Holding Us Back: A Great Example

[Arctickat]

Does anyone recall the cartoon, after the 9-11 attack, showing Spiderman, Wonder Woman, and Superman asking a small group of FD, EMS and LEOs for their autograph?

Sept 14 and 19 , 2001 issue of the New York Times.

[Richard B the EMT]

You know all those people who have stars of life on their cars back window, or have EMS tattoos or run around with EMS t shirts on? they look stupid, honestly, they look ridiculous and they get laughed at here

I do hope you're not referring to me, as I have Star Of Life car licence plates, as issued by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, and wear EMS and EMT T-shirts.

I refuse to wear a cape, however, as they have a tendency to get caught on things while working, as demonstrated in the movie, "The Incredibles". (LOL)

While my car has the plates, and I wear the shirts, I actually make no big deal out of being an EMT. If someone asks, it's usually "yes, I am an EMT. How can I help you?" More times than not, I have to explain what EMTs do, and then further explain I'm not as high in the medical "pecking order" as the Paramedics, why "Ambulance" is in "mirror writing" on the hood, and that, while the EMS in NYC is run by the FDNY, that I am NOT a Fire Fighter. Children seem to fixate on "How fast does the ambulance go?"

If I respond to a streetside incident on my own, in my Privately Owned Vehicle, I carry supplies, and the licence plate indicates to the LEOs that I am an EMT willing to stop and render non-transport aid, until the local EMS can arrive. I don't seek out action, but if I happen to stumble across it, I'm there! As for going into someone's private residence, even if I heard the call over the scanner, I consider that verboten, unless a neighbor knocks on my private residence door, requesting my services.

(Newcomers to the City, please note the existance of several strings discussing "Legal" versus "Moral" "Duty to Act". Use the search function to locate.)

PS: I have no "Tats", either EMS, EMT, or otherwise, and that's by my choice. Those that have them, I'll look, perhaps comment on the artestry, but that's it.

PPS: The cartoon I referred to appeared in the same week as the 9-11 Attacks.

[Kiwiology]

Richard, I have the greatest respect for your decades of experience and this is not personally targeted at you but the behaviour you describe is seen outside of North America as being ... I am not sure how to describe it, obsessive? bizarre? unprofessional? egotistical? analogous to somebody spanking their dick? you get the idea

As Craig, I and others have stated, such behaviour is not seen as a mark of professionalism but rather laughed at or disdained as being just weird.

[BillKaneEMT]

No, don't call me a hero. Do you know who the real heroes are? The guys who wake up every morning and go into their normal jobs, and get a distress call from the Commissioner and take off their glasses and change into capes and fly around fighting crime. Those are the real heroes.

Dwight Schrute

"I'm no hero. Hiro, the hero from Heroes. Now that's a hero."

[Arctickat]

"I'm no hero. Hiro, the hero from Heroes. Now that's a hero."

He's also a train on Thomas and Friends.

[craig]

Hey shut up all things going well this time next week I will be living in Australia

a Kiwi tha has emmigrated to Oz..........that would be something different..............welcome over brother, but gee you talk funny...

[Kiwiology]

a Kiwi tha has emmigrated to Oz..........that would be something different..............welcome over brother, but gee you talk funny...

Thanks mate, they said the same thing in the Great Nation of Indiana and the Republic of Texohoma "son y'all sure talk funny, where you from boy, you aint one of dem communists are ya?"

[Chief1C]

He's also a train on Thomas and Friends.

Back in the day that was Shining Time Station... Used to love that.

[BushyFromOz]

Don't be jealous. Just because you southern hemisphereers can't get hero status, don't know us up here for being able to do it.

No heroes here, but apparently they trust us more than other other profession so ill take that instead

No heroes here, but apparently they trust us more than other other profession so ill take that instead

Besides, a hero is is some type of weird sandwich

***EDIT***

Ok ok, i know, i should have read page two, craig has already posted this stuff.....

Edited July 2, 2012 by BushyFromOz

[ERDoc]

Personally, I have no problems with the T-shirts. I like Disney World and wear DW shirts (did I just admit that in public?). It's the people that don't realize that EMT/Medic is a job, not a lifestyle that get me.

EDIT: What's so weird about a hero? I know a great little hero shop that makes some awesome ones.

Edited July 2, 2012 by ERDoc