Photo IDs, anyone?

[VillageEMT]

Sam,

NY states right on the cert that it should be laminated upon receipt. The NY cert does no have a photo, but our regional EMS ID does have a photo, our name, agency, cert level, number and expiration date. Some of the hospitals in the area, Upstate NY, require IDs be worn after 9 PM or when the ED has declared an emergency. I routinely wear a photo ID at work anyway, it is required to get in the building. ( I'm an engineer.) I have never had a pt ask for ID but I have been stopped at the ED door, in uniform, and asked for ID. If I remember, I will clip my ID on if I'm not in uniform on a call. It just saves questions on the scene and at the ED. In this day and age I would think a hospital's security very lax if they let just anyone wander into the ED in the middle of the night, in uniform or not.

Don't let the attitude of some of the City folks bother you, they just don't understand volunteers. This country was founded by volunteers and much of the good work that goes unnoticed is done by them.

[Nate]

samson722,

It sounds like your department should require those responding to have some kind of department issued ID, as well at least require you guys to have a department t-shirt on. The few volunteer departments around where I work require department issued ID and t-shirt minimal. It just doesn't make sense to respond with out it (from your stand point) because you might not ever get close enough to show your card if you were on my land (I'd shoot you if I wasn't aware someone had called for an ambulance on my property).

I did what you did, I laminated my state card. In Texas you are required to carry it, but the state could careless as long as they have your ID number to look you up on the computer. We are also required to have a permit to work in the city that we are in (it is how the city covers their butts). So on my uniform I have my company ID and my city permit behind it. There are a few guys who where their ACLS, PALS, ITLS, BTLS, PHTLS, and every other card (some their DL) and I think it looks like really bad.

For the State of Texas to start putting pictures on our cards, it would mean more money, as well as you'd have to actually go to the office and take a picture (TDSHS is always under staffed like any government office). Not to mention it would make it hard for those out of state to renew and keep up their certification (such as Dustdevil).

[vs-eh?]

In Ontario, everyone is supposed to have a provincial ambulance photo ID card. It is issued by the Ministry of Health and (as far as I know) is a valid piece of provincial identification (akin to a drivers license). The card generally has your name, and your photo, it also what is called an OASIS number that all Ontario paramedics have assigned to them. There is no identifier of what service to belong to (outside of a number in the corner). There is also no personal information on the card. It has a magnetic strip that I assume people could access, but I have never had it swiped, nor has anyone that I know of...

I say supposed to because I wasn't given one into well into 2+ years of service. You are supposed to carry it with you at all times while on duty and it must be surrendered upon completion of service in ambulance. Technically I have to show this every time I do a call at our international airport. I have only done one or 2 calls at the airport and was never asked. It expires at the beginning of the year, we'll see how long it takes to get a new one...

Most larger services that I know of also have a service specific ID. Your "paramedic level"/position in the service, name, employee number. We use it to swipe on and off, in our automated book-on process. Works pretty well.

I'd say 95%+ of people do not wear their ID's, but simply have them on them. As far as I know you do not have to wear it, just be able to produce it.

We, and most other large services I assume would not have an issue of false representation or people questioning who we are. There are not a tonne of overlapping ambulance services because basically all only cover their regional area. All are municipal services, their are no "private" services that operate 911 in Ontario. It would be akin (for lack of a better example) to FDNY doing ALL 911 and emergency work in the city, and are the only service that can say go L+S or to differ calls to.

It is a different system here, I would wager there are approx. 30? ambulance services in the entire province. I would also wager that a moderate to larger American cities have that many ambulance services that could respond to 911 calls.

[AZCEP]

Arizona requires anyone on duty to have their certification with them at all times. Some medical directors take it one step further and check when you deliver patients. Most will be checked by the inspector when units are checked. If you don't have yours, you are out of service.

AZ also issues a pretty lame card that could be copied pretty easy. No photo, no security embedded. Anyone with a desire, and a color printer/scanner could make one of their very own. The design, and the signatures change so often that no one really knows what is supposed to be on the thing.

[Acosell]

I say supposed to because I wasn't given one into well into 2+ years of service. You are supposed to carry it with you at all times while on duty and it must be surrendered upon completion of service in ambulance.

It is a different system here, I would wager there are approx. 30? ambulance services in the entire province. I would also wager that a moderate to larger American cities have that many ambulance services that could respond to 911 calls.

At my first job, I wasn't allowed to work until I got my ministry card (and when I finally did get it, they misspelled my 3 letter name), and I had to surrender it when I quit. We also had a hospital ID/swipe card. Where I am now, we have the MOH card as well as a company ID.

As per the Transition Web, there are 50 land services in Ontario

[strippel]

PA was playing with photo state IDs last year. In the Eastern Region, they made several stops, and took lots of pictures, handing out EMT/Medic certification card Photo IDs. After the scheduled photo sessions stopped, I haven't heard anything about it.

At my full time, we are required to wear our company AND hospital affiliate photo ID at all times. It is a JCAHO requirement.

[buckeyedoc]

Actually, in MA we are REQUIRED to carry them when working. We are not considered to be EMTs by the State if we do not have them on are person. We are also required to present them to anyone who asks us to produce them. Dial it back a notch...every time I post here, I feel like I'm being made out to be a whacker. I may be new at this, but I'm just trying to learn and trying to do the best I can at this job. I know people who have never taken them out of their wallet except to make a photo copy, and they're falling apart. They're the same material as our AHA CPR cards. FYI, all of my cards are laminated, I was just trying to illustrate a point.

I was not implying that you were a whacker. I'm simply stating that there are people out there, and we all have seen them, that get their rocks off by carrying a little card and trying to impress someone with it. If your state requires you to carry your card, that's fine. I, too, was simply making a point. I'm all for having to prove who you say you are when asked by the authorities. Oh, btw, I'll dial it back a notch when and where I see fit. Not you.

[samson722]

Oh, btw, I'll dial it back a notch when and where I see fit. Not you.

Sorry, I apologize for being curt, I just tend to get defensive sometimes, as it seems that things like intent and attitude don't always come across well in text-based situations such as this forum. I also get a little upset sometimes because I might come to this forum with a legitimate question asking for help and get pounced on. and I'm certainly not talking about you. I just get the feeling sometimes that there are a lot of people here who don't remember what it was like to be new at this and needing advice. again, I do apologize if I came off sounding like some jerk. that was not my intention at all. that said... i've only really been asked for ID a couple of times, and I just thought that picture IDs could be a more practical solution to a little piece of paper that doesn't mean that much to anyone other than fellow EMTs/Medics.

Cheers!

Samson

[buckeyedoc]

I, too, apologize if I came off short. Nothing personal.

Doc

[ResQBtheEMT]

I always carry my cards in my wallet, especially at work...

While on duty, between 7am and 11pm we are required to wear the navy cargo pants/powder blue shirt ensemble and your service-issued nametag that has your first and last name with cert level must be on your outermost layer of clothing. After 11pm we may wear the cargo pants and a service-issued t-shirt with no nametag.

If responding to an incident while not technically on duty, it is preferred that you are wearing something that clearly states your affiliation with the service. Otherwise, you must state your affiliation and provide ID if asked...