"First Responders" on Ambulances

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

No dreaming here Buddha. All the City of Greenville ambo's are staffed with two medics and a Basic. As well, all the fire apparatus hav at least one Medic on board.

I work a service that works either 2 basics and a medic, or two medics and a basic, depending on time of day.

Also, there is a service down the road that requires 2 medics and a basic for every shift.

Its a nice theory, sometimes works in practice,...problem still remains, you can fill an ambulance with 50 crappy EMT's and Medics, you still suck.

EDIT: Im realizing I sound more like Dust. *looks for shotgun*

[csr]

In a utopian world, crews would be medic/medic and a EMT. If it is a 2 person crew, than we can always get a FF to drive, they like the L & S.

Not around here. Locally the private ALS service runs mainly 1 Basic and 1 Paramedic per ambulance (rarely 2 medics). Having a firefighter drive is not an option since only employees of the ambulance service are allowed behind the wheel. That means the Basic is gonna drive and the Paramedic will either handle the patient by himself or have a FR back there with him doing the monkey work, (bagging, compressions, etc). I doubt that anyone here, even the most hardened Paragod, would turn down an extra pair of hands from a local firefighter FR who can be spared to ride to the ER.

[JakeEMTP]

Gotcha csr, Different parts of the country. We do what we can with what we got.

[PapaLindini]

A first responder is wonderfull if you stubb your toe at the beach, or want to order someone to clean the ambulance. as far as patient care, I know how limited my knowledge was at the EMT-B level. if an ambulance needs to be called, most of the time the person needs emergency medical attention, it is not fair to stick a patient with a first responder, it could KILL them. the only time i should ever see a first rersponder in an ambulance is if they are the patient.

[redbkirk2001]

Ok. Not that any of us would put a first reponder in charge of patient care, but if you have a code they are great for helping with CPR, trust me i know. Besides most of the first reponders I've seen just drive the ambulance, and they can learn things aswell. so i don't know why everyone has a HUGE problem with first reponders.

[Skip Goulet]

If first responders are certified as they are here in Texas as ECAs (Emergency Care Attedants), then, by all means, they should be allowed to operate in an ambulance. Many communities in West Texas are so small that the only emergency personnel they have are ECAs. These guys have paid for their own training, pay for their own supplies,etc. And in many cases, those in higher places can't be bothered with getting EMT...much less Paramedic....for these people. Yeah....let 'em work! It's not the best situation, of course, but you've gotta make do!

[FireResq617]

There is a reason they are classified as "FIRST" responders.... they respond first then the ambulance crew! Should not be on a unit except for emergent driving purposes only.

[FishHawk]

Give me a break. just how important and wonderful do you think you are. We are paramedics and emts. our training is not that much greater than a first responder in the vast scheme of things. All I care about is competency. Let me tell you, there are tons of incompetent medics and emts out there and I would rather have a bystander than some of them.

As to the statement that you need 3 people on an ambulance. Where do you get that idea? 95% of the calls do not require more than a driver and attendant. If you are running nothing but arrests and level 1 trauma than more power to you. But get realistic. you don't need that for full time staffing and who can afford that unless you are a government agency or have one hell of a great subsidy.

[JakeEMTP]

Give me a break. just how important and wonderful do you think you are. We are paramedics and emts. our training is not that much greater than a first responder in the vast scheme of things. All I care about is competency. Let me tell you, there are tons of incompetent medics and emts out there and I would rather have a bystander than some of them.

As to the statement that you need 3 people on an ambulance. Where do you get that idea? 95% of the calls do not require more than a driver and attendant. If you are running nothing but arrests and level 1 trauma than more power to you. But get realistic. you don't need that for full time staffing and who can afford that unless you are a government agency or have one hell of a great subsidy.

Your first statement is so ridiculous, it doesn't warrant a response. As for the second, If your referring to me as I expect you are, that is the way it's done here. Like it or not it's not my idea, that's what it is.

[Ridryder 911]

Give me a break. just how important and wonderful do you think you are. We are paramedics and emts. our training is not that much greater than a first responder in the vast scheme of things. All I care about is competency. Let me tell you, there are tons of incompetent medics and emts out there and I would rather have a bystander than some of them.

As to the statement that you need 3 people on an ambulance. Where do you get that idea? 95% of the calls do not require more than a driver and attendant. If you are running nothing but arrests and level 1 trauma than more power to you. But get realistic. you don't need that for full time staffing and who can afford that unless you are a government agency or have one hell of a great subsidy.

I am sure that 95 % is true when you work on a non-emergency transfer truck. But, you never work a full arrest.. or multiple, poly trauma patient.. ever deliver a child ?....True 3 person is hard to budget, but if you don't have educated associate respnding agencies such as FD, local communites. Let's not knock those that have successfully accomplished this... maybe we could learn from them, instead of downing them.

Be safe,

R/R 911