Richard B the EMT

Because I used to date the subject of this autobiography, I would like to recommend "Looking For Lost Bird", by Yvette Melanson. (No, it is not a book about birds!) She barely mentions her first husband, so I am not offended by my NOT being mentioned in the book. After writing it, she has since divorced and remarried.

Thank you for the update. I thought it was in reference to how close passing vehicles were allowed to come to any Emergency Sector personnel, or even just road construction workers, in the traffic lane nearest the action.

I had stated that before, but it apparently was on a different string. EMT is no insult. I started out as one. After many years, the NY State DoH allowed EMT Defibrillation with the SAEDs, and we were further trained to be EMT-Ds. After yet another while, DoH decided that the "D" was now a regular part of being an EMT, instead of a separate course, and they dropped the "D" in favor of a "B" for Basic. I'm cheap, so I never paid for a new nametag, which still IDs me as an EMT-D. Depending on which NY County you are in, there's a bunch of assorted following letters indicating assorted levels of Intermediate levels of training, which eventually is followed by a "P" for Paramedic. We have several discussions on the City as to how extensive this state's Paramedic is, versus another, or even that of another country, which I hope this string won't become (save it for those other strings, dudes and dudettes!). Again, I'm strictly a civilian and never in the military, but I'm presumtive enough to believe that there's several levels of Army Medic, and Navy Corpsman, with the alphaneumeric code to indicate which level they are at. I also know that I have had miliitary medical personnel in training ride with me in my little slice of heaven within New York City called Far Rockaway, and know the military has done so in Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver Colorado, and other large call volume cities, so these military personnel can get a small feel for emergency medicine, as well as trauma.

Doc D, just reminding you that in some firefights, there can be no discernable "Front Line" for female members of the US Military to not be at. </H3>

I may know what you're talking about by a different name, but...what do you mean by a 3 foot state?

1) Any place of business has the right to refuse service to anyone, at least as far as I know, in the US and Canada. 2) They did, however, serve the LEO take out coffee, and then asked him to leave, when he was talking to another customer, in a conversation the customer, not the LEO, originated. Something doesn't seem right, here, but what it is, I cannot yet figure. 3) The person who was thanking the LEO for doing their collective jobs was NOT asked to leave the premises, unless I missed something in the article. 4) It is not that places that (legally) sell alcoholic beverages for on premise consumption don't want LEOs coming in, but probably that LEO supervisors don't want their LEOs in a place serving alcohol, as it may give an appearance of the LEO in the place as being intoxicated, even if the LEO didn't imbibe any alcoholic beverage. Appearances are EVERYTHING to some agencies. 5) I'm presumptuous now that the lowlifes that would rob a person or place just put this establishment on their "To Do" list. 6) Does anyone else recall the bumper sticker seen on LEO-mobiles, circa 1969, saying, ?

Apparently not, it is still open. Also, I seem to remember reading that Lifeguard is somewhere in Canada.

I am uncertain of "a peaceful death", however, perhaps a moderator can lock it down? Perhaps not peaceful, but a mercy killing?

@ Lifeguard: From my initial EMT class, and through all of my refreshers taken over the last 37 years, the instructors have always given us a sheet informing us what was to be covered on any particular day, including reading assignments in the textbooks as prep for the following day. I'm presumptuous enough to believe this is the case in all EMT or Paramedic training programs. Was this NOT the case with your program?

My take has been to say that "I cannot show favoritism, and as such, I cannot recognize gang 'colors', and have to treat the worst hurt first". Getting them (the other guy) hurt was "your job, mine is patching them up for the cops", and regrettably, that they can go at each other again, somewhere down the road.

A simple suggestion here: Everyone be respectful of everybody else. Someone may be new to the City, but be a long-timer in the EMS arena. Can you imagine some City nooby telling off Dr Brian, when we know Dr Brian is one of the doctors who writes both EMT and Paramedic textbooks? (Just using your name as an example, Dr Bledsoe.) Acknowledge that protocols will be different between Military and Civilian, county/Parrish, State, and even nation. Hey, folks, lets just be nice to each other. It's OK to disagree, but do it civilly.

I never stated that as a splinting device, that they were effective. I will go on record, as one who has been both a long backboard training dummy (some state I need no practice in being a dummy), and an actual patient transported on one, yes, they are undeniably uncomfortable. They are also a transportation device, for distance. I don't recollect how many people I have taken off of the beach here in Rockaway, on one of them, as my vehicles never had "Stokes Baskets" as a state required onboard device. I do not have much, if any, input as to what devices the FDNY EMS uses, or might use, but tskstorm is correct. Also and unfortunately, a lot of protocols and devices are changed REACTIVELY, instead of PROACTIVELY. I use as example, the death of a man who was placed into a Medical Anti Shock Trousers, as treatment for a penetrating chest wound (he got stabbed in the chest during a robbery). The device worked as advertized, and the man bled out from the chest wound. I again state having used a newspaper to splint, and admit to having used the pillow splinting quite a few times.

Not the FDNY EMS, but perhaps a few FDNY "Reserve" engine and "truck" vehicles, older units kept as spares to temporarily cover line units taken out for preventative maintenance, or repairs. I still question where they keep the horses that pull them. LOL

Obviously, you agree with me on this. I prefer to sometimes have a lack of information, that I may continue to have plausible deniability.

Incandescent, LEDs, and I'm not sure of what else, except there are no florescents.

I am beginning to suspect that "lifeguard" is, in essence, saying he was taught all about caring for a puppy, but then got tested on the care of peonies. I am using these as a metaphor, not actually saying he was trained and tested on puppies and peonies.

Please do NOT tell me who this person was, as I may know the individual.

As already noted in other strings, I am a part of an urban system. I would be doing things differently if I was out in either the countryside, or wilderness. I have no clue as to how I'd work in a military firefight, even after my current 37 years of EMS. Also take note, where I work, under normal circumstances, I am within 10 to 30 minutes travel time of either an "appropriate" emergency room, or a trauma center. I know some here on EMT City are sometimes 24 hours from a hospital, period. Re splinting in general, I splint when I suspect a bone fracture, the theory I am following being bone ends grating against each other during transport can hurt, and cause damage in their own right. Splinting, to a degree, stabilizes the break. Again outside my own experience, I know many here (not in the US) swear by immobilizing with a "Vacuum Mattress", instead of other splints or the long backboard. I would hazard a statement that no matter what we use, each of us to our own "Local Area", it will be influenced by what the local authority allows you to use, and also what your agency has in the stock pile for your use. Having stated that, I did have at least one occasion when I splinted a leg using a copy of the New York Times newspaper.

Leave us not forget the 11 crewmen who are missing and presumed dead, and of course, their families.

We again recognize that any one piece of equipment can be "the best thing ever invented" to any one tech, and a "what the hell was the inventor thinking" item to another. I've never had use for a SAM, but I know many who swear by it. I'll leave the SAM to those who favor it.

The training films in the link have been removed by the originator, so I was unable to watch. There is reference to a "Miss Piggy" film. Is that the old films of a pig, goat, or sheep that is shot, and the would-be first responder having to keep it alive for a set period of time with "First Aid" skills and supplies? If it is what I remember, if the animal is kept alive for that period, the animal is shot again, and the responder has to keep it alive for another set period, following which, if the critter is still alive, is then euthanized. You know PETA is involved in stopping that style training.

Welcome to the city. While I am strictly civilian EMS, I have to respect all military EMS personnel, as what I do in the streets of New York, was originally done by Army Medics and Navy Corpsmen in the battlefields. (If it helps any, I'm progeny of an Army T4 Sargent, and a WAC PFC, both WW2 vintage. 2 kids from Brooklyn, NY, they met at Ft Knox, KY. Mom rode in the Memorial Day Parade yesterday, with 11 other WW2 Veterans, as parade honorees.)

Active military, or activated reservist are separate categorization. I would not expect to see partners of mine armed, unless a full scale riot is in progress, and a National Guard team is assigned to my unit, so the only armament I'd normally be expecting to see (on "friendlies") would be 9mm handguns in the holsters of an accompanying NYPD LEO. If said LEO has the weapon out of the holster, or they are carrying longer barreled weapons, I'm in the wrong place at the wrong time!

What? The last florescent lighting sets I had seen were over 10 years ago, in surplus military ambulances that FDNY purchased for other than EMS usage, like the computer and radio repair service dudes and dudettes.

I think it might be in part that the man who is featured in the video actually is making comments on his own behalf here on the string. I am open minded enough to admit, while I am really not a fan of the "Rap" style of entertainment, it is a good demonstration of the Rap genre.