Safety Issue Dont Get Locked Out!

[stupie680]

Well fellow EM T's allow me to pose a question. How many times have you been dispatched to a job at an apartment building or townhouse where you have to be "buzzed in"? Once buzzed in you use lets say a doormat to keep the door proped open for more EMTS or Police to enter. How many times have you assessed a patient and after the assessment sent a crew member to grab a reeves from the bus? How many times has that crew member been locked out of the building since the doormat was moved and the door locked him out leaving you with the patient. Now the crew member is calling you on the radio to open the door again for him or her? Now you must leave the patient to open the door again. Now what happens when the patient is an EDP? Now you risk your safety since you are alone and locked in the apartment! Your partner and the POLICE can't get in to HELP you. See where this is going. I use plastic tabs;they are pocket size tabs that go on the door to keep it open. Post replies tell me what you think and if anything like this has ever happened to you?

***Website link removed. Please feel free to go through the proper channels for advertising. Thank you and welcome to the site....AK***

[NREMT-Basic]

One of our local private agencies actually carries one of those things that usually say "CAUTION WET FLOOR" on them except it has the SOL on it and says "EMS CREW INSIDE---DO NOT MOVE" and its weighted heavily enough to hold open most doors. I also know of a particular crew that experienced exactly the scenario you are describing (minus the EDP) and they ended up having a state trooper force entry back into the building by breaking out the windows next to the door with his baton. One of the many reasons I prefer external walkway to internal egress hallway buildings.

[akflightmedic]

Now what happens when the patient is an EDP? Now you risk your safety since you are alone and locked in the apartment! Your partner and the POLICE can't get in to HELP you. See where this is going.

EDP? Erectile Dysfunction Patient? Are they that dangerous???

[reaper]

That's the best they could think of to sell their product?

[JPINFV]

EDP? Erectile Dysfunction Patient? Are they that dangerous???

Emotionally disturbed person.

[akroeze]

I don't know about you but I don't carry any patient care equipment on my bus other than a first aid kit. My Ambulance however...

[spenac]

I don't know about you but I don't carry any patient care equipment on my bus other than a first aid kit. My Ambulance however...

Theres no bus service in my area, so I carry nothing in the bus. :shock:

[Michael]

it has the SOL on it

I actually took that to mean the other SOL and tried unsuccessfully to envision what it would look like. Maybe something like this?

"EMS CREW INSIDE---DO NOT MOVE"

How long do people stay standing in front of the sign, afraid to move?

Sorry, it must be the silly season.

[Richard B the EMT]

"Resident's committee says we gotta keep that door closed. I don't care that there's an 'EMS crew' in there, keep that door closed and locked to keep out the riff raff. Besides, there's a ambulance out front so they'll take care of whatever an EMS is".

[Barefootedkiwi]

We've had the same issues in my service. We have six or so apartment buildings that you are describing and all have their own rules. It's gotten to the point that we have had to have several (arduous) meetings about it ::rolls eyes:: currently the consensus from those meetings is that the EMS crew on scene is to call for additional police back up so someone is present and holding the door open.

Stupid if you ask me; makes our LEO's realllllll happy to back us up but that's the bosses say .. so we have to do it ... even if its stupid and, in my eyes, a miss use of local resources.