Cell Phones Off Limits for Paramedics, Firefighters

[Curiosity]

http://www.jems.com/article/news/cell-phones-limits-paramedics-firefighte

I carry drug guides, dosage calculators on my phone (yes I know how to do them manually but it never hurts to double check)

I don't like this idea. What do you all think? Does any other service have this policy?

[emtdennis]

_{WRONG ON A COUPLE OF FRONTS!!}

_{I don't know how it works up north, but we get text messages from the regional ems when there is a call in our district. This text includes, location, kind of call and the applicable codes.}

_{Some of us have application within the phone where we can indicate that we are responding, and a gps that guides us to the location.}

_{BTW, we also use phones to get in touch with medical control while on scene away from the rig.}

_{Is there some distinct reasoning that is being given for non use of phones?}

Edited November 1, 2012 by emtdennis

[Arctickat]

The story states "personal" cell phones. Most companies I am familiar with have company phones in each vehicle. Now those will just get used for personal reasons. I do believe it's rather silly of them to attempt to enforce a law by enacting a new rule. The law is already in place for cell phone use while driving, it's just redundant to try to enforce it within the company.

Then again, my company is small and most of my staff know better than to chat with a friend on the phone when they should be tending to their patient.

[Rescue 12]

http://www.jems.com/...dics-firefighte

I carry drug guides, dosage calculators on my phone (yes I know how to do them manually but it never hurts to double check)

I don't like this idea. What do you all think? Does any other service have this policy?

I have not seen a problem in my area. I think it's a bad idea to tell adults "I have to take away your phone privileges". Punish the violators instead of everyone.

[Curiosity]

My personal cell phone has my drug guide and such. I've also had to use my personal phone to get a hold of med control, dispatch, supervisors because our company phone didn't work for a million different reasons.

[JakeEMTP]

_{WRONG ON A COUPLE OF FRONTS!!}

_{I don't know how it works up north, but we get text messages from the regional ems when there is a call in our district. This text includes, location, kind of call and the applicable codes.}

_{Some of us have application within the phone where we can indicate that we are responding, and a gps that guides us to the location.}

_{BTW, we also use phones to get in touch with medical control while on scene away from the rig.}

_{Is there some distinct reasoning that is being given for non use of phones?}

They tried that texting thingy here. Some people like it and some don't. I fall into the latter. I do not need messages from dispatch coming to my phone when I'm not working. We have recently gone to a 700 MHz communication system and I have not had any trouble reaching dispatch, medical control or other units. As Articcat stated, the ambulance has a cellphone if we need it, but I can't remember ever using it. I am allowed to carry my own phone and do, but use it very rarely.

Other than the fact it appears to be against the law in Winterpeg, I can't see a reason for an all out ban, however, I'm sure there is one.

[mikeymedic1984]

I am in no way supporting this policy, but let me explain the changes I have seen since cell phones were added to ambulances:

When I started on a 24/48 there were no cellphones, some of us had pagers. Somehow we managed to go a whole 24 hours with only makeing 1-2 personal calls. That is no longer the case.

Be honest, have you witnessed any of this:

1. Talking on phone (personal call) while driving an ambulance.

2. Texting on phone while driving ambulance.

3. Stupid, stupid, hour long conversations between your partner and whoever.

4. An actual yelling verbal fight over a cellphone that everyone can hear.

5. Texting while patient-loaded

6. An embarassing ring-tone goes off during a critical call.

7. Someone actually answering the phone while patient loaded

8. Inappropriate conversation between lovers (one-sided)

9. Obnoxiously loud people who think you must yell to be heard on a cellphone.

10. Non-stop, ringing, buzzing, and alerts from a partner's phone who gets a million calls/messages a day, none of which being worth the time and space it took to send.

Edited November 2, 2012 by mikeymedic1984