To Carry, or Not to Carry, that is the question???

[rdenman26]

Traditionally in EMS we carry people right? A good friend of mine traveled to England three years ago and he actually was allowed to ride along with EMS in London. He said the most interesting thing he witnessed was the fact that medics in Europe rarely carry anyone from the residence. Even patients experiencing chest pain walk to the ambulance. He also said that back injuries are virtually unheard of in European EMS.

Whilst its true we dont carry people that dont need to carried. I sure as hell would not want the be walking a cardiac patient to the ambulance. That said the construction of a lot of building in the uk makes it difficult the get the equipment in to carry people even when we want to. We some times have to help walk people to where we can get a trolley or carry chair too. I was in carrying a sick patient from a 17th centuary farm house and one of the steps broke. My crew mate suggested this was because I eat to much pie.

Back injury is VERY common in UK EMS. Its costs the country millions each year. But that is why we dont carry people unless there is a clinical need. The down side to that is that when we do carry people we are out of practice.

We often get called to non injury falls just to lift people. Including from care and nursing homes. Apparently every one seems to have a no lifting policy. A couple of years ago we got a bit of kit call a manger elk. Its like the airbags used by rescue personnel, very useful.

Do you have stuff like that in the US and Canada?

[zippyRN]

I find there's not a lot of reasons to have the stretcher ALL the way up ALL the time anyway. I've had inexperienced partners almost tip a few stretchers on me, so I'm much more aware now of how high the center of gravity really is.

RTFM time - the ferno Pioneer manual says only use the top setting if you need it to load the trolley onto the vehicles

( for the left pondians the pioneer is the bastard off spring of a york4 and a 35a)

[tinman694]

I'll walk a crackhead in a ny sec

So is that only when they are having a 'crack-a-sode'? Or just 'crack-o-licious'?

(Thank my wife for that one)

We have our fair share of fat people in the south---if they can walk--you walk them. What is the big deal?

[mediccjh]

At my full-time job in the 20th most dangerous city in the nation, we are required to bring in our airway bag, Box that goes Ping (LP12), med bag, and a carrying device. This is usually the stairchair, Reeves if it's an unconscious/arrest, or the stretcher (We have the Ferno 28s that convert into the chair..I LOVE THEM!!!)

That being said, if they are walking around, they are walking to the bus, unless they are going to die. Sick people get carried, sick people get the stretcher.

Just remember, at the end of the day, we must return home in the condition in which we left in.

No truer words can be spoken.

[captainstandup]

I had a crew that was responded to an unknown medical call. Upon arrival they carry all of this crap into the residence only to find an incredibly belligerent individual who was later found to be intoxicated with alcohol, vicodin and ativan. This guy had already spent 9 years in prison for felony assault.

Upon entering the room the individual, who was ambulatory, make a sort of flanking maneuver and isolated the crew from the door and in doing so retrieved a rifle. While the individual was retrieving the weapon the crew escaped through a different door made it to the ambulance and left the scene while calling for help.

The crew abandoned a brand new Lifepak 12

A relatively new Ferno Stretcher

Thomas Jumpbag with pulse ox, meds, etc

Oxygen bottle and regulator

Suction unit

Drug pack with full compliment of resuscitation meds

One even left his portable radio

Law Enforcement was called and after about three hours the looser was captured.

The crew was distraught over the situation, but were most concerned about having abandoned $31,000 in equipment and causing their rig to be out of service for three hours.

Instead of being criticized by their supervisor or myself, we issued commendations for excellent actions to each employee during our next staff meeting. We supported our staff 100% and they were taught repeatedly to remain safe by whatever means possible including use of deadly force against an attacker. (by whatever means possible)

mediccjh's post inspired me to muse exactly why we carry all of this mes in first anyway? Practically speaking what equipment will you immediatly need. you need is a stethoscope, airway management stuff, cardiac monitor / defib, a few dressings and bandages, and perhaps one IV setup. First line cardiac meds could be kept in the monitor pouch along with airway stuff. Too much stuff hampers your ability to work safely and efficiently.

What are some other items we should take in initially?

[Richard B the EMT]

The crew was distraught over the situation, but were most concerned about having abandoned $31,000 in equipment and causing their rig to be out of service for three hours.

Ambulance equipment and supplies left behind by an endangered crew bailing out...$31,000

Being alive and able to worry about it later on...Priceless!!!

[n0ssb]

EMS personnel should not carry,unless acting as a Tac Medic.

Better to leave 31,000 dollar vehicle and gear behind and save your own life then try to protect it. Vehicle can be replace if needed and so can the equipment, that what they have insurance for.

[spenac]

We should all carry concealed weapons to put idiots out of our misery. For possible close combat have sucs pens, just 1 quick pop and watch the thugs collapse in fear then shoot them. There is that what everyone thinks those of us that carry are like. :roll: Geez people a little prevention can make sure I go home safe.

[captainstandup]

I wonder, if it were possible to have a concotion of drugs that would instantly paralyze an attacker? The challenge would be in the variability of administration methods that could occur in a defensive situation . Sub q, IM, and inadvertent IV admin.

[Mateo_1387]

I wonder, if it were possible to have a concotion of drugs that would instantly paralyze an attacker? The challenge would be in the variability of administration methods that could occur in a defensive situation . Sub q, IM, and inadvertent IV admin.

Something like a tranquilizer gun might do the trick.......