Richard B the EMT

For whatever it may be worth, the bombing suspect was already in the US, and "Naturalized" as a citizen PRIOR to 9-11-2001.

The past FDNY Commissioner, Tom Von Essen (spelling?), after photographs were published of 1/2 crews sleeping in the cabs of ambulances, basically told everyone in NYC to attack the ambulances with baseball bats, as he would do himself if catching any EMTs or Paramedics "in the act!" This would be dispite the other half of the team being awake to respond to the radio and nudge the sleeping partner awake as they'd be notified of any calls. Note that Mr Von Essen had been promoted to being commissioner from being the president of the Fire Fighters union, and had been against the merger of EMS into the FDNY when in that capacity. However, rather than have the EMS, then under the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, he wanted to privatize EMS, not keep it as a municipal union as we both then were, and still are.

Before my sleep apnea was diagnosed, I fell asleep in front of a computer in the EMD. Some jerk took a photo of me, and then a jerk deputy chief took the photo and taped it up inside his "fishbowl" office so anybody passing by could see it. My embarrassment continued, until I managed to get into his office and remove the photo. This chief, while an excellent Paramedic, and source of good medical information, should have brushed up on his "People skills" in leadership. I'm just glad he left the FDNY EMS.

While this story is from Terre Haut (spelling?) in Indiana, I have had the same problem in NYC, even in the densest population areas

On presumption that the "bad guys" may have the possession of the portable, removed from the service member, a code phrase actually seems a good idea, as you just described.

On behalf of Rabbit and Marisa, Thanks!

If this is in the wrong forum, please move it. I figure it to be a "Tactical" issue. In my Union newsletter, I saw a mention of an incident where the Union Executive Board member, in his capacity as a Dispatcher, overheard a colleague ask a unit over the air if everything was OK, as one of the portables assigned that unit had it's "Emergency" button activated. The crew person replied to effect, all was well. The button went off again a few minutes later, and the conversation was repeated. 5 minutes later, an "Officer needs Police FORTHWITH" was transmitted by the unit. It seems the partners had separated, as one went into a building next to where the ambulance field-stages, on some kind of personal business, and ended up in a beat-down. The Tech inside had hit the portable radio's Emergency button, twice, but the person outside didn't think to check out what was happening with the partner! After the second denied Emergency, the person went inside to check on the partner, and found him in a badly hurt status, which was when the Outside person called the Emergency over the air. If you and your partner are separated, and you hear your unit being asked if there is an Emergency, due to the button being pushed, until and unless you can confirm with your partner that there is NOT an Emergency, presume that there IS. (As per the Union Exec member, both of the crew are doing well at this time)

As some of you might have heard, the NYPD and Homeland Security are investigating a car bomb that didn't blow up in Times Square, roughly 6 PM on May First. A T-Shirt street vendor saw smoke coming from an illegally parked car, flagged a Mounted NYPD LEO (really! A cop on a horse), and the area evacuation followed. The Nissan SUV had fireworks, a timer of some sort that looked like a child's clock, several gallons of gasoline, and 3 barbecue sized Propane fuel tanks. Per the NYPD and the Fire Marshals, if the thing had actually blown, the potential kill range would have been at least 45 feet from the car. An Al Quieda (spelling) group claimed responsibility, but are doubted. If it had been from the hardliners of that group, the bomb would have gone off, giving the devil his due, here. The car was a Nissan, the plates were from a Ford. By way of the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), they have traced both to junkyards.\ People, if you are called to reports of suspicious packages, or confirmed "devices" type calls, be extra careful. I think someone might have done a "Dry Run", and now the bad guys know where to place the secondary devices to hit us at our staging and treatment areas. This goes for "Big City" as well as "20 people and a cow" sized towns, best all of us follow Sargent Philip Esterhaus' (from Hill Street Blues) advice:

Somewhere, EMTs and Paramedics work on film sets, in case someone gets hurt. I don't know where the production companies get them. Just something to consider.

I think I can confirm. I worked at a Micky D's summer of 1970.

...And...?

Don't have to. You did quite well without me, grasshopper. The bosses would say, "Not MY problem", while mid level management would say "I wish I could help you, but..." Think of all the "nasties" you are trying to eliminate when you do a Blood Borne Pathogen Decontamination of the vehicle. While I try to keep the window between the cab and the cabin closed, this can be a concern, even when "brown bagging" it. By the way, not sitting in the cab when eating is nice when the weather cooperates, but try doing that during heavily inclement weather.

Thank you, all who sent Birthday greetings. In general responses to private messages, "I'll so endeavor", "I don't do that", and "the human body cannot do that!" LOL

Going back to the "Taking a date to the shooting range" question: On the "CSI:Crime Scene Investigation" (CSI Las Vegas) show, they had a sequence with a man who was shot up with at least 100 rounds, assorted ammo's and weapons fired. Turned out the guy, a fugitive, had wandered into a private land "range", where they had all sorts of automatic weapons, including belt fed 50 cals, and what I think was a 1914 vintage French made, water cooled barrel Maxim, to "light up" the derelict van where the fugitive was trying to sleep. The shooters really had no idea he was there. Several of the shooters with obvious significant others, who were also armed, or using the rented firepower, could have been on dates. So, I'll leave it as going to a firing range for a date is a foreign concept to me, as I am from New York City.

Amen to that! A what? Obviously, extenuating circumstance.

Gee, spenac, I thought I had put the sarcasm on so thick, you'd be tasting it for days. Yet, I don't dispute what you said.

FDNY, and all units covered under NYC's 9-1-1 system have a place on the backs of the call reports telling the doctors that. If they still want to go, there are protocols in place, including the need for the doctor to sign their name and put their Narcotics number on the call report.

Enjoy your Fosters. I don't think any agency would, no matter the agency or the personnel.

That may be the situation where you're at. Not mine. I am in a paid department (already a possible difference?), with Fire Fighters, and an EMS area with EMTs and Paramedics. "Fire" does fires, rescue, and First Response on high priority medical calls. EMS does EMS. Nobody is utilized as cross trained, at least in-house, even if they might do such outside my agency. We also have EMS field-stage between calls, so we EMSers are only at "the house" at shift change, doing Blood Borne Pathogen De-con, restocking, refueling, washing the vehicle, and even once in a while, eating at "the house". Sometimes on day tour (tour 2) on weekends, we'll be called back to the house to sweep or mop, at the EMS supervisor's discretion, and suggestion of the engine and/or ladder company officer(s). I have to mention: in the FDNY, we only have a few "combined " houses such as mine (engine/truck/battalion chief/4 BLS 2 ALS & supervisor EMS), the majority are engine, truck, engine/truck, or engine/truck/battalion chief, and EMS only. While not my house, but in my primary response area, we have one house with 2 engines and a truck company. Before the combined house was built, my then EMS only station would have me fuel up there.

I was always taught that, to the patient/family/bystanders, it is an Emergency, until we get there, and if the case requires it, downgrade or upgrade. That covers both the BLS and ALS areas. I also have heard teachings that when the EMTs or Paramedics arrive, the Emergency is over. Help is there. Yeah, an over-simplification, but that doesn't mean they ain't true.

OK, I yield that military personnel, and recently inactivated ones, too, might have a different perspective on the issue. I have a feeling that the old video of Ed Ames on the Johnny Carson "Tonight Show" might be referenced here. Scoobykate's area of the target might be where this video ends up... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKJtS2ERhNg My mention of inactive military personnel is that there are no "Former" Marines. I had a very loud discussion on that one, years ago.

"Teachers of Sex Education shouldn't give homework." (Archie Bunker, Forest Hills, NY)

"Son, it's time we had a talk about sex." "Sure, dad, what do you want to know?" LOL

Reference-Dallas, when they explained away a bad plot year by having it be a dream of Bobby's wife. I am told that Textron/Bell Jet Ranger Helicopters are able to travel at about 120-140 miles an hour. Other brands might even go faster. I think Lady J would have broken up with me if I had tried that, and besides, there's a bunch of folks I know who would call in the National Guard if they thought I had a gun in my hands. Long story, not for here. (ScoobyKate, you do live in Colorado, after all, what is, I believe, a gun-friendly state) Per departmental lore, a crew challenged a dispatcher on something, and the response from dispatch was determined to be an invite to come down, even if it was to assault the dispatcher. The dispatcher allegedly also bought trouble for the "invite". All 3 were disciplined. As the first 11 years of my 25 years time in municipal EMS employ were as a call taker in the EMS end of the city's 9-1-1 system, I can assure everyone in large systems that it is not easy, and nowhere as seemingly easy as the single call Tyler handled, without several hours/days of instruction. If you think it is, come in on your day off for a few hours, just to listen in on a spare headset at the call receiving positions. It will change your mind. Also, while those in the FDNY EMD can go work overtime in a field unit, due to the training necessary, a field unit crew person cannot do the reverse. (Call taking and dispatch operations are actually in separate rooms in the FDNY EMD center)

OK, after watching Trauma, then Law and Order, and then CSI Miami on taped delay this AM, I open my notes re Trauma for the following posting (Yes, I know I am earlier than my projected 1330, following The Young and the Restless, but I got up earlier than usual today). 1) Greg and Nancy just rush through an open door with nobody to greet them. Where is the Scene Safety Survey? 2) Nancy doing CPR...to herself? 3) Explanation of #2= Dream sequence. Is Bobby Ewing going to show up in her shower next? 4) Rabbit asks Nancy to consider getting a bigger apartment for living together, instead of the 2 cramped apartments they currently rent separately, while living together in Nancy's. 5) What kind of Tech Troubles cause dispatch to say a different field staging location than the one just told them by a crew, when not directing them to the alternative location in the first place? "Negative that location, you're needed to stage at..." Didn't do that. 6) Nice MOI (Method Of Injury) of garroting with barbed wire while riding an ATV. 7) Cell phone coverage "choppy", is this tied into whatever is going to follow? 8) In NYC, the NYPD helicopters can clear from one side of the city to the other in a max of 14 minutes (per NYPD Aviation sources). A 20 minute helicopter response in the smaller town of San Francisco seems outlandish to me. 9) Boyfriend or not, Marisa abandoned her post to go visit him. How do you cover an hour with a helicopter? Penalty? Firing! 10) You harass the dispatchers, at minimum, they find grunt work calls for you, at max, they file charges resulting in disciplinary actions against you. Tyler is nuts, but not THAT nuts. 11) Boone and Tyler sent to incorrect address. I have had that happen, and believe most of us have, too. However, no request for land line callback to re-verify the location? 12) Nancy and Greg have a terminal stage 4 CA patient. Why the interest of the colored sand the patient has collected from around the world? 13) Looks like Dr Diane had previous instructions on Nancy's patient, as she's going to a hospice area of the hospital. Seems Diane was expecting this patient without a OLMC contact, which can happen. 14) Why is Nancy interested if Glen had ever been to Cambodia? 15) Tyler speaks the truth- "9-1-1 screws up, people die!" 16) REALLY suspend reality! Has anyone here ever gone on a date with a significant other, or even a prospect of one, by going to a shooting gallery? 17) Time for "Telephone Tag" with Nancy and Rabbit. 18) At least Nancy seems to know the guy she is talking to, while calling Rabbit, is a pickup artist. 19) Tyler doesn't want anything for his birthday from Boone. Will he be disappointed if that is exactly what he gets? 20) Like anybody, Rabbit comments on Marisa's "Gun play" date. 21) I find the likelihood of 2 units being assigned to one call, and neither hearing the other being dispatched, highly unlikely. I find even lower credence that both units would have as big a delay in responding as the show indicated. This was not a major snowstorm in Philly, as per our real life strings of discussion, but a seemingly bright and sunny day in San Francisco. 22) Is Caroline the dispatcher in trouble, or is it the system she works in? 23) Tyler hears from other teams that there are system-wide delays in starting units out to assignments. what gives? 24) If an on-duty unit just shows up at the Comm Center without authorization, wouldn't they (the crew) be in trouble? 25) Tyler finds that call taking and dispatching is not as easy as some would think it to be. 26) Casey, Marisa's boyfriend, assaults the aggressive panhandler. Obviously, he has anger management issues, but then, he is just back from the "sandbox". 27) Boone pesters Tyler to at least let him buy the "Birthday Boy" a drink. Did anyone else feel the whole gang would be there? That is an overworked dramatic/comedic device. 28) Could Nancy be seeing the CA patient as something of a surrogate for her own deceased from CA mother? I'd say yes. 29) While acknowledging that he can't order him to do so, Rabbit encourages Casey to seek out professional help for whatever issues he's having. Why not? Rabbit is following his own advice, and it seems to be working. 30) Nancy just throwing back drinks like I throw back diet colas? Seems out of character for her, or she can't handle her liquor, or both. 31) Rabbit sees Nancy giving Greg a kiss. He doesn't look happy about that. If the series comes back next year, this is probably going to be an issue. I'll be back later with comments on my own comments. Other tasks to do today, before I continue.