Trouble At Work: Hit A Curb

[Mario1105]

see its stuff like this that makes me never want to drive just put me in the back with the pt

[Just Plain Ruff]

Okay, so got into a pickle at work.

One of the rules is that you report any vehicle contacts (like bumping into another car). Any at-fault accident gets you fired, even if minor minor damage (don't know another job like that). Lost best EMT I knew of at the company last month because he let the brake slip while stopped at a light and tapped the car in front of him.

I love patient care, so I'm in the back almost exclusively. Yesterday, decided to be "driver" to switch things up a bit. I scraped the sidewalk curb at some point in the day. Didn't even think twice, no big bump or anything.

Next morning (it's 24 hour shifts), the new shift points out a TINY dent in the outside of the tire rim. I could have said I had no idea where it came from, but I volunteered it might have been from bumping a curb yesterday. They mark it on their daily vehicle checkout sheet.

Usually those sheets are never reviewed. Today the supervisor did. Reported it to management.

Got a call later that day (yesterday) from a manager saying he was placing me on suspension for failing to report a vehicle contact. Said an investigation would have to be done. And I should come down to the office on Monday (next business day) to talk.

I'm feeling pretty anxious about this.

There's a good chance I could be let go, especially if they feel I was trying to cover up damage. I feel like honesty is one of my best traits and have always stayed out of trouble by always being honest. Even in HS when kids were trying to finish HW in class, I'd just tell the teacher at the beginning that I hadn't done it and would get extra days for honesty.

I don't know if the firing decision will have been made already when I go in to talk to them or not (usually they have us fill out incident reports for these things first), but I'm not great with explaining myself on the spot. I'll take responsibility for having bad judgment on not reporting the dent...but might be too late.

Any outside observer views on my situation? Maybe any other supervisors or managers out there with feedback? Except for getting PCR's kicked back I don't really have a bad history with them. No attitude type things.

Thoughts?

Thanks guys

Well I just got done talking to Anthony via texts and he just lost his job over this. He says that "his resigning looked better to future employers than getting fired"(per his employer)

I call Bullshit on those assholes where he works. They just told him that to not have to pay unemployment and I can guarantee that many of us on this site who know Ant would write him a glowing letter of reference to outweigh any bad reference that this shithole of a company would give him.

Besides I believe that all they can say is that he used to work for them and yes or no if they would hire him again.

Just another company who know that EMT's are a dime a dozen and they can get another one from one of the emt mills that are so prevalent these days.

[Dustdevil]

I blame the firemonkeys.

[Just Plain Ruff]

I blame the firemonkeys.

And the New Jersey Volunteers

[spenac]

Anthony I feel for you. That is a bad place to work. Sounds like Ruff hit it on the head with his response. Don't let it get you down. Based on the questions you ask and the comments you make you are an asset that they did not deserve. I hope you find a place that will appreciate honesty and quality more than looking for reasons to fire people.

[JTpaintball70]

I'm sorry to hear that Anthony. If there's something any of us can do let us know. It sucks that they did this to you over something that trivial

[Eydawn]

Anthony-

They didn't deserve you and you didn't deserve their treatment. Someone with your intellect and talents will find a much better position that is much more gratifying than working for a $h!tty service like that.

Chin up, dude. You did no wrong, you did everything you could, and they're a bunch of morons for deciding to force you out. Good luck on the job search!!

Best,

Wendy

[speedygodzilla]

Wow! Sorry to hear the bad new Anthony. I am sure you will find a better job where you are of more value than a TINY dent in the outside of the tire rim!

Good luck, keep your head up, and remember at least you were honest about the situation.

[Dustdevil]

I can't say any of this surprises me. It's just yet another example of how protocol monkified EMS has become. No intelligent thought or critical thinking required. If A happens, do B. We don't need all that book learnin. Not even management.

All I have to say is, if you live to be fired from as many jobs as I have, you'll live to about 200 years old. Life goes on.

This just makes me again wish that we had put together an EMS system from this forum. I know I could staff a top-notch system with you guys. And Anthony would be towards the very top of that list.

Edited April 29, 2010 by Dustdevil

[Kiwiology]

I blame the Houston Fire Department .... no wait, it couldn't be them, could it?

Dude that sucks I feel for you and hope you get a new gig.