Richard B the EMT

I still maintain, as per other strings, if someone is going to shoot at a uniform, it won't matter if the person has on a badge or not, they target the perceived LEO uniform, even if it's bright orange instead of "True-Law-Blue".

During an EMS request for PD, commonly called a "10-13" (HEEEEELLLLLP!!!), with dispatch trying to get units and the cops to the requesting unit, some dumb Lieutenant demanded the dispatcher stop everything she was doing, and give him a report as to what a particular ambulance was doing, as it had "blown by him". Dispatch told him, "Stand by, I got a '13' here!" The Lieutenant refused the dispatcher's sensible request, saying, "Negative, I need it now!" The head of Dispatch, a 2 star Chief, who had come out of his office on hearing the "13", leaned over the dispatcher, keyed up the mike, and said, "Supervisor *****, this is (Chief of Communications On-Air ID), and I am ordering you to stay off radio, except to acknowledge my direct order to you to respond to 'Base 1' (headquarters) IMMEDIATELY!" The Lieutenant responded, again, "Negative, I need that information NOW!" A new voice came up on the air. "This is CAR ONE! You've been ordered, by the tour commander to shut up and report to headquarters, and violated that order. I AM NOW ORDERING YOU TO RESPOND TO HEADQUARTERS, AS YOU ARE RELIEVED OF DUTY PENDING INVESTIGATION OF YOUR INSUBORDINATION! Dispatch, what update on the unit calling the '13?'"Thank goodness the crew calling for help was safe. As for the Lieutenant? They busted him, and then went through a bunch of departmental charges that ended up with his sorry butt being fired, and the State of NY DoH stripped him of his EMT card. It always seems to not be a good thing, when Car One, the 5 star Chief of Department, takes a personal interest in someone doing something stupid like that! Ya know, I just remembered, the dispatcher I mentioned in my last posting was the same dispatcher!

And then there was a dispatcher, didn't realize her foot was on the transmit pedal, was talking on the land-line, which was a taped phone line like the radio, and accidentally said on the air, "No F***ing way!" She might have gotten away with it, but the Lieutenant in EMD heard her say it, as well as the Chief of Department, who was monitoring her frequency from his command car. Oops! The now former dispatcher, herself, told me about this, I didn't "ear-witness" it.

Speaking of Pat Robertson...News Item: Administration Distances Itself From Robertson Comment Religious Leader Calls for Assassination of Venezuelan President WASHINGTON (Aug. 23, 2005) - The Bush administration swiftly and unequivocally distanced itself Tuesday from a suggestion by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson that American agents assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a frequent target of U.S. foreign policy. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, appearing at a Pentagon news conference, said when asked: "Our department doesn't do that kind of thing. It's against the law. He's a private citizen. Private citizens say all kinds of things all the time." "This is not the policy of the United States government. We do not share his views." -Sean McCormack, State Department spokesman Acknowledging differences with the Caracas government, and saying it should be promoting democracy in the Western Hemisphere, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack called Robertson's remarks "inappropriate." "This is not the policy of the United States government. We do not share his views," McCormack said in a flat refutation of Robertson's suggestion that the United States "take out" Chavez to stop Venezuela from becoming a "launching pad for communist influence and Muslim extremism." In Caracas, Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel called Robertson's statement criminal and terrorist. "The ball is in the U.S. court," he said. Robertson, 75, is a founder of the Christian Coalition of America and a supporter of President Bush, who was elected twice with the solid backing of Christian conservatives. "I would think that people around the world would take the comments for what they are," McCormack said. "They are the expression of one citizen." The United States was believed in the past to have been involved in the assassination in 1963 of South Vietnam President Ngo Binh Diem and attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro of Cuba. Political assassination was put off-limits by former President Gerald R. Ford in an executive order in the mid-1970s. Rumsfeld said he knew of no consideration ever having been given to assassinating Chavez. "Not to my knowledge and I would think I would have knowledge," Rumsfeld said. McCormack said, "Any accusations or any idea that we are planning to take hostile action against Venezuela or the Venezuelan government _ any ideas in that regard _ are totally without fact and baseless." The spokesman said the administration had urged Venezuela "to play a positive role in the hemisphere" and to have "an open, transparent and positive relationship that you would have between two sovereign states anywhere around the world." 08-23-05 14:23 EDT Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Could the partner be disguising their own grief with the bad joke? It has been known to happen.

Someone got permission for a ride-along? Wow!

That sounds like a good program concept. I feel, however, if done today, probably would be by a private arrangement between the 2 different agencies involved. I can tell you, at least, after September 11, the FDNY refuses ALL ride-along requests. By the way, don't be making fun of my friends in the Flatlands VAC (Flatbush area, Brooklyn, NYC, NY)!

A complete waste of airtime: Several units, right after each other, reporting a smoke condition from a fire, that we already had several units onscene for the standby. Like they couldn't hear each other? All of the units were not assigned calls. What the heck, I called it in, too! Then, there was: (Dispatcher) unit 150, where are you? (150 team, singing in a really off key) Sooooooomewheeeeeeeeeeeere ooooooooooooooooooover the Rainnnnnnnbowwwwwwww... (Both halves of the team on 150 were separated, and ran ambulettes for the next week. I still have my commemorative rainbow ribbon from that event!)

I've heard of calling in for a "well day", and also heard it called a "mental health day."

Methinks someone is in need of some time off, possibly on an emergency basis, before you "relax" by finding a tall building, leaning over the roof safety rail, with that sniper scope equipped hunting rifle... Sorry, reading a bad adventure novel, again. However, request the time off. Sounds kind of like you need it, and soon!

But... Will your new New Jersey EMT card be accepted on the NY side of the state line?

To specifics: Station 47 (Rockaway) unit 47Adam3 on Queens East!

I tried fishing, and all I ever caught was a cold. Got brought up on charges of cruelty to animals, as all I was able to do, was drown worms.

FDNY EMS, and the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation EMS before it, had, and have, rules on the books telling all personnel that having a firearm in department vehicles, or department buildings, is considered an offense that will get you canned! Our jobs is to do no harm, but I agree that it is also your job to get to go home at the end of the tour. The instructor at my girlfriends' Karate school says that my means of self defense is always a workable option: RUN AWAY. If a patient who didn't have a bullet hole in them before transport started, has one on arrival at the ED, and it wasn't put there by a LEO, there's going to be a big problem, for the crew, the service, and a whole bunch of other people. Even if it was put into them by a LEO, same thing. Bad notoriety, and we really want to maintain low profiles (except when we do something that earns a mention for getting some kind of medal for the actions). If the nasty folks think they can get guns from the EMS crews, ALL EMS crews, especially those who don't "pack", are endangered, as the one who carried a piece causes them to think we all carry. I'm already a target of the al Queda, because I'm an American, I don't need a local punk to target me for a nonexistent firearm.

When I googled "Berry" White, I found a lot of stuff for "Barry" White, the singer/orchestra leader of "Love Unlimited". It mentioned Berry White as being some kind of California wine. I also remember Barry White playing in that movie. Are you sure it's not Barry White? Perhaps a spelling error?

What AZCEP said. If your local protocols call for the device to be used, use the damn thing, even though it does take up some time to do it right. It's a case of CYA or CYA (Cover Your Ass, or Call Your Attorney!)

On Ferno's home page, there is no mention of a recall, of any model they sell. Just means they don't have it on the home page, not that they don't have a recall. Didn't take the time to research past that home page, FYI.

I've heard of Barry White, who is Berry White, and what style music does he (or is it she?) do?

Have not heard of any recall like that, any brand or model. For clarification, the 28 is the portable strech that converts to a chair, or the other way around, with the patient aboard? Is this the big thing, side rails and all, or the totally portable unit, as I don't recall the specific models other than my 30 plus years with the Ferno 30?

The vehicle signed the picture? Well, why not? The "General Lee" from the TV original Dukes of Hazzard had "signed" pictures, tire tracks running over the picture. (Read in TV Guide, I have not contacted any TV show from a bad experience with Hawaii Five Oh)

Don't forget the Iron Duck (brand) Extrication Appliance, or the IDEA, came out with the same concept as the original KEDS, but the straps were removable, for limiting/eliminating Blood Borne Pathogens stuck on the reusable devices. Bloody strap? Change it, not the entire device. As I've not yet seen this KODE, I don't know if this is the change. When someone finds out, please post here, with thanks in advance!

I once inquired about Lamaze classes for EMTs, and was rebuffed by the agency, saying, only with a pregnant partner. As I am male, unmarried, and very careful, I didn't qualify. Perhaps you can get an OB/Labor specialist to give a class on how to assist the "coach" in a Lamaze birth?

Can't tell ya, this is, after all, kind of a family show!

A while back, NYPD got NYS DoH approval for training some Officers to Paramedic level, but only to stabilize patients, both LEOs and "Perps". They weren't supposed to transport. Until such time as they complete the first program, an FDNY EMS BLS ambulance, with an EMS Lieutenant, will accompany PD, to a point about a block from the scene of a "Warrant Service," where they remain until either needed (haven't had one yet) or released (so far a good track record by me).

My comment was based on witnessing the use, and abuse, that are put on FDNY EMS Ambulance vehicles. Kind of on the same line of not buying a Police "Cruiser" from any city, due to stop and go driving. Instead, go for open miles, like some middle of the country Highway car.