Richard B the EMT

I'd presume all of Tiff's parts are from Texas. Welcome aboard! (Don't mind me, I'm just one of the Class Clowns, but I care!)

Before the NYC EMS/FDNY merger, EMS insisted all their Paramedic candidates in the department must serve, "in house" as EMTs for at least a year, before they'd be accepted into the department's Paramedic program, including folks who already had their Paramedic certifications from other training agencies. It kind of can be summed up with an old phrase, "There's a right way, a wrong way, and the ARMY way"

Yours is not the first I have heard or seen reporting stuff like this. Different products purchased for what they advertise, like safety goggles, but then the packaging says, in big block letters, not to be used as safety goggles. While none of us like appearing as a fool, I think they see us coming.

Chappy, did you note posting #11 on this string? Admittedly, what you said is the reason I posted that.

Perhaps I am seizing on this incorrectly, but I'd prefer both my EMTs and Paramedics be well rested before treating me or my family. Both may have home issues and second jobs, too, in my area of the country.

FDNY EMS Command took MAST off our ambulances roughly 1998 or 1999, if memory serves.

One time I fell asleep while driving. When I nearly crashed, I ordered my partner to take over the wheel.

I guess I just got used to calling all military chaplains "Padre". That ended when I accidently called a Rabbi Chaplain "Padre", to the amusement of everyone in attendance, including the Rabbi.

I didn't know they were even still around.

www.nyc.gov/fdny

EMTs and Paramedics may apply MAST/PASG if not contraindicated, in New York State. Due to insufficient data, I don't know about "First Responders", who have much less training than EMTs, who in turn have less training than the Paramedics, being either trained or allowed to apply them Until Brian Watkins, a Utah visitor in town for the US Tennis Open, was stabbed in the chest during a mugging in 1990, a penetrating chest trauma was not a contraindication. I presume most of us know the MAST/PASG prevents blood circulation return to the lower extremities, keeping it available for the heart, lungs and brain. Under protocol of that time, he was placed into MAST/PASG, all 3 sections were inflated, his BP came back up, but it assisted in his death from exsanguination via the penetrating chest trauma. The NYC EMS was reamed by the press corps for being reactive, and not proactive, to instituting the current statewide protocol of penetrating chest trauma being a contraindication for use. It was, however, enacted statewide following the NYC EMS' incident.

Chappy, first off, Welcome Aboard! I will now simultaneously agree and disagree with my EMT City buddies, in that numerous agencies still use 10-Codes. I have heard FDNY unit lieutenants, captains, and all levels of chiefs, as well as FDNY EMS supervisors of all ranks, indicate "available from the previous call and resuming patrol", by saying "10-8,10-10" APCO, which I believe is the Association of Professional Communications Officers (someone help me out, here?) prefer the ease, and speed, of 10-codes, but are in agreement when going "inter-op", where several agencies, EMS, FD, LEO (Law Enforcement Officers) and others share a common radio frequency, "for the common good", to go to "plain talk", so all can understand what is going on. There used to be a bad joke from the Vietnam era, why so may soldiers from the lower socioeconomic communities ended up as casualties. The seasoned men would hear incoming mortar rounds, and yell, "Get DOWN", and the newer or inexperienced guys would get up and start dancing! "Get down" was a phrase to start partying, back in "the world". True story: A New York City radio station's traffic helicopter suffered a catastrophic mechanical breakdown, and crashed into the Hudson River, ultimately resulting in the death of one of the 2 on board. FDNY Rescue Company 3 actually eyeballed the crash happening, and had their divers in the water less than 3 minutes later. 7 or so minutes later, NYPD Emergency Services units, including Police divers, arrived on the scene, and tried ordering the FDNY divers out of the water. After the event, when the Mayor ordered an investigation as to why this "Battle of the Badges" had happened, the senior NYPD supervisor from the scene said, they didn't speak "Fire-ese", only "Police-ese", and didn't want any confusion. My letter to the newspapers complained that, as all were divers, they had a "common language" to go to: "Diver-ese". Now, as you (Chappy) have mentioned you left the field for a long time, where, and when, were you previously active in the EMS System? I'll also mention I've been involved from 1973, with a volunteer ambulance corps (to 1996), 5 private IFT (inter-facility transfer) companies (1975-1985) and recently took Medical Disability Retirement from municipal EMS (NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation EMS, then FDNY EMS Command following the Merger, 1985-2010). My NY State EMT "cert" is good until 2015. Also, just asking, but does your on-line name have anything to do with the same named character from the "Iron Eagle" movie series?

I feel sure that the children of the Manzanar Interment Camp residents would approve (dripping sarcasm).

Now, I can't wait for Crotchetymedic's reply here!

I'm just groovin' on the "Mother, Jugs, and Speed" references.

Owned by Edgar Beaver?

One guy I used to work with was kind of big on his Irish ancestry. He swore he'd win the lottery, and use the funds to create "Shamrock Ambulance"

It could be that some of the current diseases re attention span were treated by our grandparents by calling it misbehaving, and treating by spankings (or in a few cases, by beatings). I have a feeling somewhere, there's a name for hiccuping on the first sip of soda, which I do. Minor annoyance on my part, but it happens. Lewis Carrol, in either "Alice in Wonderland", or "Thru the Looking Glass"

Good point.

Perhaps I was not clear on one item. I would TELL them they'd be "Pack Mules", but usually never ASKED them to carry stuff.

For the majority of the 25 years I was with NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation EMS/FDNY EMS Command, I worked the evening tour, 4 to midnight. Now that I'm a "retiree" with my EMT cert good until 2015, I am taking a lot of Continuing Medical Education (CME) classes with all that free time I now have available.

Easy: "Unit to central, put us out of service, and returning to base for BBP cleanup of vehicle and uniform". On return to the station, handle the uniform per department protocols, shower if necessary, and change into the fresh spare uniform.

I was never in any "Preceptor Program". If someone was assigned as a third on my truck, I would at least warn them that, with whatever else happened, we'd probably also take advantage of them, turning them into our "Pack Mule" for the tour. Except when actually carrying a patient down stairs, I never really did that. I did, however become the "Pack mule" for one of the teams I rode third with, when I started in municipal service.

When my sister brought my nephew on his first visit to the old homestead, she insisted I change my then a bit less than a year old nephew's diaper. Under her guidance, I successfully did the deed. Then, she told me to feed him. I looked around for the bottle, then remembered my sister was a member of a group that pushes for breast feeding. Until that moment, I never realized how evil a laugh my sister had! Oh, and JPINFV? I somehow got a feeling pants or trousers had not been invented yet when Jesus was born.

I am sure, where I have gone "negative", I am either joking, or inserting sarcasm, and will indicate such. Also, I was brought up to tell someone, when I feel they are incorrect, not only that I feel they are incorrect, but why they are incorrect, and not say dumb stuff like, "You're wrong, because you're dumb." If nothing else, it's rude. If I am proven to be the one in error, I apologize (a rarity, but it happens, LOL),