Richard B the EMT

A few years ago, several of our Australian and/or New Zealand members were involved in a major wildfire in Australia, that lasted for weeks. My question is, did the smoke cause orange skies and major air pollution reports downwind from the fires, hundreds of miles/kilometers away like the North Eastern United States is now being subjected to? I only ask, as for the roughly last 48 hours, my New York City is having the worst unhealthy air pollution we've had, since 1965-1966. Sky literally is orange, and overall visibility extremely reduced.

I had to look back, so no idea why it's under Funny Stuff. While the question of 3 Strike Rules might be hypothetical, I feel that, hypothetically, the aforementioned Malpractice by failure to act could be applied, at someone, or an agency's expense, in the millions of $$$.

I have heard of many U S jurisdictions considering 3 strike rule implementation. Unfortunately, 3 strikers, and the full run of frequent flyers, are a part of the job. I didn't like those calls when I was still working, either, but some of that is actually our bread and butter. Everyone would be a PTSD case, if all we handled were multiple alarm fires, 20 car pileups, and planes into apartment buildings, in the course of a workweek. Just administer the Narcan to effect, get them breathing again. Restrain them as nessesary as per your regional accepted policies, and transport. NEVER slam the entire amount of Narcan, as that's when they're going to really become agitated, and they'll attack anyone and everyone who, in their muddled AMS state, they associate with the ruining of their high!

Watch how quickly you as an individual, as well as your EMS agency, get sued by the family of the 3 strikes patient, when said patient dies. You and agency will be charged with "Failure to act", under malpractice. It could mean your certification or license revocation, as well as the state Department of Health closing down the agency. This would be the potential results, were this to follow what I believe are New York State DoH rules and regulations. I'm going on memory, as I'm now retired 10 years. Addendum: Would you refuse a frequent flyer who calls for help due to more than 3 times, due to their Angina condition? An uncontrolled diabetic? An asthma patient?

Hello, everyone, Richard B the EMT here on an overdue visit. Hope you and your families have been safe from the CoViD 19, and you have not lost anyone from your teams. As I'm now almost 9 years being medically retired from the FDNY EMS, I'm relatively safe. None of my family, around the country, have been affected, but in the last month, I've lost at least 10 colleagues in the New York City "Tri-state" region, 3 of whom I used to work with, or under their supervision. You know the drill. If dispatch, or you and your partner(s) are the least suspicious of a call, not just the gloves, but the full PPE. Wash your hands, wash your gloves while you're in them, wipe down anything you can think of, including the ambulance door handles, and the keypad that lets you into and out of the Emergency Room. Try NOT to bring the Pandemic home with you to your family. If you're having issues, talk with your Employee Assistance Unit people, by whatever name they go by in your agency. If unavailable, there are several Emergency Psychiatric services available around the country, available 24/7/365. All religions train their men and women "of the cloth" in counciling, which is an available service to be considered. Here in NYC, we just lost an ER doctor and a 3 months on the job rookie EMT to suicide. None of us want that of our coworkers, or they of you. Although it's slow in coming, there will be an end to this Pandemic. Come that time, even with me not being a drinker, I will go to a bar for a beer in salute to my comrades around the world, active and past, and to those no longer with us. Until then, I'm going to continue sounding my car alarm, and ringing my cowbell (been in my family so long, don't remember a time it wasn't in the house) every evening at 7 PM.

Bummer, being spammed here.

I'm mostly on Facebook, on the aforementioned Dinosaurs of EMS, as well as Veterans of EMS, several FB sites specific to the FDNY EMS and it's predecessor, the NYC HHC EMS, plus several FB sites in no way related to EMS, like CB, GMRS/FRS, and Uniden Scanner radios. Other than that, I'm primary family caregiver for my almost 95 year old mother (birthday 2 weeks away as of this posing), running the household as her Power of Attorney/Medical Proxy/youngest adult age child, keeping the aides in line. I'm suffering from arthritic knees due to OTJ injuries, over a 40+ year career, now 8 years retired, (not by my choice) quasi active with the New York York State Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Association (District 4 Metro NYC region), volunteering with a local elected official, and keeping company with my girlfriend of 30 years (Not living together, but she lives 2 blocks away) whom I met at my Volunteer Ambulance Corps. I'll occasionally pop in offering my "sage advice" (Really, Richard? Lol) to others, here.

Me being "Captain Obvious" here, take the situation to human resources, or at least to the immediate supervisors. Document all complaints, times, dates, the usual deal. If possible, address the issues to a female supervisor, so she might be more comfortable, even as the men working with her are uncomfortable. Running around in her underwear sounds like...well...inviting trouble. Not knowing the indivividual, could she be trying to trap some or all male colleagues into a sexual harassment lawsuit? Or even a lesbian coworker, in a similar lawsuit? When she's on the road, is she at least a competent EMT or Paramedic, or driver? If not, perhaps she's trying to keep those who could fire her off balance, with threat of a lawsuit. Again, as the Captain, her actions are behavior of an unacceptable nature. Keep the City informed as to outcome of this investigation/situation.

ParamedicMike, he probably did well, given his experiences. Give him a couple of days to settle in, let the noobs he's with get to know him, and he, them.

Best of luck, Brother!

I'm retired from the FDNY EMS Command. There, I was mission specific EMS, as were my brother and sister EMTs and Paramedics. We didn't fight fires. The Fire Fighters had to be CFR-D (Certified First Responder-Defibrillator) trained, as per the dispatch matrix, some calls also automatically had an Engine company sent along. The Truck (Ladder) companies.would be sent for motor vehicle collisions. Now, numerous Fire Fighters, outside the paid FDNY, are members of Volunteer Fire Departments, both inside and in nearby counties to NYC, that also run Ambulance/Rescue, and are crosstrained FF-EMT or FF-PMs. In the FDNY, however, they are only utilized as FF/CFR-Ds. In the FDNY EMS, again, even if the personnel came from one of those VFD-EMS/Rescue agencies, they're only utilized as EMTs and Paramedics. We do, however, have a small group of "Rescue Medics", trained in several rescue techniques, such as high angle rope rescue. All FDNY EMTs and Paramedics are trained ("Haz-Mat Awareness") to operate in Haz-Mat "Warm" zones, with specially trained members ("Haz-Mat Technicians and Instructors"), including the "Rescue Medics", as operators within Haz-Mat "Hot" zones. Within the FDNY, it is considered a "Promotion" to go from any level of the EMS, to being a Fire Fighter. Pay is actually higher than Paramedic Lieutenant, as a rookie Fire Fighter. To the original poster, this probably won't help your situation, but will explain the world I operated in from 1996 to medical retirement in 2010. Good luck in overcoming your Acrophobia.

Due to a bad knee, unfortunately, would not be able to travel too well, even if the event were to be held within NYC, which is my home town, or even within Queens County, one of the 5 counties comprising "The Greater City of New York ".

Some didn't even make it to the sand. The landing craft might have been hit by mortar fire with no regard if you got off it or not. The Allies lost a lot of good men that Longest Day. James Doohan, who would go on to portray Lt. Commander Montgomery Scott in Star Trek (The Original Series), was one of the Canadian troops to be wounded during that day. Reportedly, actor Charles Durning was having nightmares from that battle for decades, actually waking up screaming. There were probably other actors who fought that battle, not as actors, but as Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, "Coasties", and Marines, but these 2 come quickly to mind. We thank them for their sacrifices.

I'm sure I'm not the only EMT-Dispatcher who had this situation... Caller says, "I'm at (Location). Me: "What is going on that you need an ambulance?" Caller: "I was shot!" I enter the high priority call into the Computer Assisted Dispatch system, then ask: "Where were you shot?" Caller: "Outside DaNang, 1969".

No matter if celebrating Easter or Passover, hope that it's been a happy one (or both!).