NYTimes on Fire based EMS

[FireMedic65]

+1 to STAT. Great post, couldn't have said it better myself.

[aussiephil]

Oh great! Another fire bashing opportunity!

Look people, haven't y'all beaten this dead horse ad nauseum yet?

I LOVE the posts about the 'whining firefighters' when thats EXACTLY what you're doing!

"Mean old FIRE is making unwilling EMS personnel fight fires to keep a job on a city department!"

"That big bully Fire is taking all our money!"

"The IAFF is putting out inflated/incorrect propaganda to make themselves look better!"

The bottom line remains: Fire and EMS ARE intertwined, and in this tough economy, they will become inextricably intermarried. DEAL WITH IT!

Until EMS decides to move away from MINIMAL training and education, it will NEVER be viewed as anything more than a 'job'! The same thing goes with all the different scopes of practice and all the title hungry whackers!

Until EMS quits throwing it's little 'temper tantrums' and decides to step up to the plate like a 'big kid', NOTHING will change!

Lone, this isnt a fire bashing oppertunity, if you want one, i will create one.

This is showing the complete hypocracy of some firefighters & the attitude that fire is the be all & end all of emergency services. Law Enforcment go about their jobs without looking for glory, as does EMS. The attitude of fire is that they are the only service that counts, they are important in their BRT (big red truck) when in reality we need to look more closley at the allocation of public funds & where fire is doing less dedicated fire work, & look at makeing EMS, as a basic healthcare resource, more affordable to ALL people. If this means that fire loses personnell & is rationalised, then so be it.

EMS should never be the second class citizen behind Fire. In actual fact, based on their figures, fire should take a backseat to EMS, because ultimatley fire funding will be proped up by EMS!!!!!!!

[STAT]

Preach it brother!

[STAT]

And here is a quick question....

Why are people so quick to defend fire? Maybe that's our problem....Im not saying we become assholes....just have a bit of backbone once and a while without feeling the need to defend "big brother" lest he become angry...ooooooooo

Let's stand on our own 2 feet, and when news articles hit the mass media such as this one, we shouldn't be afraid to speak our mind. At least to point out the unfairness of the articles.

Heaven knows, if the shoe was on the other foot, (for some reason) the IAFF would have no mercy on us.

[FireMedic65]

Being that I am a firefighter, well (was) volunteer FF with FFII and FOI certs, I know quite a deal of the fire service and enjoyed it very much. Reasoning that I left was because of EMS and the politics between the two. I don't need to get into details, but I still enjoy firefighting and miss it. I would not give up EMS for it though. I love doing EMS. I just don't understand why some people have to be to narrow minded about this.

We need each other, we both have very important jobs to do. One job might be harder than the other, but it goes both ways. We have to work together in many cases, but we can't do them alone in most. An EMT/Paramedic can't run into a burning building and also be expected to give patient care. Sure, you could be a crossed trained provider, but you just can't do both at the same time. People who complain about one profession to the other need to grow up and smell the coffee. Will your ambulance service come put out your house when it's on fire with the fire extinguisher? No, I bet they won't, they can try, but it just won't work. Will a fire engine come when your mother is having a heart attack? Oh wait, yea.. they do! But they aren't there to give care, they come to help. As well as EMS should come help at a fire. It is very exhausting work, and they should be looked after and evaluated before doing more interior/over haul. Given O2 when needed, wounds cared for, and just simple assessments. Read about it too often that a FF collapses at a fire, and no one is really there to help. Medically trained personnel are a key feature in any scenario, as are the firefighters.

I will not try to say one is better than the other, because they aren't. Argue all you want, but we need each other. The sooner we get along and work together, the sooner things get better for all of us. You know, there was a time when a black person had to sit in the back of the bus, and women weren't allowed to vote. Now a days, its appalling to hear such sexism and racism... Grow up!

[Lone Star]

Out of all the bitching and whining I hear from EMS about how "you can't do two jobs" and "bunker gear and bandages don't mix" or "Firefighters are too dumb to render quality patient care", I NEVER hear anyone bitching about how Law Enforcement is involved in EMS services?

Do bullets and bandages work well together?

Are Police Officers the 'exception to the rule' about not being able to do two jobs?

Isn't the Law Enforcement responders sucking up 'EMS money' too?

If Law Enforcement medics didn't respond, wouldn't that mean that the private carrier medics might have more calls? Oh wait, then there would be MORE room to bitch about being 'overworked'!

[FireMedic65]

are you trolling? seriously... stop trying to bring more into it.

[Lone Star]

are you trolling? seriously... stop trying to bring more into it.

How is this considered 'trolling'? Because I DARE to shoot holes in the constant whining and bitching about the 'mean old fire service sucking up all the EMS money just to justify their budgets and existance' arguement?

You sir, need to pick one side of the fence and stay there!

In this thread alone, I've seen you rallying against the fire department and then supporting it.....

Not only that, but I thought this was a 'discussion', a place where other people's views could be expressed and at least considered; if not given merit?

*Post edited for content and spelling*

Edited September 5, 2009 by Lone Star

[FireMedic65]

Learn to read and comprehend. I am neither for or against either or the two, or three to make you happy. I was pointing out aspects from each that are good and bad.

Would you like to throw in postal carriers now too? I mean, they are public service right? Those jerks didn't deliver a package of needed medical supplies because we were out on a call with the FD! OMG THE HORROR!

You just want something to bitch about. It's all you do.

[Kiwiology]

Like Phil said, this is not having a go at the Fire Service.

Until you guys raise the entry to practice standards to something out of the first world and sort of some sort of cohesive national representation (political and industrial) the fire service will continue to be able to come in and take over EMS.