Richard B the EMT

This is one of at least 2 strings reactivated. Long time from April 25, 2007 to January 17, 2010. Not complaining, just saying...

October 2nd of '07, to January 17, '10. Wow, what a jump.

Two indications of old age are forgetfulness, and...uh...forgetfulness.

I am verbally notifying my former partner, who hails from Port-a-Prince, Haiti, of this (He doesn't have a computer).

I have not really followed (American style) football from when Joe Willy Namath (#12) was quarterbacking for the New York Jets, at Shea Stadium!

From the canine perspective, admittedly a bit out of season...

In post#21 in this string, in the link to a scene from "Emergency!", gave me kind of a wierd feeling. All the actors shown have died.

When I was born, the doctor slapped my mother! (Not the case!) When AussiePhil was born, they passed out cigars. When Eyedawn was born, they passed out five dollar bills. When ITKU2ER was born, they passed out. (Again, not the case, but I felt the joke must be made) Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu,! (and many mooooore!)

Way back in the day, I used to have regular midnight IFTs from a place to the ER a short distance away. The ER staff would do it's job, and send them back to the sending facility. ER Nurses: "What is wrong with those nurses at that facility, this is something they should be able to handle without transferring the patient to us?" Facility Nurses: "What is wrong with those nurses at that ER, can't they see this patient is SICK?" Me: I said nothing. As already indicated, I like remaining gainfully employed, which if I had commented as "LeggoMan Fire Fighter/Paramedic" did, I shortly thereafter would not have been.

Some of you might recall, in 2005, I had emergency surgery for an aneurysm (or "pseudo-aneurysm") in my right femoral artery, following a cardiac angiogram/angioplasty. For my personal fear of becoming an addict from any doses of Morphine, despite the "11 on a scale of 10" pain I was in, I put off for about 2 hours, getting what would be my one and only dose of the stuff. I never even felt any effect from the Morphine dose, up until the surgical staff put me "under" for the corrective surgery. Just mentioning this, as a "first hand" of using Morphine.

While attempting to relocate my source of information, I have a recollection of a domestic battle reportedly over the subject of a devout Muslim woman, who had a physical altercation with her husband, over her refusal, under her interpretation of Muslim laws, not to be seen by him when not wearing the burqa, even in the privacy of the bedroom they shared. I do not recall where this happened, or if it was even in a country where the predominant religion is Muslim.

Someone mentioned the person who wanted her drivers licence to show herself in the full face covering of the burqa. Everyone I remember discussing that with was, how are we going to know if the person presenting the licence for ID is actually the person under the garment when the photo was taken?

EMS- Here to save your ass, not to kiss it. Member of the EMS Piss and Moan about everything club (I own one of them) Joe EMT (Shows Snoopy as an EMT, I own one of them, too.)

Blame society. Society has decreed there is no limit as to how much clothing we can put on to remain warm when it is cold, but does decree that there is a limit how much we can remove in warm or hot weather.

As I write this, USAR NYC1 team is probably already boots on the ground in Haiti, per WCBS-TV2 News.

As I have mentioned on other strings, I got written up by a facility nurse because I dared to take a BP, like I didn't trust her ability to do so. Admittedly, I have had some calls where I felt like that Fire Fighter, but decided not to use such language. I like staying on payroll and getting paid.

All small animals and birds have a rapid heartbeat, compared to a normal human's sinus rhythm. It's their normal. If a hummingbird had a heart rate close to mine, the vets would declare the bird bradycardic.

While I do not know if it is still in effect, for a while after the 9-11 Attacks, FDNY EMS Command policy was, anyone asking questions like that were to be considered suspect, and the NYPD to be requested to intervene. This was, in part, due to the episode in New Jersey, where a duo of men with "Middle Eastern" appearance and accents tried buying a used ambulance in cash, days after the attack. Suspicion and alarms, after the 2 men suddenly decided not to make the purchase and practically ran away from the used vehicle lot, went out nationwide. A small film company, using a former ambulance as their main vehicle to film a cross country travel documentary for PBS nearly had their personnel locked up by suspicious LEOs, who initially thought they might have been connected to the 2 from New Jersey. Again, I say that I don't know if the "act with suspicion" thing is still in effect (except in the NYC transit system, where posters, and even the fare card vending machines, still advise "If you see something suspicious, tell Transit employees, or the Cops".

Scooby, is your brother in Haiti, or "state side?" I hope his friends you mentioned are safe, or at least not hurt.

My former partner on FDNY EMS Command ambulance 47-Adam-3 comes from Haiti, but is living a few miles away from me. He has family living in, and near, Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capitol. From the force of the Haitian earthquake, and pictures I have seen on the internet and TV News, this is going to be a long, drawn out Rescue and Recovery operation, with probably almost all of the United States USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) teams either going, or placed on standby. Prayers for those in Haiti, and good luck to the USAR teams, and military personnel and engineers, no matter what country they come from, in doing the humongous task now ahead of them.

Cut to the chase! And welcome aboard!

We have a string on a handbook to minimize danger to Heroin users in New York City. Figure this as a parallel. Earlier today, the New Jersey Legislature voted to allow the usage of medicinal Marijuana, for treating a specified list of pain causing diseases. Those who qualify for the legalized "Wacky Tobacky" will be required to have special ID card. Control of the cannabis will be with the state, so forget growing your own, for fun and/or profit. As of this posting, all the vote needs, is the signature of the out-going Governor. The growing, and distribution, if the gov signs off on it, will be available in about 9 months.

He: Pronounce "T-o" She: To He: Now pronounce "T-o-o" She: Too He: What was the pen-name/surname of Samuel Clemens? She: Twain He: Now put it together, and what do you have? She: To too Twain He: Tomorrow, I'll teach you how to say "Locomotive"

What CBEMT said may be true, but nobody here will argue that, in the hiring of personnel, the preference will always be towards the ones with more experience, over the newjacks.* Also, some agencies refuse to accept volunteer service as experience. I fell afoul of that one. It always begs the question of, "How am I going to get experience if nobody hires me?" Remember the following inconsistency: Don't go in the water, until you learn how to swim! (*Newjack: A noob, a newbie or newbee, a new person, an inexperienced person, a probie, freshly minted into the lowest rankings. Newjacks remain in that status until an even newer newjack arrives on the scene)

I believe the "3 week card" reference was as to possession of said card, not the time it took to acquire it. Anyway, welcome to the city, and good luck with either, or both, continuing your EMS education, and the job hunt. Richard B, the EMT, Member, FDNY EMS Command.