Richard B the EMT

Perhaps I have been too indoctrinated, but as a BLS providing EMT, I always get my hands dirty, trying to keep the Paramedics available for those calls that actually need ALS. This is not to say I have not requested their higher level of training on some assignments.

1975/1976: Holmes Ambulance Service. On the road, returning to Brooklyn, NY, from an IFT to the Montrose, NY VA Hospital, and hearing the Ball Drop in Times Square on a portable radio. We were in the middle of nowhere, so we joined the celebration by blasting the siren at the falling snow. 1999/2000:FDNY EMS Command, Station 47 (Rockaway). Millennium change, in the supervisor's office, holding our glasses of non alcoholic "champagne" in one hand, and flashlights in the other, as we expected the lights to go out due to the "Y2K" computer glitches. 2008/2009: Lady J's house. "Should old acquaintance be forgot,... oh where is my coat, I gotta open the office at 6 AM, so I have to leave!" Lady J had been told I would have to do so.

New York State is supposed to have run out of money, and that is why they ran out of PCRs. We'll see how this affects funded EMT and Paramedic refresher classes in the immediate future. However, I got the following from the New York State Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Association, re PCRs...

Lisa, I'll presume this reversal is a typo. Also, the condition is known as "secretary spread". Sometimes, the condition is accompanied by "Dunlop Disease", as in "My belly donlop over my belt".

I think it's a similar program, updated every now and again, used by the FDNY EMS Command, in it's placement of ambulances on street corners, in presumption of where the next call is going to come in. I know it also takes into account population volume, time of day, and possibly weather conditions.

I don't think I've heard the phrase prior to this string. Having said that, I can give you another cause of it: After finding out that getting hot food placed in front of you is the trigger for the dispatcher sending you a call, you learn to shovel food into your mouth ASAP in anticipation of the dispatcher giving you that next assignment. Numerous nutritionists will tell you that the body takes time to realize it's been fed, so you still feel hungry, and eat again. I'll simply say, I am a victim of that.

Dear ("Today" Show weatherman) Al Roker, I just thought you would want to know that I shoveled a foot and a half of "Partly Cloudy" off my front walk and steps this morning!

In a companion ad, also on Youtube, the same person with the patch on his forehead has a "long backboarded" woman sit up, like the guy in the first one, to say she's all right, too. Neither one is correctly immobilized, as they couldn't have sat up to say their lines on camera. Due to the message of the commercial, I'd let it slide for that commercial series ONLY.

If I recall correctly, when Salomon Rushtie (spelling?) wrote "Satanic Verses", the Ayatollah Khomeini (again, spelling?) put out a religious "death warrant" on Mr. Rushtie. Yusef Islam, formerly known as the singer Cat Stevens, agreed publicly with the warrant. Perhaps a stretch, but a death warrant from a religious leader against an individual not even from the Ayatollahs' home country, supported by a "celebrity" from yet a third country? That could be reason Mr. Islam ended up on that 'No Fly" list.

Wasn't it just a few years ago that someone said the Tickle Me Elmo she purchased for her child was spouting some sort of demonic words?

A few years ago, on a different board, I mentioned the transfer of several specific lieutenants. One of the lieutenants reamed me a new one, as, correctly, it was information that should have been kept "in house", as the board was departmental, but the readership are "unknowns" outside of the departmental community. I think what I did probably violated something along the lines of UNFPD, or "Unclassified, Not For Public Dissemination."

When the EMT/Dispatcher called in to 9-1-1 and used her ID number (0816), even when requesting her name not be used, anyone with access to the FDNY EMS Computer Assisted Dispatch (CAD) system could pull up the worker's name by that ID number. Just by saying "I have a job" shows "in-house" knowledge of the lingo. Judging strictly by news accounts and forums like EMT City, and even allowing for the amount of Fire Fighter bashing we've seen here, these 2 EMT/Dispatchers failed their state mandate of responding to their "Legal Duty To Act", while the 2 Fire Fighters, while supposedly using outdated treatment protocols, at least made an attempt to treat. I also mention, when I have called in assignments when off duty, I always use my badge/shield number, then add my name if requested to do so. EMS Command can call up my name in the same way I already mentioned, and add it to the assignment for a printout at a later time. Also, all calls to 9-1-1, or even within the EMS dispatch center itself, are taped, and the tapes are held for an indefinite time, should there be a lawsuit even 10 years down the road, just like "nobody reads the call reports" is a fallacy.

I think I saw that watch for $35.00 at Galls. I just bought a Timex for $50.00. When I asked if they had anything less expensive, they inferred I shop at another store a few doors away, actually a stationary store. I had to remind them I wanted "inexpensive", not "cheap".

OK, I have never even handled, in classes, a combi or King, but wish to comment on that 70 seconds. An instructor in EMT refresher once taught, when suctioning a patient, that we should hold our own breath, as the patient needs to breath. If you are uncomfortable, imagine how the patient feels! Therefore, never suction for more than 15 seconds at a time. We now return you to the ongoing discussion on Combitube versus King versus other manufacturer's products for similar usage.

I'd suggest you not go there. While I have stated I don't know these 2 EMTs, as they both started in EMD years after I had left, please entertain the possibility they, like the deceased, are black, too. If it was a case where even the possibility of the race card was being played, the Reverend Al Sharpton would have held a press conference at the door of either the EMD, or in front of FDNY Headquarters by now. Much as I don't like the guy, this would be an instance where I'd agree with him.

EWFC19: Before the NY State DoH created the title of "First Responder", my VAC had them as an "In House Only" title. Lady J held that title, but left the EMS field prior to the NYS DoH instituting the statewide title. Therefore, she would have been a knowledgable person without cert or licence onscene, and presumably MIGHT have been able to render some care under my direction and control. Notice I say "MIGHT", as I have no idea of what the state says about something like that. (Afterthought: Back in 1974, my first EMT Instructor/Co-ordinator told us to learn our craft, that if on a scene we became injured, we could direct a bystander in treating ourselves.)

Nobody here does one handed compressions (or at least got caught) except when riding the gurney from the ambulance into the ER. Right, folks? Of course, Right!!!!!

I might not be so certain of that. I knew a student, back when I attended the Brooklyn Center/Zeckendorf Campus of Long Island University, of which my faculty counselor stated, if he had gone back to his home country, he risked assassination. I never asked for details. Come to think of it, that student was from Nigeria, but this was circa 1972-1975.

While awaiting contact with Dr Gil Grissom, a noted expert on bugs, and former Las Vegas, Nevada Police Crime Lab specialist/supervisor, can anybody tell me what a "Humbug" is? I always hear complaints from my neighbor, Mr. E. Scrooge, about them this time of year. Mustard, ketchup, salt and pepper to all! What? You never had "Seasoned Greetings" before?

Not only did they spell his name wrong, they called him a "Fire Medic". I reiterate: EMTs and Paramedics in the FDNY are EMS mission specific, and don't fight fires. "Fire Medics" or even "Fire EMTs" do not exist within the FDNY. We are EMTs or Paramedics that work for the FDNY. Also, they even show the back of the work-shirt, and it says "FDNY EMT", not "FDNY Paramedic". Please remember, prior to the FDNY/EMS merger, this is the same station that was approached by both EMS and my union, and told the reporter that we could improve our service by doing a list of things. The station and reporter turned it into an accusation of "Why doesn't the EMS DO" that list of things.

I spent 11 years in what would become the EMD, pre the FDNY EMS merger. I had to maintain my EMT certs, because I, more than occasionally, would be detailed field side to work a field unit, while assigned to EMS "Communications Bureau". Then, again, I was a Complaint Receiving Operator, not a Dispatcher (tried out twice and didn't make it). CROs had more chance to be "detailed" out to the field for a day than dispatchers, or at least that is how it seemed to me.

Why not? Mr Kris Kringle, and his flying devices, have been able to penetrate numerous countries' RADAR defense screens, including some that fire SAMs (Surface to Air Missiles) at the slightest perceived threat to their airspace, and come away unharmed. Our scientists have to capture such flying devices, and reverse engineer them for our joint task force planes.

When a "Warrant Service" is performed, the NYPD/FDNY EMS Command protocols are, the EMD tells the involved crews (one each BLS and ALS) to "look at your screen", as to not give away an address. They usually then head to the involved precinct, and wait, kind of a first staging area. The nearest field supervisor, usually a lieutenant, joins them there. On arrival, we load up all equipment we might be using (spinal longboard, 2 each of all splint sizes, O2 bag with BVM, Defib, and Paramedics add the drug bag to theirs) on top of the stretcher, and then walk into the roll call room in the precinct house, usually joining, or soon thereafter joined by, the NYPD Emergency Services Units with the heavy body armor and long barreled weaponry (if we EMSers have them, we put on our Soft Body Armor. Some of us elected not to have them assigned to us. I have, and will use). An NYPD supervisor will tell us which NYPD team to follow, and we then return to our vehicles, and proceed in a convoy, no L&S (!) to the actual scene. EMS stays with the team we were assigned to follow, and end up around the corner from where any shooting might happen, and wait. Hopefully, we won't get called nearer to the action, which would mean someone, including the suspect(s) got hurt. On all the "services" I have been on, EMS was not needed. When we are no longer needed, the team we were told to follow tells our Lieutenant, and we go back available to the 9-1-1 system.

While using "structural" fire turnout / bunker gear at a large area brush or forest fire is not a good idea, as stated in other postings to this string, I was under the impression that there is lighter weight fire resistant garb available, like jumpsuits, pants and shirts, and what appears, in the advertisements at least, to be construction worker style hard hats. I think such would be required, minimally, at any fire fighting situation, either structural or forest fire, as opposed to simple jeans and a long sleeve shirt. I do yield the point that they would be more comfortable. Please remember that, while I work in a fire based service, I am strictly an EMS provider. This commentary is based on reading books and catalogs, and what I have eyeballed through the years.

1) FDNY EMS Command does not use the same Pre-hospital Care Reports as the rest of the state, we are using a "scannable" E-PCR, also used by all of the hospital based EMS providers in the NYC 9-1-1 system. Hense, my department does not have a shortage of PCRs, it is the rest of the state that does. Just proving, once again, that NYC is a rule and law unto itself. 2) It is my understanding that "thumb drive" or "memory stick" type portable medical history repositories have been in use for a couple of years, however, it presumes the EMS provider has accessto a department laptop computer, or the information retreval will have to wait until after arrival at the ER, and using the hospital's computer system. If the patient is out in the "boonies", accessing the patient's history may be extensively delayed. 3) In theory, at least, the Medic Alert Foundation, based in Turloc, California, has the best system, that of either a bracelet and/or necklace device with the patient's name on it, and a basic medical condition, along with their contact number, and a serial number as to whose information would be requested. 4) Medic Alert has imitators, who will create the worn device and emblems, with most of the medical emergent information engraved into it. These groups just make bracelets and necklaces, and don't keep records of the information, as a kind of one time only deal. Presuming a diabetic, the device would say "Diabetic", but after purchasing the item, if the person developes Glaucoma, they'd have to purchase a new device and add it on. Medic Alert Foundation would have that added into the person's history, and would supply said information when accessed by landline or internet. 5) I have seen EMT refresher classes that do not teach looking for any of the medical alerting devices. I call it to the attention of the Instructor/Coordinators, when I play "victim", as I have a device on a necklace, and seemingly, only others wearing these things looks for them, not the I/Cs.