SweatshopMedia Posted July 20, 2010 Posted July 20, 2010 Hi all! My name is Nate Ruegger, I'm working at a production company called Sweatshop Media, and I'm reaching out to you since we're making a documentary piece about EMS. We're developing this piece following women who work in EMS, especially mothers, at work and at home. We hope to show what it's like to walk a mile in the shoes of the valiant women who chose to save lives for a living. There are so few strong, positive female role models in the media today, and we plan to change that. As for a little bit about us: we're a production company called Sweatshop Media based in Los Angeles, and we've produced content for film and television with a broad range of companies, from Discovery Channel and TruTV to Dreamworks and Warner Bros. Feel free to check out our websites below, and if you're at all interested, please do call or e-mail us back. Hope to talk to you soon! Best, Nate Ruegger Sweatshop Media 323 952 4349 310 742 7936 www.vemdirector.com www.sweatshopsite.com
tniuqs Posted July 20, 2010 Posted July 20, 2010 What reassurance do the "women" of EMT City have that representation is in the best Interest of our Profession as a group. TRAUMA sure the hell wasn't ! That said there are many single or divorced Fathers in EMS that do the exact same thing (wear 3 hats) ... What about Them ? Equal rights and representation would only be a fair in my humble opinion. cheers
emtannie Posted July 21, 2010 Posted July 21, 2010 What reassurance do the "women" of EMT City have that representation is in the best Interest of our Profession as a group. TRAUMA sure the hell wasn't ! That said there are many single or divorced Fathers in EMS that do the exact same thing (wear 3 hats) ... What about Them ? Equal rights and representation would only be a fair in my humble opinion. cheers Ahh Turnip, I agree with your concerns about representation being in the best interest of our Profession. I also agree that there are many single or divorced fathers who are wearing multiple hats as well. I would like to see some focus in this documentary on the acceptance of women into EMS in the last 25 years. (ok, I am showing my age). When I wanted to be a medic 25 years ago, I was told "go be a nurse - women don't become medics." Now, it is a perfectly acceptable career choice. Tniuqs, like you, I wonder why the focus tends to be on those women who are mothers. The vast majority of women who are mothers chose to be (and also had the choice not to be), and I am always wondering why media tends to put moms who work outside the home on such a pedestal, when there are so many people out there who do just as much - the single dads who are raising kids... the parent who is not only raising children but is taking care of elderly parents themselves... the person working their way through school while working 2 jobs and taking care of family members. Just my 2 cents... 3
tniuqs Posted July 21, 2010 Posted July 21, 2010 Good points annie. I certainly hope that this filmmaker would focus the high burn out rate of EMS workers how we cope as a community ... and perfect example would be this venue. EMT City that affords us social networking system that does assist in stress relief, share experience, a shoulder to cry on and of course to promote education, not forgetting the very rare arguments <insert snickering > that we have from time to time ... cheers
Richard B the EMT Posted July 22, 2010 Posted July 22, 2010 For me, the concept of women not belonging in EMS evaporated 37 years ago, when I first became an EMT. My primary instructor and his wife, both what I now know as ICs, or Instructor/Coordinators, showed all of us in the class, men and women alike, that the training, as well as the instructing, could be handled by both sexes.
DwayneEMTP Posted July 22, 2010 Posted July 22, 2010 Wait, there are chicks in EMS? When did that happen? The whole gigs bound to go to hell in a hand-basket now...I swear... Didn't sound like he was looking to make the promo video of EMS that you'd all like to see, but a video of woman and mothers. As much as I'd like to see something healthy for EMS we all know that this is going to end up being a documentary on women in the fire dept that also happen to work on an ambulance. Why? Because they'll welcome the publicity instead of acting like shitheads as soon as an idea is brought up. If the girls can get some exposure for what they do, and it's good exposure and not a bunch of yahoos running around like idiots before they run home to tend to their dirty kids, then I say go for it. Why does it matter that there are a bunch of single dads as well? That's not the show they're looking to make as I see it. Plus, I see tons more single women in EMS, and they have my friggin' respect, I'll tell you that. I'm not exactly sure how you care for kids, pay the bills, make it to little league, shop, argue with the ex husband, get almost no sleep what soever, and still come into work looking hot, and with a good attitude. I just really don't get that... Do single dads do as much? I would guess so, though I hope to never find out.... Nate, not the response you'd expected I'm guessing, though might be if you're familiar with EMS. It would have been significantly better had you responded to some of the questions, such as they were, instead of posting your request and then disappearing. Though I'm confident that many of the girls here likely gave you a call. I hope your project is centered on respect and recognition of the ladies that do this thing we do, I hope your intent is healthy for them and for EMS, and if so, I hope it flies. Dwayne 1
Eydawn Posted July 22, 2010 Posted July 22, 2010 Dwayne- Here's where most people are knee-jerking. Many of us, both males and females alike, are *sick* of seeing something broken down into "the women of" as it automatically confers a separation that so many have fought to overcome. This, to many of us, looks like another "Hey, we're gonna appreciate a minority again! Everybody look- there's single mothers working on ambulances!" It's like "The African Americans of Technology" etc... I'm a person working in the medical field. The fact that I'm a newlywed chick who also happens to do Search and Rescue may color my individual story, but nobody should look at my role in my workplace as "a woman in a nursing home." See how stupid it looks to put it like that? I know women aren't the minority in long term nursing care, and they aren't the majority in EMS, but focusing on a group because it is a minority is missing the point entirely; we aren't defined by our gender. That's why everyone was crying out so vehemently "but what about the single dads? What about burnout, that affects all of us, and how it affects men and women similarly and dissimilarly? What about those caring for elderly parents?" Those people are every bit as much a minority, and looking at a sampling of people with ALL KINDS of stories would give a better picture of those who work in EMS. It's nice that the person wants to take a look at women in EMS, but lord, couldn't we look at the people who work with the women too? Gender studies classes have made me very hyper-aware of "artificialized" lenses. Just looking at women is a very artificial viewpoint, as it automatically casts the men they work with into some sort of subordinate role. That's totally not how it works on the scene and in day to day life... so why not take a better bite out of the issues? Also, the fact that there are "few" strong female role models... excuse me? Politics aside, what about women like Condoleeza Rice, Michelle Obama, and Oprah? What about Olympic athletes like Amy VanDyken? She's every bit as cool as Lance Armstrong, IMHO. Look around you. Female role models abound... With much love, Wendy CO EMT-B 1
DwayneEMTP Posted July 22, 2010 Posted July 22, 2010 Dwayne- Here's where most people are knee-jerking. Many of us, both males and females alike, are *sick* of seeing something broken down into "the women of" as it automatically confers a separation that so many have fought to overcome. This, to many of us, looks like another "Hey, we're gonna appreciate a minority again! Everybody look- there's single mothers working on ambulances!" It's like "The African Americans of Technology" etc... Though I agree with all that you've said, I think that your opinion doesn't cover the entire issue. The first place being that I'm not sure that women are a significant minority in EMS. I believe that it is as easy to get hired in EMS as a woman as a man, at least in most places, though of course I could be wrong. And I don't believe that your opinion addresses what I believe to be common misconceptions. First being that women, in general, are more compassionate and empathetic than men, in general. And women with kids more so than those without. And the second, and related to the first in this discussion I think, that those in EMS spend a large part of their time cutting people out of MVCs, looking for severed arms/legs, and doing other very gory and heroic crap. If you combine the two you have a population of women (overly empathetic) and blood and gore, (which intuitively appears to be much harder on this population than others), and you end up with an interesting topic I believe. I'm a person working in the medical field. The fact that I'm a newlywed chick who also happens to do Search and Rescue may color my individual story, but nobody should look at my role in my workplace as "a woman in a nursing home." See how stupid it looks to put it like that? I know women aren't the minority in long term nursing care, and they aren't the majority in EMS, but focusing on a group because it is a minority is missing the point entirely; we aren't defined by our gender. Again I disagree. I believe that in most instances we are defined by gender, and I also believe that this is a good thing. We aren't the same, men and women. Many try and pretend that we are, but we're not. When I first met you I had preconceived standards based on the fact that you are a woman. If you had cussed like a sailor, farted in public, belched at the dinner table, I would have been very disappointed in you and we would not have the relationship that we do now. I expect a higher level of social function from you as that has been the majority of my experience in life. My partner, who I adore, says 'fuck' about every third word when we're in private, belches like a pig, though we've eliminated the farting issues...I expect that of a man, as men have enjoyed a different place in the social strata for his entire lifetime. Are these things important in EMS? Probably not so much, as I'd expect you both to do the right things when the shit hits the fan. I only point it out to attempt to disabuse the idea that society doesn't/shouldn't see a difference between the sexes. ...Those people are every bit as much a minority, and looking at a sampling of people with ALL KINDS of stories would give a better picture of those who work in EMS. Agreed. But he doesn't seem to want to create a doc on EMS in general. He's interested in a subculture of the field. Assuming it's done well, though I know that that is an asinine assumption of course, aren't we all better for the exposure and perhaps working moms specifically? Isn't there the possibility that the exposure will give them the much needed clout to bring about political change? ...It's nice that the person wants to take a look at women in EMS, but lord, couldn't we look at the people who work with the women too? It's his camera, it's his format, shouldn't he be allowed to examine what he wants, in any way that he wants to? Would it be awesome to show EMS in a true light? Sometimes yes, most times, no. I work with a beautiful, sexy, competent woman medic. Her experiences and mine have very little in common. The fire dept wants to dote on her, lift for her, they compete for her attention on scene. She disallows this type of nonsense, yet it's still a hurdle that she has to jump over that I'll not likely ever encounter. That makes her experience different. Don't you also believe that people, upon seeing her, as opposed to me, have different expectations? I do. Would the study of those differences be interesting? Holy shit, I think it'd be amazing...but probably wouldn't sell much commercial time on TV. ...Gender studies classes have made me very hyper-aware of "artificialized" lenses. Just looking at women is a very artificial viewpoint, as it automatically casts the men they work with into some sort of subordinate role. I can't disagree with you here, as I don't have the education to do so, but I can say that should my coworker be highlighted in such a way that I don't believe I would feel subordinate at all. I would be grateful that she and those like her would better understood because of the exposure. Here being special, strong, competent in some way doesn't make me less so. But again, if we're going to be realists, there are certainly plenty of men that would feel differently...so screw em'. That's totally not how it works on the scene and in day to day life... so why not take a better bite out of the issues? A) agreed. Because no one cares unless is says 'Fire' on the side of the truck. His documentary isn't about helping EMS, it's about selling commercials. And no one is going to tune into a show about how things really work, at least I don't see it happening any time soon. Politics aside, what about women like Condoleeza Rice, I've probably mentioned way to many times that we don't play the news in the house because I don't know what happens to most of that ugliness when it goes into Dylan's head. So I believe that I get my news like the majority of the politically ignorant in our country...in sound bites. Condoleeza Rice? Isn't she the pubic hair on the soda chick that they used to try and torpedo a perfectly good Supreme Court justice? (Not my opinion, only my impression from the bits of news I've heard. See?) ... Michelle Obama, Married to a successful man, I think. ...and Oprah? Oprah is the bomb! I've watched her show. What about Olympic athletes like Amy VanDyken? She's every bit as cool as Lance Armstrong, IMHO. Never heard of her. ... Look around you. Female role models abound... I agree, but to believe that the abundant female role models have leveled the playing field, answered all of the questions that people have about those of you with weird girl parts, have convinced the masses that you are as good as men....I think that's still a bit unrealistic. But again, I could be seriously off in the ditch. Love back at you Cutie... Dwayne
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