once the patient has decided to get worse. Now I will critique and say ACs are last choice for me, but in all fairness it may have been all the patient had or in a crunch for time it is always easier to hit the big fat vein winking at ya...

Pirate Barney the Infected!!!!

We are here. It has not gotten too crazy yet and Dust is a big boy. He can handle it and provide his own defense for now. Now if it were someone else, I may intervene sooner..... (in all seriousness, let us keep it professional and debate/discuss intelligently without name calling)

Amazing display of inability to read a post and process the information shared and then respond intelligently without resorting to name calling...(sarcasm). No where did I say ALL or 100 percent of accidents are unavoidable. I did state they are avoidable if behaviors are modified and awareness maintained but that involves EVERYONE. I was distressed at the mindset you posess, especially when you said "its just part of the job". That is the dangerous mind set that needs to change as there is never a justification for accepting an injury or crash as an expected part of the job. That is utterly ridiculous! I also noted you said you had been hit MANY times, which again is evident that something somewhere needs to change. You did give one instance that seems to be unavoidable, but the whole "many times" just draws my attention. I certainly never wish to be your partner if your "luck" is that bad. Again, no where did I say stop at green lights either, I believe my comment was to let off accelerator and maintain awareness. Your comments thus far have refused to acknowledge the big picture which is the mindset and acceptance of accidents as part of the job. Instead you have chosen to resort to profanity and slanting of the topic which is a very unwise way to debate intelligently. It lends no credibility to your point of view. I apologize to anyone that feels I may have hijacked the thread but I see it as being relevant. I will always seize a moment to teach and maybe correct a mode of thinking and this story opened the door for the discussion to head in that direction. If just one newbie or even an old timer reads this and says to themselves "that is a good point, I may re examine my own actions", then I have done a great service.

Wow!! Ok, I could not let this one go by without comment. First, accidents do not just happen and yes they are avoidable. Hence the reasoning for changing the term to MVC as in "crash" and not MVA as in "accident". Possessing this kind of mentality is dangerous and does a great diservice to your personal safety as well as your partners, and the people on the road around you. What a great way to start the day by saying, "accidents happen, they are unavoidable and this is an acceptable risk to my daily life". This thought process is absolutely ridiculous! Sorry if I am going off here but how can anyone have this type of thought process and be ok with it, especially in our line of work?? I also find it amazing that you have been hit "many times". This again is your fault as much as it is the person who hit you. You did not anticipate or maintain situational awareness. I have avoided many crashes by anticipating others behaviors and modifying my own behavior when behind the wheel. Somewhere along the line, there was no accident, only a conscious decision or oversight that allowed yourself to be in a position to be hit or to hit someone. This is usually a result of complacency or the "I own this road" syndrome exhibited by many rescue workers. It is possible to avoid crashes by simple thought modification followed by always practicing safe actions. No, I am not naieve enough to think this will work 100 percent of the time because you can not account for the other driver , but you can anticipate them most times and change something within your own behavior which will avoid a crash. For example, even with a green light in emergency response mode, I never blow through it like I have the right of way. I swivel and look for others that may be running the red light. No, I dont have to stop, but letting off the accelerator gives me more reaction time should someone be runnning the light. I have driven in some very dense traffic and employed the many safe driving practices that I am aware of and have avoided being hit. Early in my career, I was involved in some crashes which were a direct result of my behavior, I even caused some crashes due to my behavior. All of that was many years ago and since makiing some modifications and adjustments in my thought processes, I have managed to avoid future crashes. So please, think safety! It is never ok to accept "accidents" as an expected part of or nature of any job. They can be prevented and the employees should be instructed as to such. It is so ignorant and disheartening to hear a fellow EMS'er say "oh well, this is just part of the job".

Which again proves the point that is based on employer preference. As EMS workers, the "only concern" we have is being exposed to active TB which is the main reason we wear the N95 respirator. In the above sentence I quoted, it says "should not SHALL" which in leagalese allows the option/discretion of the individual or employer enforcing the rules. We just spent a long discussion on the references and the leaglities of "should versus shall." It also says should not be used WHEN hair interferes with the seal, which implies that if an employee can prove he has a seal, then he is in compliance. So again, I leave you with this...it is much easier as an employer to have a blanket policy to ensure everyones safety.

Me thinks you did not read the choices in the entirety. Choice number one under question 6, says "one and I have a permit/NONE", choice number two says one. You got a 11 percent cause you are indeed an 11 percent whacker....

Don't own one, don't carry one. I use whatever is provided by the employer, whether it be a Littman or a 12 dollar Sprague, that is all I use

Zero Nada Zilch 0 Percent!!! Whoo hooo!!!

Well, I appreciate the long response and do understand it was 0245 and you were tired, but my gosh, there was a ton of double speak, run ons and spelling/grammatical errors that made it very hard to follow. I am only commenting on this, because I am sure you had a point somewhere but it got lost in the shuffle. I would like to hear a more concise point of view from you when better rested and please break up paragraphs so we can follow along and respond appropriately. Not saying this stuff to slam you, only so I can appreciate and respond better to your point of view in the future. As for the above statement which I quoted, can you quantify this please? What does "just fine" mean, and by operating status quo or "just fine" does that mean we should not improve or strive to do better? Just because it is the only way we have always done it and it has worked "just fine", does that mean that we have achieved perfection and should not change? How do you know everything has been just fine? How do you know someone has not suffered as a result of the "just fine" system?

Seeing as I am sitting in an OSHA standards class right at this moment....lol. CA is not an OSHA state. They chose to create and abide by their own standards. CALOSHA is their rule book, so I a not familiar with what their standards are. Facial hair can be allowed provided they are able to demonstrate a proper fit test. Several FFs won this argument in FL as they had beards for religous reasons. Please bare in mind, I am quoting the Federal OSHA standards not CAL OSHA, however the rule is up to the employer on a case by case basis as referenced in the 1st link below. As long as it does not interupt the seal it is acceptable. I worked for a department that had this rule in effect and several of us had goatees, but we had to wear them pretty thin around the mouth and high on the chin. From an employer perspective, it is easier and safer to just make the blanket rule that no facial hair is allowed and it also helps promote a positive looking image of your staff. From a personal perspective, why risk your safety and wellness just for a certain look? Will it have been worth it the one time you break the seal unknowningly and expose yourself? Yes, the chances are slim but is it worth it? http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.sh...&p_id=19263 http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.sh...&p_id=25342 http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/respirator...afiles/faq.html Q: If employees have a beard or moustache, is their respirator still effective? A: Tight-fitting facepiece respirators must not be worn by employees who have facial hair that comes between the sealing surface of the facepiece and the face or that interferes with valve function. Respirators that do not rely on a tight face seal, such as hoods or helmets, may be used by bearded individuals.

I also meant to comment on the lawsuit topic. Lawsuits do happen everyday, they just do not make the headlines unless they are high profile cases. Many county, city and other govermental agencies are exempt from lawsuits as well per state law. This does not mean the individual can not be sued, but the agency itself can not. In addition, many services are self insured which means they are content to hand out settlements to avoid a courtroom and headlines. This happens more frequently than one would think. A year or two ago, I posted about a lawsuit I was personally named in, it was frivolous but I was named regardless. My service chose to pay the small settlement rather than going to court and involving whatever else may accompany that ordeal. These little deals go on all the time. Many moons ago, I worked as Loss Prevention in a major retail store. Part of our job was assessing and watching for the slip and falls, boxes on head etc by customers. Whenever this happend, we were authorized in conjunction with the store manager approval to offer and secure on the spot settlements up to 20K dollars. These events will never be logged or tracked statistically by an outside agency, therefore they do not exist. Same thing happens in EMS land, just because it isn't on the news or some website, does not mean it is not occurring. I think the entire "no lawsuit, therefore it doesnt happen" tangent is a moot point and irrelevant to this discussion.

OK, I have some free time and will weigh in a little bit on this topic. First off, I am not an English teacher, however grammatical errors always tend to sway my opinion when people are trying to convince me how important they are. It is just a personal pet peeve I thought I would share and yes I do make them occassionally but I do try to double check and spell check before hitting final submit. Anyways, I think this is a great topic as long as people don't get too offended and try to respond in a logical manner, but as always I see people getting upset and responding more emotionally than intelligently or scientifically. Now for the topic at hand...Yes EMT-Basics are needed, Yes the IDEAL system would be to increase education standards and have medics everywhere for optimal care. However this is just not a reality and can not be possible in many areas of this country. I have worked in some very remote areas (the arctic), and if it were not for basics, there would be NO pre hospital care. Up in that region, medic students have to LEAVE the state to finish schooling due to the fact that the call volume is not there to allow these students to complete the requirements. So it would seem that being so remote, medics would be ideal; however, it is not possible. I will point out the fact that the EMTBs in that area had at best a 6th grade education, which was the requirement, and they successfully completed the course and were able to do the skills after passing NATIONAL REGISTRY, so if they do it, any Lower 48 high school graduate should have no problem. When I first started in this business, I came from EMT/Medic truck system. It was the only system I knew about and I could not have imagined it any other way. I asked a ton of questions and I did learn a little from the medics that were kind enough to share knowledge. I quickly realized there was more to every patient than my skills or knowledge provided and this frustrated me greatly. Therefore, I became a medic and opened my eyes to an entirely different approach to patient care and ASSESSMENT. The skills of a medic are irrelevant, as any monkey can do them, so I never wish to hear the only difference between this level and that is they can do IVs and intubate or something ridiculous like that. As I said, anyone can do skills. My first intubations were as an EMT basic as that was when they rolled out the new course that allowed us to do so and my state approved it at that time. It boils down to knowledge and I know that may sound pompous but it is true. As you learn more, you quickly realize how little you truly knew beforehand. It is those that choose to remain ignorant that never become aware of this concept and continue to spew forth mindless mantras and catchy t-shirt phrases. As for dual medic trucks, they are the best! When I moved to Florida, this was my first exposure to the concept. At first I was a little leery, but it did not take long for me to adjust and enjoy this concept. It is nice to know every other call is yours. It prevents burnout and report overload. The majority of our patients are ALS there, not critical, but ALS yes. It is just the nature of the beast in that area. It is nice to know on calls, you do not have to worry about asking for anything or hoping your EMT is good enough to anticipate your needs and set things up for your ease. It is done because the other person is educated to the same level as you are. On multiple patient incidents, which are common with our interstates, turnpikes and clustered roads, it is nice to know when you split up to go assess patients in different cars, it is an assessment you can trust from an ALS perspective. I am not saying Basics are mindless idiots, but it is possible for them not to see the big picture or recognize something for what it is. Yes, this can happen to medics as well (been there, done that) however it is less likely so. Dang it, I was going somewhere with all of this and got distracted by something else. I will extrapolate further when I remember where I was headed. Anyways, it all boils down to the fact that yes, Basics are needed in some areas, however the ideal situation would be increased education and more medics. From the posts I have been reading, I see people having a hard time justifying the basic's position as this was the original topic at hand. Many have strayed onto different tangents and I fear this is due in part that the question can not be answered. Yes, our system is flawed and needs a major overhaul, but it is going to take all of us to correct it. But again, this is not going to happen anytime soon cause there are too many people that are content in their current position and think they know all they need to know. Yes, we should do the best we can in our current position but why can we not strive for higher excellence? I would love to hear basics championing for higher levels of care and education, demanding it be done. But a majority do not because they know if they do this, eventually they will have to comply themselves or find another job or hobby. No one wants to better the system if it is going to one day force a change upon their current lifestyle which they enjoy. Ok, I will leave it alone for a few hours, see what new responses come about and then respond if needed.

You have been teaching since you were 14???? Or is your age in the profile incorrect like mine is?? Edit: Damn it, I hit send and Dust already beat me to it....scum..

I cant resist!! I tried but I can't......... The missed joke only makes it even funnier. Englund I am sorry to laugh at your expense but this was classic...lol.

Well, first of all, these guys were absolutely wrong. To ever go to a call, ANY call without the proper equipment is wrong! NO matter which way you slice it or try to justify it, it is wrong. Some replies said, well dispatch does not always relay what was said due to caller not giving proper info, or the patient signed a refusal, or you can not force treatment on someone....all of those statement are valid only AFTER you know what type of call you have. Regardless of patient condition or transport status, the fact remains that these providers KNEW they were going to the 7th floor! Knowing that fact alone and not having proper equipment with them could be delicous information for a supervisor or worse yet, an attorney to know about, should a situation arise after this call. These guys were wrong and there is no justification or excuse for what they did...NONE!! Having lived and worked in some densely populated tourist areas, where all you see is hotels, I NEVER went on scene regardless if it was stubbed toe or fainting, without having all my equipment. There have been times where I have been toned for the most benign complaint only to find a critical patient and vice versa. It happens, so you must always be prepared. Being the direct person I am, I most certainly would have spoken to them immediately after the call while at the same time gathering company and supervisor iinformation. I would have no qualms about doing this as it is this type of display that weakens our profession as a whole and their actions should NEVER be repeated.

To play devils advocate (no pun intended), you just proved his point and many others as well. This argument has been stated over and over in these forums. The wealthiest county in the US has a volunteer service....why? Because people give it away for free. Imagine how many people could have decent jobs with government benefits if they quit giving it away for free. The county government is getting a hell of a deal. They dont have to pay wages or any benefit package cause people keep giving it away. Where does that get us, EMS, as a profession?? No where. As long as it is a hobby, we will be treated like hobbyists.

And you were exactly the person I was thinking of when I wrote that....

I would certainly take a diabetic who may have an occurrence rather than the many other partners I have endured with different conditions that affect them (and me) every single time we work togther. I dont want to continually have to compensate because you are too fat to get in some areas, too weak to lift, bad knees dont allow you to do something, bad back wont allow this, or your asthma keeps you from doing continuous compressions or gets triggered every time there is some excitement coupled with required activity. And the worst disability of all...... I also dont want a partner addicted to cigarettes causing all of us to smell, requiring frequent breaks and the inability to do a report, clean, whatever, until such time that they have been able to smoke. Anytime something minimiaaly exciting happens, it requires them to puff on one of these things...and no I dont want you standing next to me assisting with cleaning and a cigarette hanging out your mouth. I have had many partners with different conditions and out of all of them, a diabetic just is not going to get me in trouble or hurt me potentially as much as the others might. I will grant the sudden epsiode while driving could be hazardous but hopefully you and your partner will know enough to recognize when this may start occurring and prevent it.

I am aware of the tax cut situation and I really do not see it being as big of a deal as they are making it. However, LSEMS is a private company owned by Lake and Sumter Counties, they decided a few years back to pool their resources since Sumter was so rural and they formed this corporation. Its a decent model.

Lake Sumter (no P) is the highest paying single role service in central FLorida and you WILL get to do lots of things. Their training is great and you will learn and do so much. Their benes are good too. Just something to consider. As far as RM, I have told you all I know about it and not much of it is positive. If you get off on the lights and sirens and non stop driving in heavy traffic then that is the place for you!! Yeh Yeh, I worked for Coastal when I first moved to FL and that was in 1999, so I know it has changed a bit. There are other privates in Orlando that may pay better but they dont do emergency but again as a basic for RM, you will not do emergency either...so decide what you want and go for it.

I forgot to emntion..I dont know your ability to move closer inland, but there are several other better places for an EMT. LakeSumter EMS or Polk County for example. Lake SUmter will pay better, its busy, urban and rural and you work 24s which is better that the 12 or 16s you work at RM.