Richard B the EMT

Check around the site, here. We've had some interesting discussions on "Legal Duty To Act", versus "Moral Duty To Act". As also indicated in this string, it can vary from city to city, county to county, state to state (provence to provence, for the Canadians) and, indeed, country to country.

BaCwaaaaaa!

I'll wait until after the 2020 election to respond.

Just wonder how the members of the KKK feel, with Mr. Obama in the White House as POTUS. I have the feeling that, for the last 4 years, they have not been too happy. (Disclosure: Hoping it is not a springboard to a discussion on it's own, I am a registered Democrat. I will neither confirm or deny if I voted for, or will vote for, Mr. Obama, on this particular forum)

Uh...BSValley? At my street's block party, yesterday, as a bit of public relations, we had the nearest FDNY aerial ladder truck company come in, putting children up into the cab for photo op by the children's parents, arranged for by the husband of the block party coordinator, a "Truckie" from a different FDNY truck company. They stayed roughly 3/4 hour, parked in a position so they could leave quickly if called. Every December, a few blocks away, we have a ceremony where a rather extensive Christmas Lighting display gets lit, with a portable stage set up for an assortment of singers and dancers, some from the public schools, others from private dance studios, as well as professional singers and radio DJs, to perform. With the DJ acting as master of ceremonies, cracking jokes of how Santa is in an assortment of traffic jams trying to get there, it's a fund raiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The big moment of Santa Claus, and his wife, is usually heralded by one of the NYPD Aviation helicopters flying relatively low, orbiting at about 500 feet, playing the big searchlight on the crowd, followed by the Clauses being delivered to the stage from the "bucket" of an FDNY "Tower" Ladder Truck Company. Numerous times, we've read of a juvenile end stage Cancer patient, in hospital, who has had a local FD Tower Ladder Truck company pick him or her up, using the bucket, put the patient into a specially sized Turnout gear setup, allow the patient to use an accompanying Engine company's hose to put out a controlled garbage can sized fire, and drive them around the area near the hospital. This is usually finished by having the FD Chief declare the patient a "Junior Fire Fighter", as the patient gets returned to their hospital room, again, by the bucket of the truck. Most times, the patient succumbs to the Cancer less than a week later, but usually dies happy that they had become a "member" of the department. In all 3 cases, this is using some public monies for the assorted apparatus, machinery, and personnel, but drums up good public relations for the local FD units, or the local department overall. In the second case, it also becomes good publicity for the NYPD, as well as the numerous food vendors who give away free food at the event to the attendees.

A few years back, the Ringling Brothers/Barnum and Baily Circus had a unit at the Coney Island Amusement Area in Brooklyn, NY. They wanted a photo op with Suzy the Elephant being washed by the crew of FDNY Engine 245, a Coney Island engine company. The apparatus officer didn't want to do it, the Battalion Chief didn't want the crew to do it (the Battalion is out of the same Fire House), and the Boro (County) Chief didn't want them to do it. E 245 is a busy unit, especially to doing "Medical" runs in support of the FDNY EMS units assigned their primary response area. However, a Deputy Mayor of NYC ordered them to do the deed. Instead of the Engine going to the elephant, or the elephant being led to the firehouse, they met midway, in the area where the 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest is held, outside the original Nathan's Famous Hot Dog "stand". The picture appeared in the New York Daily News, the next day. In protest, after the fact, the unusual occurrence of the Presidents of the UFA, UFOA, Superior Officers of the FDNY, and the FDNY Commissioner, happened: They were all in agreement the event should not have happened. Side-note: During the half hour the event took, no calls, that normally E 245 would have responded to, occurred,

4 days? If the mom can neglect her son for 4 days, allowing him to go, nonstop, on a video game, it's time for child services to be involved.

I note that most of the posters are not in the United States. My only experience with a Vacuum Matress was an arriving patient on an international flight, but I kind of liked what I saw. I might have felt better from my personal experience being on a board as a patient, especially with the NYC roads.

One of the Paramedics at my station was on the union committee that fought for us to get the vests. On a rare occasion we actually worked together, he advised me that, against his suggestion, they (the FDNY) went with an over the uniform carrier that made us look to be a part of a Tactical/SWAT unit, instead of EMS, even with the FDNY patches velcro'd on. In a previous string, several here opined that there was nothing wrong with that, as the "implied threat" of an EMSer, so garbed, to someone who might otherwise think of assaulting. Others opined the "Tough Guy" look would promote someone to attack, if only to knock the tough guy down a peg on general principals. Please look up any of the old strings, reactivate 'em, and don't hijack this one, please?

I was under the impression Black Talon and "Cop Killer" bullets were one and the same.

1) Per MY local protocols, taking an unwilling person to the hospital without LEOs placing that person under protective custody constitutes kidnapping, possibly assault and battery. 2) Medically, you run the scene, the LEO runs legal. 3) In MY opinion, both the LEO and Supervisor are wrong 4) You have the Right to remain Silent. You have the Right to have an Attorney. 5) Exercise both rights as mentioned in item 4. Monitors: PLEASE LOCK!

Mentioning that 1) FDNY EMS, on a one time only basis, issued "Soft Body Armour" to all who wanted one, 2) If you didn't want a vest, you were asked to sign a paper indicating you wouldn't hold the department at fault if you got shot. 3) At personal expense ($90.00), one could purchase an "over the uniform" carrier (I did). Re fire arms: 2 things not to be on department grounds, or in company vehicles, were alcoholic beverages and fire arms, per written protocols. Reminder: Due to the existance, outside of military and LEO arsenals, of "Black Talon" "Cop Killer" bullets that penetrate the heaviest body armour, NO vest is truly "Bulletproof".

Sorry, Vorenus, but if you're that close to a zombie flambe, at least you won't become a zombie yourself. You do realize I'm lol on the entire topic?

To quote a bumper sticker from a sporting gun store:

Speaking as someone who is only authorized to assist the patient in taking their own Nitro, administering chewable "baby" aspirin, 2 doses nebulized albuterol, and oxygen, the issue of potency decline due to age has been mentioned by the Paramedics I work with, and the instructors at refresher. Per training, even O2 in the cylinder's is supposed to have an expiration date. If someone in authority tells me to restock with stuff that expires later than what I have already on the vehicle, or in my kit, I'll do it. Last time through, during training, we used the auto-injectors from the WMD kits that had expired. New stock, possibly other drugs, had already been put into the kits from where we'd gotten, and re-stockpiled, the 2PAM originally.

Tried linking to NY Post, instead had to link to http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/31298713/detail.html Hope you can figure out by the county named, who the local rescue crew(s) were.

At my VAC, maximum rolling crew was 4, 1) Crewchief, 2) Motor Vehicle Operator, 3) and 4) aide attendants (your location might use a different name). Local protocols, laws, and city/state/country laws can usually define a max size for a crew. 5 seems, by the standards I operate under, a bit excessive.

A boy, on a big Theme-style Amusement park Roller Coaster, took a bird, in flight, to the face in mid ride. Score it as the boy, one (with minor facial and neck injuries), the bird, zero. I "caught" a seagull with the main beacon on a "Caddylance" while travelling 50 MPH on a highway, many years ago. Had some difficulty explaining to the boss why there was blood on top of the vehicle, until I found the feathers. Got me to thinking, today. In the company vehicle, or in your Privately Owned Vehicle, have any of you hit an animal or bird?

During the last week, while off duty, an FDNY EMS Paramedic died in a fall from a cliff while mountain climbing, solo, in Colorado. Yesterday, the FDNY EMS union local held it's annual picnic in a secluded area of a NYC public park, which included having several portable inflatable "bounce houses" and amusements for the children. One of the amusements was a "Rock Climbing Wall". I can understand having the Rock Climbing Wall at the event, as it, along with the Bounce Houses, the large grills, the refrigerator truck for the food, and the guys tying balloons into animals, are arranged for long in advance of the event. The FDNY EMS Pipes and Drums would have played at the event, anyway. The question, after the fact, became: While the Rock Climbing Wall had already been rented for the event, due to the timing, and the nature of the death of the department member, who will be buried later this week, at the time of this posting (Class A uniforms requested for attending members), should the wall have been set up? Kudos to the Colorado Rescue personnel, who recovered the body.

I previously referred to an underage EMT, but this is not her. A junior VAC member was offered a supervised "ride-along", but she declined the honor, claiming she didn't feel mature enough for the position. She is now a Paramedic Lieutenant in the FDNY EMS, so I "guess" she feels "ready".

Even the "Professional" chasers can get hurt, maimed, or killed.

As stated in another string, I'm awaiting a full After Action report on PD, FD, and EMS fronts before I form a real, stateable position.

DJDudley beat me in. New York Department of Health, Bureau of EMS, handles.Via DJ's link.

I know a few mature for their ages teenagers, and a bunch of immature 20 and 30 somethings. Take each case individually.

Learn young, and gain more knowledge and experience as you age, young grasshoppers.