You can't pay for this type of publicity

[Just Plain Ruff]

http://www.jems.com/video/news/dc-woman-leaves-ambulance-while-crew-arg

My god, if this is true, then DC ems has fallen to a new low. I'm more and more considering hiring my own ambulance to follow me around when I take my family to DC. This is just ridiculous.

[ERDoc]

Wow, I don't even know what to say about this. It sounds like the medic had his head up his ass (based on the limited info in the article). While nothing about this call says ALS is needed, the BLS provider obviously had a concern and the medic should have addressed it in a professional manner, even if he disagreed with it.

[Just Plain Ruff]

There really isn't any excuse for this. Any time a patient feels so unsafe or uncomfortable that they choose the DC Metro (THE DC METRO for goodness sakes) over an Ambulance for transport to the hospital or just to leave the area, then something is definately wrong with that particular call.

Have you ridden the DC metro lately???? I have and it's not a ride I would want to take on any regularity.

[island emt]

the metro used to be a great way to get around DC.

Last time we were there was 10 years ago, we stayed in Springfield VA and used a metro pass to get around for an entire week.

Only thing we saw was a murder in the entrance to the metro stn one morning when we headed out . the Cops were there with the crime scene folks doing forensic work and the body was still there covered up. Fellow had been shot overnight and the police were calling it drug related.

This is just another case of DC fire's dysfunctional way of providing EMS

[Secouriste]

I'm a bit confused about the responding system in this state. How comes 2 units are dispatched in the same time? From what I understood there was and ALS and a BLS int he same time, right? Then, isn't there a protocol for those 2 units to work together, given they both have a specific role to play? Or am I missing something?

[hertzvanrental]

Ridiculous and unprofessional!

However obviously not a stroke then! O2 in a stroke, was she hypoxia then???? Highly doubt it.................

Ridiculous and unprofessional!

However obviously not a stroke then! O2 in a stroke, was she hypoxia then???? Highly doubt it.................

[rock_shoes]

I'm a bit confused about the responding system in this state. How comes 2 units are dispatched in the same time? From what I understood there was and ALS and a BLS int he same time, right? Then, isn't there a protocol for those 2 units to work together, given they both have a specific role to play? Or am I missing something?

No you're not missing anything. I work in a targeted ALS system. Any call where two units are dispatched means that the patient is assessed by ALS then transported to hospital by either ALS or BLS depending on the patients care needs. Only patients who don't require ALS intervention and are not expected to need ALS intervention over the course of the transport go with the BLS crew.

[Secouriste]

Ok, thanks for the clarification. Then any idea what could cause such a dispute between the two crews?

[Just Plain Ruff]

Ok, thanks for the clarification. Then any idea what could cause such a dispute between the two crews?

Yeah one crew not wanting to do any work and then being told that they need to springs to mind.

Or the crew that was the problem crew, may have had a rerun of Code Red to get back to.

[croaker260]

Ok, thanks for the clarification. Then any idea what could cause such a dispute between the two crews?

The other side of this is that unfortunately, even in the US, DC FEMS takes the cake for dysfunctional EMS systems and anything goes. Detroit Fire/EMSby coparison has a huge level of dysfunction, but most of it is beyond the control of the street level provider. DC FEMS has no excuse.