You might be in the NYC*EMS System if........

[mediccjh]

You might be in the NYC*EMS System if........

1. You know what a bus is.

2. You know what the term "PUT A RUSH ON THE BUS" means.

3. You know what a Conditions Boss is.

4. You can't stand most of the #3s.

5. You can understand the dispatchers, even though they either don't speak English, sit too close to the mike, sit too far away from the mike, or talk too low or too fast.

6. You know what a duck is.

7. Your toe pain comes in as as DIFFBR.

8. Your man eating his own feces comes in as a DIFFBR.

9. If you get the sinking feeling that the UNConscious that comes in says on the KDT "Passerby sts...person laying on ground...UNC....NFI.

10. You know what a KDT is.

11. Your cardiac arrests get up and walk away.

12. You know what EDP, CSL, PAR mean.

13. You drive around looking for a good spot to sit in your 89.

14. You drive around your 89, looking for a spot to mooch a wireless signal.

15. You know what a Matzo box is.

OK all the other NYC guys and gals, let's here them....

21W, 40X and 40W (all per diem now, because I can't stand it there f/t).

[Asysin2leads]

16. You've gestured across the street and said to a patient with a BS complaint "The hospital is right there!"

17. You think heat days violate the 13th admendment

18. You get a certain sense of relief when the person snapping pictures of your ambulance turns out to be an overweight tourist from Iowa.

19. You've heard someone say "We use to be able to get away with that in the old days"

20. You talk to the local homeless guy more than you do your own family

I think the first is my favorite

[Asysin2leads]

Oh yeah, hee hee, Matzo box, I hadn't heard that one before, but I know what it means, and lol, that's a good one.

[Richard B the EMT]

You know what an "89" is.

The homeless guy knows your children's names, as well as you know his children's names.

Instead of giving a signal indicating the call is received, and you're on your way in response mode ("63"), you tell the dispatcher, "We're in the wind!"

On arrival at the call, you tell dispatch you "have a pair", referring to the pre FDNY signal of "88" instead of the current "84".

If you need a response from the FDNY's "Fire Suppression" side, you ask dispatch for "Rubber," or the "B.R.T." (Big Red Truck).

When there's no room otherwise to park, you block the street with the ambulance, emergency lights lit, and some fool comes right up to the rear doors of the ambulance with their vehicle, and starts blowing the horn, demanding you move the ambulance immediately out of his way.

(Charlie, I'm in the system for 20 years now, what is a "duck" in your reference?)

47Adam3

[Asysin2leads]

>Charlie, I'm in the system for 20 years now, what is a "duck" in your >reference?

Oh I know! I know! I know! I know!

Ducks are in reference to firefighters. I think this is because on scene they tend to follow their lieutenant around akin to a group of ducks, or a mother duck and her ducklings. In the same vein we used to refer to the group of medical students and interns that followed the doctor around in the hospital as doclings.

[mediccjh]

>Charlie, I'm in the system for 20 years now, what is a "duck" in your >reference?

Oh I know! I know! I know! I know!

Ducks are in reference to firefighters. I think this is because on scene they tend to follow their lieutenant around akin to a group of ducks, or a mother duck and her ducklings. In the same vein we used to refer to the group of medical students and interns that followed the doctor around in the hospital as doclings.

What he said. Basically a derogatory term for the FDNY firefighters.....they're good on supression.............

[emsgirl]

Plus they dress up in Yellow clothes and play around in the water. Therefore little Duckies.

[Richard B the EMT]

EMSGirl, you make the mistake that all firefighters use the yellow or lime green coats. NYC uses the basic black (goes with almost anything, LOL). Therefore, I never would have made the connection with the coats.

While on the subject, FDNY EMS EMTs and Paramedics wear Navy blue coats, with a different reflective trim than "suppression", and an orange plastic helmet, the firefighters wear black leather helmets. EMS Lieutenants and above wear white plastic ones. Fire "suppression" Lieutenants and Captains wear Black leather helmets, with a white front-piece, and Chiefs wear white leather helmets.

On TV, seems firefighters wear the orange helmets, the Lieutenants and Captains wear yellow, and, universally, chiefs wear white ones.

[Asysin2leads]

Hey Rich, I don't know if you've seen the new FDNY EMS duty coats but they are markedly different than the old blue and white ones.

The new ones are similar to the firefighters turn out coats, except they have orange stripes (matches the helmet), say "FDNY EMS" on the back, and are not as heavy, being designed for blood borne pathogen and puncture protection, not structural firefighting. Personally, I like them very much, except I wish there was a clip or loop or lanyard somewhere on the exterior.

[mediccjh]

You know what "on the job" and "Back in the game" mean......

You purposely listen to PD radios and UCA yourself to the atom where the good job is going to be dispatched.