Richard B the EMT

I observe that in my employ (FDNY), unless cross trained, an Engine company Chauffeur can not drive a (Ladder) Truck company, and the reverse. ONLY FDNY EMS Command EMTs and Paramedics, and other NYC 9-1-1 system EMS responder companies are allowed to drive department ambulances, and FDNY EMS Command techs and medics are allowed to drive the non department vehicles. I'll tighten this down a bit: If you drive an ambulance within our system, you can drive another ambulance within the system. For an example, when I "tech" my BLS ambulance, no matter if the paramedic team is also FDNY EMS Command, Jamaica Hospital EMS, or a Metrocare Ambulance under contract to a 9-1-1 providing hospital in our system, if the call requires both paramedics to provide the patient care, my partner will drive my ambulance to the ER, and I become the chauffeur of the paramedic ambulance, to that same ER. FDNY Paramedics will be driven, in reversed situation, by the aforementioned agencies' BLS personnel. Even if a Certified First Responder-Defibrillator (CFR-D) Engine company was on the scene with all of us, no fire fighter is supposed to drive our ambulances. A fly in the ointment, as it were, happened a few years ago. I was in my POV, when I came on one of my Paramedic ambulances stopped at the curb, the supervisor's vehicle and a local VFD's ambulance alongside it, all with the E-Lights on. As this was outside the VFD's "turf", but on the way to the local ER, it was obvious the Paramedics had made an enroute intercept. When I stopped to find out the situation, there was nobody from the VFD at the location "qualified" to drive the FDNY ambulance, or the supervisor's vehicle. I should mention that the lieutenant was formerly an instructor at the department's Emergency Vehicle Operating Course, and had been both my instructor in that capacity, and was currently one of my station lieutenants. As such, he knew me quite well. What we ended up doing was, the lieutenant ended up driving the paramedic's ambulance, the paramedics rode in on the VFD's ambulance, I drove the "command car", and one of the vollie FF/EMTs drove my POV to the ER, where, eventually, everyone ended up in their own respective vehicles. (My girlfriend, "Lady J" was in my car, but she does not have a licence to drive.)

It seems our mutual friend, the Fool, is at it again. He was found planting light bulbs, expecting to grow an Electric Plant.

(I'd comment further, but at least Lone Star's not directing the "attack" at me this time!)

Yet another buddy of mine was afraid to walk by the family medicine cabinet. He didn't want to awaken the sleeping pills, or blow up the Nitro pills. When he got drafted into the Navy, he was told to call the room to "Attention" when an officer walked into the room. An officer walked into the room, and my guy yelled out, "There's one of them officers, everyone!" ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: On the Army Live Fire Range: Training Sargent: "Ready on the left? Ready on the right? OPEN FIRE, fire at will!" Man: "Hold your fire! Hold your fire!" Training Sargent: "Why the freak are you countermanding my orders?" Man: "You're telling everyone to shoot at me. I'm Will!"

I'll just throw local protocols into the mix... FDNY EMS EMTs are authorized, when not contraindicated, to administer 2 chewable baby aspirin, or assist a patient in taking their own Nitro pills. FDNY Paramedics are authorized, when not contraindicated, to administer Nitro pills, usually carried as on board stock.

I don't know about that. Wouldn't he be carrying a soda dispenser from the "counter"?

If you pry my socks from my feet, at minimum, I'll truly have "cold feet".

I go similarly. After evaluating the illness or injury... If they want to go, an officer will cuff and leg chain them, they either get placed in, or walk UNDER LEO ESCORT (!), into my ambulance, and off we go to the nearest appropriate ER. On completion at the ER, the accompanying LEO calls the precinct, and a patrol car responds to transport the prisoner where they next go, "in the system".If they decide they don't want to go to the ER, I have them sign the Refused Medical Assistance (RMA) line on my Electronic readable Pre-hospital Care Report (E-PCR), and have a LEO, preferably the arresting officer, sign as witness to the RMA, and go to "Available for assignment" status.

I have a friend who is an ER nurse, a lieutenant in a Volunteer VFD/VAS, and works seasonally in the Gateway National Recreation Area-Riis Park Unit. I'll try to contact her and ask her to look at this, and possibly comment.

What were they thinking? Socks with the image of the Muppet "Animal" causing a crew person to get reprimanded? As mentioned, between boots and trousers, nobody would see them. I can understand no jewelry, as that becomes something a patient can grab on to, and that some tattoos might be considered offensive due to training, education, or religious practices of patients or the general public. But a Watch? Incredible. My Mickey Mouse watch considered offensive? OK, it is a rare day for me, on duty or not, that I wear jewelry other than my watch and medic alert necklace, and I don't have any tatts (Lady J has 2), but the regulations I work under do not allow anything other than a "stud" type earring, nothing in the form of any dangling earrings, and any necklaces worn must remain out of sight, under the uniform, male and female alike. (Lady J is a teacher, and the tatts, which are on her forearms, are kept under long sleeves at work, by her choice, but I don't know the regs she operates under in that regard.) Also, my uniform regs only allow black socks. If you have a foot condition that requires a member to wear white socks, they can use the type that is black above where it is covered by the shoe.

The Bellevue Sandwich was a psych patient, face down on a "Scoop" type stretcher, and a long backboard on their back, fastened between the two devices, hence, the patient was the "filling" of the "sandwich" with the destination being the psychiatric ward at Bellevue.

Straying off topic for a short... As Registered Monitor/SWL (Short Wave Listening) "Station" KNY2SC, I show some disappointment in myself, that I don't recognize what "IATA" and "ICAO" stand for, especially due to my listening sometimes to JFK Tower (119.10 MHz AM). Fail on myself to the specific. Back on topic... If a patient is pepper sprayed by the NYPD LEOs, or TASERed, it is a sure bet that one of the LEOs is going along for the ride in the ambulance, specifically as that sprayed or TASERed person is "in custody". BTW, FDNY EMS policy is, we cut the TASER wires, and generally handle the perp...oops, not my place to use that term,...patient, as having 2 minor impaled objects. Someone makes a product that counteracts Pepper Spray? Most definitely post the information! Anyone know if anybody has, in anticipation of being placed under arrest and being sprayed, put such solution on themselves in advance, theoretically deactivating the effect before it was used on them?

The so called "Bellevue Sandwich", and transporting a patient face down on the stretcher, were already against protocol in New York State when I first became an EMT in 1974. EMTs are, as we have mentioned here numerous times, supposed to be advocates for the patients they handle and treat. I have heard nothing, YET, indicating the EMTs did not at least try to advise the officers with the patient, that the patient could, and should, not be transported face down. Let's not act as trial jury for this case, until we have more of the facts of the case available, as this might go bad for both the LEOs and EMTs, due to the actions, or lack of same, of either, or both, the LEO and EMS personnel.

I saw another of my buddies (got a lot of 'em, ya know) running with an attache briefcase, and attired in a business suit, and asked him where he was going. "I'm taking my case to court." I saw him the next day, clothed the same, carrying the attache briefcase in one hand, and a ladder in the other. I asked him where he was going. "I'm taking my case to a higher court." The next day, I saw him wearing knockaround clothing, and carrying an empty coat hanger. "What happened to you?" He answered "I lost my suit." Yet another buddy of mine claimed he had been arrested in Tijuana, Mexico. Seemed he had made coffee, felt he hadn't cooked it enough, and put it back on the stove. The Policia arrested him for "Double Perking".

Overly simplistic approach is rinse the eyes out, from alongside the nose towards the temples, with copious amounts of preferably lukewarm water. Presume the pepper spray, or whatever the tearing agent, to be "gassing off" from the patient's clothing, and have the ambulance's air exhaust system running full blast. Remember, if this is an individual or 2 sprayed, that this is a small HazMat call, try and protect yourself from the fumes. This can possibly be done with an M95 or similar respiratory mask. If it is a generalized release into the ventilation system of a school, factory, office complex, or shopping mall, "Roll the World", and call it in for a full HazMat response. (It is always easier to stop the response, than to get it started in the first place.) (While we are here, I have no clue: what is/are "CYWG"?)

"It was a knife attack", the Police spokesman said, pointedly and sharply. A friend of mine, not the sharpest knife in the drawer, was having problems with his girlfriend, and went to the doctor for a prescription for "Sex-Lax". The doctor asked him if he meant "Ex-Lax". "No, I have problems coming, not going", was the response. A few days later, I saw my friend again. He was wearing a tuxedo, top hat, and a gold sash. I asked him why the outfit. "I have to dress this way, because of what the doctor told me. He told me I was impotent (important)!" But is not that what the teakettle whistles when it boils, "Home On The Range"? Also at the Arkham Asylum for the Criminally insane, the favorite song is "Home on Deranged".

Unfortunately, poster Steve Owens has the right idea. After 9-11, FDNY work uniforms are only available from our quartermaster, and after presenting proper documentation that you are authorized to be in the uniform. T-Shirts, pins, badges, and individual patches might be available from private parties, or on E-Bay. I must mention an incident happened after 9-11. Some guy bought, on line, an FDNY "Turnout" coat, set a fire designed to give off a lot of smoke, and in the confusion in the building from the alarm, kidnapped a woman and raped her repeatedly over several days before she escaped him, and went to the NYPD. The Law Enforcement Officers caught up with the guy a few days later, arrested and extradited him back to New York City, where, late last year, he was convicted and put in prison. However... There are stores that sell commemorative stuff that is notable as close but not obviously actual uniform items. Some of the items are worn in addition to assigned uniform, like some "workshirts", a type of sweatshirt. Such can be obtained on line at http://www.firezonestore.org/.

Sorry, those two are a bit too close to home for me this week. I attended a departmental funeral Sunday for a colleague who commiitted suicide while on line on Facebook. Cross reference to another EMT City string: http://www.emtcity.com/index.php/topic/17456-willy-rodrigues/page__p__234379__hl__suicide__fromsearch__1&#entry234379

I'll be presumptuous, that most of us using AHA or Red Cross CPR standards are mandated to renew our "cards" yearly, keeping us "up to date". On the same presumption, RNs and MDs are not so mandated, as they are already the supposed "higher medical authorities". Take that as a possible explanation as to why the ER staff would be, compared to our training, hyperventilating the patient with the BVM, or using a different compression rate, possibly with the Adrenalin fuel factor also being added to the equation.

Joseph, obviously we have never met, and I hate being either the recipient or deliverer of bad tidings. Having said that, I have to ask: If diagnosed with Epilepsy, or any type of seizure type activity, is it of the type that can strike on viewing flashing lights? I had an associate who couldn't function in the field, as the Epilepsy was "triggered" by the emergency lights on the ambulance. His case was so bad, he couldn't even be photographed by flash photography. He eventually left the EMS field, and I have lost contact with him over the last 3 decades. While the name for the type escapes me, there is a name for this particular type of seizure activity. May I suggest getting some guidance from your primary care doctor, and possibly the Epilepsy Foundation? http://epilepsyfoundation.ning.com/

But what about me?

From the New York Times. FYI, I attended both the memorial service before they found the body, and the funeral after it was found. Regrettably, I had never met him. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/nyregion/01responder.html?scp=1&sq=richard%20pearlman&st=cse February 1, 2010 Mother Fights for Recognition of Son’s 9/11 Sacrifice By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDTIn the days that followed Sept. 11, 2001, Dorie Pearlman of Queens tried to console herself over the loss of her son by focusing on the circumstances of his death. He was a volunteer emergency medical technician who headed to the World Trade Center after the planes struck the towers, intending to treat the wounded. In the months that followed, the authorities would find his attaché case in a police cruiser and his body in the rubble. He was 18. By any definition that Ms. Pearlman would use, her son, Richard, was a first responder. But she has yet to successfully make that case to the federal government. Of the hundreds of claims filed by the families of first responders who died on Sept. 11, the case of Richard Pearlman is the only one still open, according to the Department of Justice. Under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits program, the Justice Department provides one-time payments to the families of first responders who die in the line of duty. Justice Department officials said that of the 436 applications stemming from Sept. 11 deaths, all but two were approved and the families were given $250,000. Ms. Pearlman’s application was denied. So was a claim filed by the family members of an emergency medical technician from Virginia who happened to be in New York on Sept. 11. Officials ruled that he was not serving in an official capacity when he was killed. Ms. Pearlman said her application was rejected for a similar reason. With some help from Representative Anthony D. Weiner, she has appealed the decision. Ms. Pearlman says she does not understand why she was rejected. She received a small sum from the Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund, and was also recognized at a White House ceremony as the family member of a first responder who died. “They want it both ways,” Ms. Pearlman said. She was not aware of the first responders’ benefits program until a friend asked her about it two years ago. The deadline had passed, but the department extended it for her. Ms. Pearlman said officials rejected her claim because the Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps in Queens, where her son was a emergency medical technician, was not a public agency and because she could not prove that he had been called to ground zero by the authorities to treat the injured. On Sept. 11, Mr. Pearlman was dropping off documents for his boss at 1 Police Plaza in Lower Manhattan when the towers were hit. Ms. Pearlman, who traced her son’s steps on Sept. 11 through information from the authorities and photographs published by the news media, said there was an announcement that anyone with medical training should report to Police Headquarters so they could be taken to ground zero. Ms. Pearlman said that after her son offered a CPR and first aid card that showed his affiliation with the Forest Hills agency, the police took him in a cruiser to the towers, where he began assisting other medical personnel. “He got word that someone had a heart attack and, accompanied by a police officer, he went into the building,” she said. “And that’s when the tower collapsed.” On Tuesday, the Department of Justice held an appeals hearing for Ms. Pearlman at Mr. Weiner’s district office in Queens. Mr. Weiner, who said that he had become a “quasi advocate” for Ms. Pearlman, said he believed the original decision was a bureaucratic oversight. “It’s a case that’s not tough,” he said. Mr. Weiner says Fire Commissioner Salvatore J. Cassano has agreed to send a letter to the Justice Department confirming that the Fire Department sent out a call for all emergency personnel — regardless of whether they were volunteers — to come to ground zero to help. Mr. Weiner said this would prove that Mr. Pearlman was acting on behalf of the city. The Justice Department declined to address the specifics of the case. “The loss of someone committed to public service is a tragedy, especially someone so young,” the department said in a written statement. “Our sympathies are with Richard Pearlman’s family. Mr. Pearlman acted courageously and selflessly while assisting those who were injured in the World Trade Center. Although the initial ruling was not favorable, an independent hearing officer is currently considering an appeal of this claim, and there is an opportunity for further appeal should the family wish to pursue it.” Ms. Pearlman said the hearing officer told her that he would rule on her case over the next month.

Is there much resentment regarding the Abu Dhabi prison incident?

One to the body mass center, the second to the bridge of the nose. I stand by the double tap.