Richard B the EMT

New York State law says all traffic is to pull to the right, slow down or stop, while not blocking an intersection, when they see the lights or hear the siren of an EV. However, as pointed out, what is supposed to be, and reality, are 2 quite different things. Now, if other drivers want to go up onto the center median, while others pull right, then straddling the line between lanes one and two is good (let the civilian drivers get the flats from debris on the median). I must say, however, going slow when passing on either shoulder is a good idea, even if using L&S while doing so. Drivers are crazy anyway, and add being startled crazy is never going to turn out well for somebody. However, I have had demonstrated to me a point I have to make. In a very large parking lot, I was in an instructor's POV, wipers going, and a Led Zep tape playing on the 8 track (it was a long time ago), and asked, as were the other 3 students in the Toyota, to face forward, and say when we heard the siren of our own ambulance that was following us. At 35 to 40 MPH, we only started hearing the siren when our ambulance was less than 30 some odd feet behind us.

Just to stir the mix a bit, what about the Sci-Fi of an invasion of Earth by self-aware, sentient viruses, sent to take over individuals and have the infected individuals do their bidding? Bring on the Pod People, or that disaster of a movie, "The Stuff".

Tskstorm: How true! FDNY EMS crews can ask for a supervisor to do something like that, usually, a temporary diversion. A formal diversion request is something that has to be initiated by the on duty hospital administrator. At ALL times, unless there is some in-house disaster at the hospital, diversions are a courtesy, not a right. Our policy is to try and clear from the hospital in what might be soon changed from 20 minutes. If we are delayed at an ER for more, we advise dispatch of the delay (triage, beds, signature), and again at 20 minute intervals. If we hit an hour, dispatch can (and will) ask the crew if they need a supervisor, but if I feel I need the supervisor at 40 minutes, no penalty to me and my partner if I go formal on the radio and ask for their response, or even sooner.

Where is Ralphie (from A Christmas Story) when you need him?

(sorry, disregard the last posting of mine)

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Military aircraft do practice over civilian areas. When Floyd Bennett Field was Naval Air Station Brooklyn, almost every weekend, the Reservists flew over my house as they practiced "Touch and Go", landing just long enough to put wheels down on the runways, and gun it to take off again. Then, there was that incident a few years ago, where a jet doing "live fire" training was way off target, and shot some holes through the roof of a school in New Jersey. It was at night, and the custodians on duty were not injured.

Probably not, that was posted on the older board. Administrator?

I'm so glad I don't know the guy!

Perhaps they can't start the car, due to the seatbelt interlock? We just had a report on the news this week, a guy crashed a rental car, which he was driving while under the influence, as he couldn't use, due to damage, his own vehicle, which was equipped with a breathalyser/starter interlock. I'll presume MADD is going to use the incident in their brochures next mailing.

All around the New York City subways system and on the (real) buses, are signs in English and Spanish, saying "If you see something, say something", advising folks to advise the train/bus operators, the NYPD, or a special number, if you see something like an apparently abandoned package. Sounds like an advisement for SDSR (Something Don't Seem Right).

Someone else resurrected it, and I commented on it. Besides, I feel I sometimes don't need a reason to "Pun!"

tinman694 sez allergic to poultry? Yes, a Fowl statement. tinman694 must also, then, be allergic to me, as some have described me as being some kind of an odd bird, or at least a dumb cluck! My culinary friends tell me that duck, and also goose, are, by nature, an oily meat. I cannot say, as I've never had duck, but can confirm on the oil with goose, having had some at my brother's wedding back in 1988. I like turkey, I like chicken, and have had both in sandwiches, sometimes together. Add the oily duck meat? Thanks, I'll pass. Having said that, I am now going to make like a bird, and get the flock out of here.

Wendy, that is the first time in years I have either heard or read anyone use the word "Dumbkopf".

Wow. So many derrière respirations.

I apologize for going off topic, but is that the gizmo that throws heavy things a distance, kind of an old competitor to the catapult?

"Mr/Ms Interviewer, I have kept some of what is posted private, and wish to keep it so. What I have decided to keep private is just that, private, and personally embarrassing, and in keeping it so, would never damage or impugn the reputation of your company or my previous employers." Worth a shot, anyway.

Some anecdotal information I have, that partially resulted in my CB Radio "Handle" of "The Witch Doctor", was, in Voodoo, if you are raised believing a handmade doll that looks like you, and has specific colored pins stuck into specific areas of the doll can cause you to die, on getting one delivered to you could literally frighten you to death. This is similar to the mental abuse of telling a child they are stupid or ugly to the point they come to believe they are either or both ugly and stupid, which was already mentioned in this string.

I'll presume the window won, but was really shattered by the experience.

I was taught the TK back in 1973, when I first started training as an EMT. They told us, "Use it ONLY if it is a choice between the life, or the limb." In that time, I have never seen one applied by any EMTs or Paramedics in the field. I have, however, seen makeshift ones, from handkerchiefs or belts, applied by untrained bystanders prior to EMS arrival. You can't really scold them, they think they are doing some good, but I always document, Document, DOCUMENT the details of what aid was supplied prior to me getting there.

My apologies to all offended by my calling the belly dancer an "EMS Worker". I was simply attempting to avoid, due to level of training, promoting an EMT to Paramedic, or demoting a Paramedic to EMT, if only in reference, and was using the term as a "catch-all". Perhaps I should use my alternate term, "EMSer"? I have, with no picture of me at all, a Facebook, a Multiply, and MySpace page, as well as some earmarked listing of other folks' videos on YouTube (surprise! most of the YouTube list is of Belly dancers).

I just saw another string here on the site, called "Ok, who's partner is this?", showing a Canadian EMS worker who also is a belly dancer. She probably now is undergoing scrutiny on numerous levels by her EMS employer, as well as by voyeurs in general.

Can you imagine this being said to you: Or: So, my EMT City brothers and sisters, don't just think twice, think up to and beyond 5 times regarding any photo of you before posting it on YouTube, My Space, Facebook, or other similar sites. Remember, a Miss America winner was stripped of her crown and title, after a photo of her was republished, showing her semi nude. Her unaccepted defense was, she had done the photo when she was under a cancer scare.

I started in 1973, and while I like that term, this posting was the first time I had seen or heard that one.

Isn't the Onion the paper that reported that a terrorist group was looking for suicide bombers, but calling the positions "Munitions Experts"?