PA EMT's and Medics.....do you have the EMS Specialty Plate?

[mediccjh]

Since everyone seems to have forgotten what the topic was:

1. Yes, there is a specialty plate in PA for EMS, that does NOT identify you as an emergency vehicle.

2. There in NO obligation to stop in the Commonwealth of PA if your vehicle has this plate.

Both of these isses were addressed in my previous post. We are talking about PA, not any other state, and the answer has already been posted. Why the fark is there still arguments about stopping????

](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,)

[jw-c152]

It is also part of the reason I carry a handgun while off duty.

Glad I'm not living in PA...

[jw-c152]

Coach, if i'm out in my car, odds are I have one or both of my kids with me.

It's not safe to pull your car off the side of the road to help someone out when kids are in the car. Yep I can understand that. But if your kid's safety is important (as it should be), what's with the handgun?

I guess I just don't understand the 'American Gun Mentality' (meant in the nicest possible way). But that's a whole other can o' worms.

Cheers.

[Andrewtx]

It's not safe to pull your car off the side of the road to help someone out when kids are in the car. Yep I can understand that. But if your kid's safety is important (as it should be), what's with the handgun?

I guess I just don't understand the 'American Gun Mentality' (meant in the nicest possible way). But that's a whole other can o' worms.

Cheers.

:roll:

[BushyFromOz]

But if 120 hours of night school is the biggest thing you have to be proud of in your life, then you have bigger problems than being a whacker, I suppose.

And then......

And as an aside to your sarcastic (and quite frankly demeaning) remark regarding 120 hours of night school

LMAO - yall take things way to seriously in here. Did anyone ever stop to think that when dusts says something like the above, that he may actually have enough experience, education and brains to have those opinions? SOme people take it personal...read what it is and its not about you..its about your system

lets be cool people, take it easy and things will be all right

[SEPAEMT]

The 120 hours is just the EMT portion. Within the 3 year certification period that we have to recertify, we have to get continuing education credits to keep our certs. PHTLS (Pre Hospital Trauma Life Support) is just one of the BIG certs.

Here are some others that are redially available to us just for con-ed;

Animal Bite assessment & treatment

Asthma management for BLS

Alternative Medicine EMT

Basic 12-Lead EKG BLS

Basic Medical Response to Terrorism (BMRT)

Burn injuries for the EMT

C-spine injuries in Athletics 2

Clinical Decision Making BLS

Congestive Heart Failure for the EMT

Demystifying Central Lines BLS

Emergency Care for Lightning Strike Victims BLS

Fetal Trauma from MVC’s

Mass Casualty Incidents BLS

Pain Management: Myths & Realities of Drug Seeking Behaviors

These are just a few of the classes available to the BLS provider. There is many more countless classes that are getting approved each and every day. So no, 120 for the EMT class itself isnt alot, theres more to it!

I hope this information helps you out. If you need to see more here is the link to the PA Dept. of Healths web site for Health Professionals & Providers. Maybe this will help you. Good Luck!!

http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/t...omy.asp?CGT=561

[SEPAEMT]

Or what they really call it in PA is a Vanity Plate and you have to go to your local licencing agency, i.e. your local Penna. State Police Barracks or an other approved licencing agency and ask for the EMS plate, take it to your Captian, Chief, top ranking officer and have them sign it and you can then send it in to the Commenwealth for a new shiny EMS Vanity Plate.

Here is a link to help you find your plate;

https://www.dot3.state.pa.us/license_plates...ecial_org.shtml

Good Luck!

[flight-lp]

But if 120 hours of night school is the biggest thing you have to be proud of in your life, then you have bigger problems than being a whacker, I suppose.

Quote of the week!!!!

[Dustdevil]

Yes, I am proud of the fact that as a 21 year old I have decided on a career that I see fitting - emergency medicine. Becoming an EMT is simply a means to an end. I am currently enrolled in a Physician's Assistant program. Upon completion of that program, I hope to find work in an ED. If not an ED, I hope to be assistanting in a trauma center's operating room.

So how is that a "means to an end?" It certainly isn't a prerequisite to PA school. Are you actually gainfully employed in EMS? If so, then I suppose it is indeed a "means to an end" just like working at Mc Donalds would be a means to an end. Otherwise, it's neither a means to an end nor a career. It's just a hobby. And quite frankly, I find your disrespect of my profession to be demeaning.

I can't believe somebody actuallyl called PHTLS a "BIG" certification. Dude... it's a weekend long course!

This is why EMS is a joke in the United States! People spend a weekend on a simple skills course, and you'd think they just earned a Master's Degree. Yet, ask them to go get an actual education and all they do is make excuses and whine about it.

[Emilea PA C]

Rationale for stating becoming an EMT is a means to an end.....

Let's work backwards. The end is my becoming a physician's assistant in either an emergency department or on a trauma OR team.

In order to get to that end, I must first become a Physician's Assistant. (almost a check -- this is still in progress)

In order to get more "field experience" and to survey if I really do want to spend the rest of my life in emergency medicine (let's face it....it's not for everyone!! Y'all here should know that!), I'd like to become a paramedic.

In order to become a paramedic, I must first become an EMT.

So, in that sense and reasoning, becoming an EMT is, for me, a means to an end.

Who knows, maybe I get my certification as a basic, run on an ambulance and love it so much I don't continue to the "EMS ladder."

Maybe the same holds true for when I pass my paramedic exams.

Who knows? All I know is that is where I see myself in 10 years as of right now! Plans change. Heck, my major had changed as frequently as my underwear there for a while.

The "means to an end" comment wasn't meant to offend or be taken as a demeaning comment to anybody on this board, regardless of amount of experience.