you know you're in urban ems if...

[scratrat]

Are you referring to me perhaps?

No, my twin evil brother is who he is referring to...

[rdenman26]

At the first station I worked at, Brixton in London we had an ambulance with 2 bullet holes in the roof. Thankfully still a rarety in the UK. Most people prefer knives and fists when attacking us. Some cynical people, sugeested the shooting was due to SO19 (londons swat team) sooting one ofthe local 5 times. Brixton was the only area in the UK that I know of were the Armed Response Units are routinly armed.

Bear in mind the vast majority of UK police are unarmed (although the CS spray is classified as a firearm), and the units that carry firearms have them lock away in the vehicle untill authorised by a senior officer.

But if we needed urgent policehelp we got it in truck loads. There would be batons flying left right and centre. I felt a hell of a lot safer in Brixton than in rural england. I once had to wait for armed officers for an hour in norfolk before we could get to a shooting victim.

Whilst Im here does anyone else find the first part of a potential girlfriend/boyfriend they look at is there veins? Or do I need therapy.

[Richard B the EMT]

Rdenman26 wrote, "Brixton was the only area in the UK that I know of were the Armed Response Units are routinely armed. "

Would they call an unarmed unit "Armed" if they were not armed?

Besides, the LEOs in England are so well known for being sans firearms, many are convinced, at least here in NYC, if an armed London cop simply pulled out an authorized firearm, even if the weapon is not discharged, he, or she, would have to write at least 6 different reports and forms to justify drawing the firearm from the holster in the first place!

(Just a mention, my girlfriend and I loved that spoof movie by those guys who did "Shawn of the Dead" about the London "supercop" transferred to the supposedly quiet town that actually had a serial killing spree in progress. Those guys were armed with heavy weapons, not just handguns!)

[rdenman26]

What I mean is; armed Response Units (ARVs) normally carry their weapons locked away in the car, and not on the officer themselves. So the officers them selves are not acually armed. In the event of an armed incident, they are authorised by a senior officer to "arm up" or in an emergency may "self arm". Maybe its just local terminology.

There is a lot of paperwork for UK officers who deploy firearms, but then they have a lot of paperwork if they need a new role of toilet paper.

the movie you were refering to is HOT FUZZ, and it is indeed a top film. The real police are becoming mor heavely armed. For example due to the increase in body armour on the streets, the ARVs in the area I work in now went from carrying MP5s and Glock17s to Assault rifles, Glock17s, baton gun and the x26 taser. Our SWAT teams then have various other weapons.

Things seem to be taking a worring turn in this country. Police getting chased with samuri swords, poster about the dangers of meth labs appearing on station. People often think (in the UK) because I work in one of the most rural counties in england we dont get guns. But theyre are a hell of a lot of people with firearms, both legal and not. My station is a conveted part of the local police station, and we must be the only staton in the UK with an armery. Although for some reason the police wont let us in there.

[Richard B the EMT]

My station is a conveted part of the local police station, and we must be the only staton in the UK with an armery. Although for some reason the police wont let us in there.

No offense, but, gee, why not? (LOL)

[emTpromises]

You know you're in Urban EMS in Los Angeles when:

-County fire has you transport a 21 year old female BLS for cramps--Hx, she just started her mens. cycle and the Ibuprofen wasn't helping

-A young, buxom mother approaches your ambulance with children in tow and requests some cold packs because her new breast implants are sore

[Miz Black Crow]

Going back a ways to the drunk MCIs, you know you're in urban EMS when....

...the ER nurse pisses off one of your coworkers by yelling at them for bringing a drunk to the nearest ER (this nurse has some attitude issues). So your coworker calls up 4 or 5 other units, goes down to the local shelter, and starts offering free dinners to anybody who wants to go to the hospital. Three or 4 units take 2 or 3 drunks apiece to said ER.... apparently (this was before I was stationed here) it was like the Thanksgiving Day Parade, only with more urine stains and Georgi. Oh, and that nurse doesn't mess with this guy anymore.

...you refuse to drink certain kinds of alcohol (again, Georgi) because you feel like you should be drinking a higher class of liquor than your patients do.

...you're on a first-name basis with half the cops from your local precinct, which has at least 300 officers.

...you work 16 hours and transport the same drunk at least 3 times (Curse you, L.H.!!!! CURSE YOUUUU!)

...you refuse to drive a certain route to the call because you know your "favorite" intox will flag you just to annoy you.

~Miz Black Crow

[crotchitymedic1986]

When more than 3 people on the scene have a name that:

Is a liquor: Tequilla, Crowne Royal, Mad Dogg

A fruit/vegetable: Peaches, Tangerine, Punkin

Or has the letter Q or Z in it: Shaquita, Tequilla, Jacquez, Rodriguez, Martinez, Gonzales

[firemed665]

Your in Urban EMS when you have to pick up the drive by shooting from the doors of one ER and take it to another because the doc wont go outside.

You have to drive around the block three times with lights until someone opens up the door and flags you down because there aren't any numbers on the houses.

You have a list for new guys of what neighborhoods that you turn off the lights and sirens before entering with police escorts

You have to lock ALL the doors on your rig when you drop patients off at the ER.

You have to pass through a bank vault door to enter the ER.

You pediatric asthmatic patient's parents ask you if the ER waiting room has a TV so they can watch the Bulls game.

When you bring home a regular dialysis patient and her son invite you in to join the party, have a few drinks and anything else you see that might interest you. (Like the girls he has over, or dope on the poker table)

You get contact highs on a regular basis while waiting for patients to open their apartment doors.

Ever hear of a "hoister, ya know, you get when from hoistin something to heavy."

When you get to the apartment building and you know to go to the floor the three bangers at the front door tell you, not the one your dispatched too.

When the patient can smell your food in the front of the rig and asks which rib joint you ate at. And then asks if you have any leftovers.

And you know your in Urban EMS when you know whether or not to run for cover because you can now judge how far away gun fire is.

[ambodriver]

-When you have kevlar vests behind your seats

-When you routinely run 20+ calls in a 24 hr shift

-You use narcan like water

-You get no love or thanks for your job