How skilled are Paramedics when it comes to response driving ?

[Vorenus]

Dude. Im looking at being a paramedic in less than 3 months. And ive taken two drivers ed courses. no tickets no wrecks within the last 3 years neither of which were of my own fault (both when I was 16). Ive been driving since I was fourteen and most of those vehicles were full sized luxury suvs with a similar profile to vanbaulances through multi weather conditions including several trips to the rockies where the sleet and snow came out of no where. And I can tell you I drive those trucks better than a 20 year vet.

You know what my first truck I drove. A 2004 freightliner medium duty. Than my next one which I had a 8 month bond with was a type III 2003 E450 7.3 L powerstroke diesel with a rebuilt motor and transmisission with a MEDTEC box. I ran that truck code three in rural and city streets.

That`s propably just about the arrogance of younger driver`s Gulfmedic was reffering to. Just saying.

You get the rescue randy jitters out of them and run them through scenarios. Assign him to one truck and only one. Have him become "in tune" with his box. Hippyish I know but when I did it it didnt just become an ambulance it became "my truck". It was the cleanest of the entire fleet and I checked fluids on it like clock work before and after shift and rode the mechanics ass religiously when it was about due for something or something was acting up with it. And with that kind of pride you learn to respect your truck and like your limits you learn its. And as far as driving it once all of that is acquired the rest is comes as common sense (low lying poles, trees, electrical wires, diesel truck not meant for hauling ass, potholes are 5 times worse in the back as they are in the front as with the stopping. Its a true bond between man and machine.Thats something a newbie cant learn if hes flipping through a truck a shift. Is when A truck is acting right and when A truck is in need of a mechanics loving hands.

Don`t really care for the hippyish thing either - in the end, you`re not there to care for that "godlike" machine. You`re supposed to drive it. Reality is, you`re often gonna change your wheels - so there`s nothing better than changing wheels during training, so that you can get accustomed to different driving experiences, etc.

Just my cents.

[Asysin2leads]

Im now off my troll spree and my soap box. Note to paramedic mike and Dwayne. I am tired however I am coherent when i write this post. but its pencil pushing crap like this thats caused me to be automatically turned away by three different nearby 911 units because of the very thing gulfmedic pointed out and further have those services hire someone less qualified than myself

You know what the most dangerous flaw young drivers have? Overconfidence. Glad to see that you missed that one.

[paramedicmike]

no tickets no wrecks within the last 3 years neither of which were of my own fault (both when I was 16).

So which is it? No wrecks or tickets? Or two wrecks and/or tickets? Your statement contradicts itself.

And I can tell you I drive those trucks better than a 20 year vet.

Says who? You? I'd like an independent evaluation of this statement.

In a certain sense it's the insurance industry that provides this independent evaluation. Do you ever wonder why insurance rates are so high for young drivers? Do you ever wonder why insurance rates are so high for young male drivers? Let's look at the information provided by the CDC:

"Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.^3"

^"The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. In fact, per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash.^4"

So, it seems that perhaps there is more here than simply you saying you're better at driving than someone with 20 years of experience on you.

Experience with a senior officer dont mean squat.

Says the grasshopper who doesn't have the experience to know any better.

And as far as driving it once all of that is acquired the rest is comes as common sense (low lying poles, trees, electrical wires, diesel truck not meant for hauling ass, potholes are 5 times worse in the back as they are in the front as with the stopping.

Unfortunately for you, many of your peers have clearly and consistently demonstrated that they have very little, if any, common sense. This is evidenced in the numbers provided in the link above. That's why insurance rates for your age group are so high. That's why employers, especially EMS employers, won't hire someone your age.

Im 20 years old and ive busted my ass and have been turned away because off **** like you pushing to get me off the truck because im a liability. Ive been driving a box for two years now and have run 40+ HOURS NO SLEEP LIKE THE REST OF YOU!!! hell why dont you increase your emt minimum age requirement since thats all an emt is worth anyways besides a basic lifting service and applying O2.

Name calling? Poor form, grasshopper. Poor form.

More than 40 hours of no sleep is a huge liability. I don't remember anyone here ever bragging about being awake and driving for more than 40 hours. If you want to make an argument that you're worthy of consideration this isn't the argument to choose. Were I interviewing you and you told me this I would most definitely NOT hire you because you just demonstrated that along with youth and inexperience you make poor, potentially dangerous choices. Of course, this would be backed up by the increased insurance rates I'd have to pay in order to hire you.

If you want to get into minimum age requirements, I think 21 is a good minimum age for an EMS provider. I'd prefer 25, though.

Note to paramedic mike and Dwayne. I am tired however I am coherent when i write this post.

We've been through this before. I'll simply say, please try harder.

...but its pencil pushing crap like this thats caused me to be automatically turned away by three different nearby 911 units because of the very thing gulfmedic pointed out and further have those services hire someone less qualified than myself

In what way were those hired less qualified than you? How do you know it was "pencil pushing crap"? Why did you resort to calling Gulfmedic names just because he presented an idea you didn't like?

[craig]

Dude. Im looking at being a paramedic in less than 3 months. And ive taken two drivers ed courses. no tickets no wrecks within the last 3 years neither of which were of my own fault (both when I was 16). Ive been driving since I was fourteen and most of those vehicles were full sized luxury suvs with a similar profile to vanbaulances through multi weather conditions including several trips to the rockies where the sleet and snow came out of no where. And I can tell you I drive those trucks better than a 20 year vet.

You know what my first truck I drove. A 2004 freightliner medium duty. Than my next one which I had a 8 month bond with was a type III 2003 E450 7.3 L powerstroke diesel with a rebuilt motor and transmisission with a MEDTEC box. I ran that truck code three in rural and city streets.

Experience with a senior officer dont mean squat. Hell for all you know he might end up teaching him how get the truck to turboshift thorugh gears and prematurely wear out the clutch so they can accelerate faster . or burn up a rear differential from excessive speeds going code three or just a very high speed limit for long distances

You get the rescue randy jitters out of them and run them through scenarios. Assign him to one truck and only one. Have him become "in tune" with his box. Hippyish I know but when I did it it didnt just become an ambulance it became "my truck". It was the cleanest of the entire fleet and I checked fluids on it like clock work before and after shift and rode the mechanics ass religiously when it was about due for something or something was acting up with it. And with that kind of pride you learn to respect your truck and like your limits you learn its. And as far as driving it once all of that is acquired the rest is comes as common sense (low lying poles, trees, electrical wires, diesel truck not meant for hauling ass, potholes are 5 times worse in the back as they are in the front as with the stopping. Its a true bond between man and machine.Thats something a newbie cant learn if hes flipping through a truck a shift. Is when A truck is acting right and when A truck is in need of a mechanics loving hands.

Im 20 years old and ive busted my ass and have been turned away because off **** like you pushing to get me off the truck because im a liability. Ive been driving a box for two years now and have run 40+ HOURS NO SLEEP LIKE THE REST OF YOU!!! hell why dont you increase your emt minimum age requirement since thats all an emt is worth anyways besides a basic lifting service and applying O2.

Try getting that out of a two day EVOC course.

Im now off my troll spree and my soap box. Note to paramedic mike and Dwayne. I am tired however I am coherent when i write this post. but its pencil pushing crap like this thats caused me to be automatically turned away by three different nearby 911 units because of the very thing gulfmedic pointed out and further have those services hire someone less qualified than myself

Runswith......... would it be better for you if i gave you two planks of wood and a few nails?

that way you could build your own cross to be crucified on.......

Gee at 20 years of age, you must have seen and done it all.............much better than some one that has been doing it for the length of your life time.

Tired or not and immature spray like that is probably the REAL reson you haven't been picked up by a 911 operation.

For the record, here in NSW you have to be 21 to fit the drivers licence guidlines to drive and ambulance, and secondly you cannot do more than an 12hr shift to fit OH&S guidlines for fatigue. keeps the public and the paramedic safe

[island emt]

Mike Ellis: Since everyone else has gone there already: I'll only comment that there is a reason why commercial transportation companies , including ambulance services will not hire anyone under 21. Youthful arrogance is a killer. Your age group has a 14 times greater risk of being involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes than someone in the 25-35 yr age bracket, and an 80% higher chance of dying in a motor vehicle crash than someone in my age bracket. Your age group is more likely to DIE in a motor vehicle crash than from any other cause. These are insurance company underwriting facts.

Someone with your attitudes and bravado would not be driving any ambulance here! You might not even get hired to deliver Domino's.

Just be the good little basic that you are ,and leave the pontificating to those with a little experience.

The boots on my feet right now are older than you!

Just so you know: I had 1.6 million miles of driving over the road Tractor trailers with one accident.

It was caused by a 20 year old not paying attention and speeding, that ran into the back of my 45 foot bright yellow trailer at 80 mph on an interstate highway. His two passengers were killed , He got off with a broken nose and 15-20 in NY state prison at Ossining for manslaughter.

[Asysin2leads]

It was caused by a 20 year old not paying attention and speeding, that ran into the back of my 45 foot bright yellow trailer at 80 mph on an interstate highway. His two passengers were killed , He got off with a broken nose and 15-20 in NY state prison at Ossining for manslaughter.

Criminey! Just curious, were you at a dead or near stop when it happened? Was it like a traffic tie up and he didn't see you stopped and hit you at 80 MPH? This almost happened to me once. I wasn't doing anywhere near 80, but I was once tooling along on the highway and was looking to my right with confusion at the mass of cars exiting off the highway, when I look up and see traffic stopped dead in front of me. I was very lucky and was able to stop in time, with like just a few feet to spare, and ended up staring straight at a load of rebar in the back of a flatbed that was aimed directly at my face. I was 19. Talk about a lesson learned.

Edited May 4, 2012 by Asysin2leads

[island emt]

Criminey! Just curious, were you at a dead or near stop when it happened? Was it like a traffic tie up and he didn't see you stopped and hit you at 80 MPH? This almost happened to me once. I wasn't doing anywhere near 80, but I was once tooling along on the highway and was looking to my right with confusion at the mass of cars exiting off the highway, when I look up and see traffic stopped dead in front of me. I was very lucky and was able to stop in time, with like just a few feet to spare, and ended up staring straight at a load of rebar in the back of a flatbed that was aimed directly at my face. I was 19. Talk about a lesson learned.

Asys: I was pulling double 45 ft trailers on the New York thruway westbound out of herkimer. gross weight of combined unit was 105.000 lbs I was in 11th gear running at 50-55 mph. Our tractors governed out at 62. He hit me on a long straightaway and witnesses later said he never attempted to go around me until the last second. His car caught the ICC bumper on the kite trailer just about the center of the hood. It drove the I beam bumper into the passenger seat all the way into the back seat area.

The passengers were DOS. It was not pretty.

State troopers estimated he was going at least 80mph at time of contact, maybe higher.

Yes i still remember a lot of the details to this day almost 30 years later.

I still get a Christmas card from the NY state trooper that handled the investigation.

He's now retired and he like me still remembers that gruesome call.

Edited May 4, 2012 by island emt

[paramedicmike]

Yikes. Did you even feel him hit you with pulling that much weight?

[island emt]

Yikes. Did you even feel him hit you with pulling that much weight?

It was a pretty big bump in the back. At first I wasn't sure what the hell had happened. Looking in the mirrors 100 ft back I could just see the left edge of the car and lots of smoke/steam Was worried the dolly or kite had come unhitched. then a truck behind a little ways starts screaming on the radio to stop quick. The car was wedged/ impaled under the back and getting dragged along.

Took about 300 yards to get it all stopped & pulled off into the break down lane.

When he hit the hood went under the ICC bumper until it got into the passenger compartment. there it just smashed through until it was in the back seat.

One of those visions that will always be stored in the mind.

P.S. The car was a pontiac sunfire, tiny little low slung model. Not much big metal in them.

Edited May 4, 2012 by island emt

[Kiwiology]

Let's get the internationaloscope out

Australia - class LR required

UK and Europe - Class C1 required

Canada - Class 4 (in Ontario Class F) required

South Africa - Code 10 required

Each of these are a higher standard than a regular car license, a commercial class medical exam and a theory and driving test

Each of these jurisdictions (not sure about SA) also has very strict rules about rest breaks and limits of driving

Once again US falls to bottom, breaks my heart