Words are not sufficient to describe this FAIL!

[Dustdevil]

I'm speechless.

http://www.sansabanews.com/news/article/29906

Community News

EMS needs ambulance drivers

By Ann McElroy

May 13, 2010

If you’ve ever thought you’d like to volunteer with San Saba’s [Texas] EMS but resisted because you thought (A) the training would be too hard or take too long, ( B ) volunteering would take too much time or ( C ) someone else could do it better than you, listen up! We need ambulance drivers and driving is one of the best volunteer jobs we have.

As an EMS volunteer, you’ll get the satisfaction of doing something that really makes a difference. You’ll be part of the life-saving team that keeps our community safe. And, you’ll make a little extra money by earning the $20 per shift expense allowance.

As a driver, we’ll work with you to determine which shifts are most convenient. Then, you’ll wear a pager while you’re on call. If EMS receives a call during your shift, you’ll report to the station and drive the ambulance to the scene. Once on the scene, the emergency management technicians may ask you to help in ways for which you are qualified.

Qualifications for becoming a driver are minimal. You must be 21 years of age and have a valid driver’s license. Drivers are required to complete the basic CPR class and do a few practice runs with a veteran ambulance driver. The CPR class isn’t hard or long—it takes only one evening and doesn’t involve any work outside of the class.

In addition, many local employers encourage their workers to be part of EMS and will work with you to minimize the impact on your regular job.

If you’re interested in learning more about this opportunity, please call Charlie Peeler (372-1240), W. D. Carroll (372-5181) or Wymond Kraft (372-6016).

Edited May 14, 2010 by Dustdevil

[Kiwiology]

Wow thats a pretty horrendous FAIL

[pinkemsprincess]

Did I miss something? Why is this such a fail? Because they are in need of assistance from their community? Not all EMS services have enough funding to maintain enough personnel to meet their calls and require the need to have a "driver" to meet their needs. Most of those services are lucky to have EMTs, they usually can only get ECAs. These are people who volunteer, they give of their free time to help their community.....

Soooo, again. FAIL?! Why, because it sounds hokey to you?

[Just Plain Ruff]

Did I miss something? Why is this such a fail? Because they are in need of assistance from their community? Not all EMS services have enough funding to maintain enough personnel to meet their calls and require the need to have a "driver" to meet their needs. Most of those services are lucky to have EMTs, they usually can only get ECAs. These are people who volunteer, they give of their free time to help their community.....

Soooo, again. FAIL?! Why, because it sounds hokey to you?

It's a failure because you have one person who is either a emt or a medic in the back of the ambulance and someone who can not help the medic/emt do nearly anything when they need it.

When the patient starts to crash if you only know CPR then you are about as worthless as a tick on a dog.

But you will now be inundated with the Vollies versus paid argument

the Firemedic versus single role medic argument will begin shortly there after and finally the

Dogs versus cat argument that Dog's are better but Cat's are human discussion.

It's going to be a bumpy ride.

[pinkemsprincess]

It's a failure because you have one person who is either a emt or a medic in the back of the ambulance and someone who can not help the medic/emt do nearly anything when they need it.

When the patient starts to crash if you only know CPR then you are about as worthless as a tick on a dog.

But you will now be inundated with the Vollies versus paid argument

the Firemedic versus single role medic argument will begin shortly there after and finally the

Dogs versus cat argument that Dog's are better but Cat's are human discussion.

It's going to be a bumpy ride.

These systems usually have more than one first responder on scene. Math = 2 ECAs + 1 driver= the best full crew they can provide. This posting is nothing more than the product of someone who has nothing better to do with their time than dig up crap to make fun of with out fully understanding the entire basis behind it.

[Just Plain Ruff]

These systems usually have more than one first responder on scene. Math = 2 ECAs + 1 driver= the best full crew they can provide. This posting is nothing more than the product of someone who has nothing better to do with their time than dig up crap to make fun of with out fully understanding the entire basis behind it.

Well if that is the best full crew that they can provide then maybe there needs to be some discussion of going paid.

Is this how it always has been? If it is "status quo" for a long time then maybe a exploration of a paid service is in order.

There are small services out there that run 100-400 calls a year and they are paid, not volunteer.

How can you be so sure that there are 2 ECA's there? If they are recruiting people who have no medical experience then to me that shouts out that they cannot staff even the minimum crew. Why else are they recruiting people who don't even have First Aid but only have CPR??? This question begs to be answered.

I have a service within 20 miles of my part time job that runs 300 calls a year and they run two full time paid crews so it can be done.

[P_Instructor]

I'm speechless.

Great gosh and gee 'Dust-man', I never thought you would be stifled! 'KA-POW', 'CRUNCH', 'BONK', FAIL to them!

[tskstorm]

Did I miss something? Why is this such a fail? Because they are in need of assistance from their community? Not all EMS services have enough funding to maintain enough personnel to meet their calls and require the need to have a "driver" to meet their needs. Most of those services are lucky to have EMTs, they usually can only get ECAs. These are people who volunteer, they give of their free time to help their community.....

Soooo, again. FAIL?! Why, because it sounds hokey to you?

In short;

Volunteer= fail

A driver, not two medical professionals = fail

2 crew members(no idea what an ECA is or the difference but if you have 2 trained providers why do you need a driver) and a driver = fail

If you're going to have someone just to drive the vehicle, calling them an ambulance driver = fail

Perpetuating the notion to the public that their are people who are just 'ambulance drivers' = fail

[uglyEMT]

In short;

Volunteer= fail

A driver, not two medical professionals = fail

2 crew members(no idea what an ECA is or the difference but if you have 2 trained providers why do you need a driver) and a driver = fail

If you're going to have someone just to drive the vehicle, calling them an ambulance driver = fail

Perpetuating the notion to the public that their are people who are just 'ambulance drivers' = fail

Um NO! I dont get this at all...

Volunteer = fail WHY? We are all trained and state certified, paid or not

A driver, not two medical professionals = fail I didnt see where it said just one and one? Maybe they need the driver to get 2 in the back

2 members and a driver = fail WHY? Whats so bad about that

the last two are not even worth asking about.

It is such a shame that this website HATES volunteers so much! We are all part of the same community yet volunteers and firemedics are looked down on like dog crap under a "professional's" boot.

Im going to shut up now before I start ranting.....

[HERBIE1]

Um NO! I dont get this at all...

Volunteer = fail WHY? We are all trained and state certified, paid or not

A driver, not two medical professionals = fail I didnt see where it said just one and one? Maybe they need the driver to get 2 in the back

2 members and a driver = fail WHY? Whats so bad about that

the last two are not even worth asking about.

It is such a shame that this website HATES volunteers so much! We are all part of the same community yet volunteers and firemedics are looked down on like dog crap under a "professional's" boot.

Im going to shut up now before I start ranting.....

I tend to agree with you about the volunteer bashing here, but I also do not work with volunteers. I've always held the opinion that because we have so many models of service in this country- paid on call, fire based, private, county, hospital based, volunteer- that a one size fits all solution to problems in EMS is impossible. We have various levels of certification and every conceivable combination of providers. What works for one area will NOT work in another.

What I will agree with is the fact that in most cases, fire based EMS is generally NOT the best solution- and certainly no friend of single role EMS providers. The emphasis is always on FSR- funding, training, PR, equipment, apparatus- and EMS usually gets the left overs.

I don't know what the answers are, but I do know it would be silly to bash a system I do not work in, and have no idea about. If an area cannot afford to pay providers, but some folks are willing to step up and help their own community, it seems to me that they are extremely valuable to that particular community.