ny10570

Why does it matter aside from maybe helping figure out what is wrong with the patient? Forget about how its just wrong to treat someone differently based upon a medical condition, what if they don't know they're carrying some disease. Everyone gets treated the same unless I suspect an infection requiring droplet precautions.
Moderator note: This was the very last post made by Lenny, before he left us for keeps. RIP.

Much ado about nothing.

Ahh, another satisfied customer of Uncle Ted's Driving School.

PEMO3 how long have you been out of NYC? Since I got on on '06 we've been doing field pronouncements. Pissed off 6'3" 220lb brother screaming you'd better save his life = transport no matter how cold and dead his brother was. I've had very few families get upset and the few that did actually thanked us after calmly explaining what we did, what the hospital would have done, and what they can now do. I am a huge advocate for field termination and that's before you start considering the risks to the crews carry the pt and transporting to the ER. Public places, businesses, or volatile situations get transported. Otherwise we clean up as best we can, inform the family, and leave with PD. You don't need training, just compassion and common sense.
For any doubting the benefits of working arrests in the field, look at the horrible CPR thats performed during packaging and transport. They've already been down for however long it took you to be notified and respond. Add the time you spend for just the initial interventions and medications. In NYC, the average best case scenario for in home cardiac arrest without bystander CPR is 6 to 8 minutes from arrest to first responder. Another 12 to 18 for first round of ALS interventions. Interrupting quality CPR at this point just to get to an ER that will essentially push the same drugs you would isn't helping the patient. Stay, give it your best effort, and ensure quality CPR.

PEMO3 how long have you been out of NYC? Since I got on on '06 we've been doing field pronouncements. Pissed off 6'3" 220lb brother screaming you'd better save his life = transport no matter how cold and dead his brother was. I've had very few families get upset and the few that did actually thanked us after calmly explaining what we did, what the hospital would have done, and what they can now do. I am a huge advocate for field termination and that's before you start considering the risks to the crews carry the pt and transporting to the ER. Public places, businesses, or volatile situations get transported. Otherwise we clean up as best we can, inform the family, and leave with PD. You don't need training, just compassion and common sense.
For any doubting the benefits of working arrests in the field, look at the horrible CPR thats performed during packaging and transport. They've already been down for however long it took you to be notified and respond. Add the time you spend for just the initial interventions and medications. In NYC, the average best case scenario for in home cardiac arrest without bystander CPR is 6 to 8 minutes from arrest to first responder. Another 12 to 18 for first round of ALS interventions. Interrupting quality CPR at this point just to get to an ER that will essentially push the same drugs you would isn't helping the patient. Stay, give it your best effort, and ensure quality CPR.

PEMO3 how long have you been out of NYC? Since I got on on '06 we've been doing field pronouncements. Pissed off 6'3" 220lb brother screaming you'd better save his life = transport no matter how cold and dead his brother was. I've had very few families get upset and the few that did actually thanked us after calmly explaining what we did, what the hospital would have done, and what they can now do. I am a huge advocate for field termination and that's before you start considering the risks to the crews carry the pt and transporting to the ER. Public places, businesses, or volatile situations get transported. Otherwise we clean up as best we can, inform the family, and leave with PD. You don't need training, just compassion and common sense.
For any doubting the benefits of working arrests in the field, look at the horrible CPR thats performed during packaging and transport. They've already been down for however long it took you to be notified and respond. Add the time you spend for just the initial interventions and medications. In NYC, the average best case scenario for in home cardiac arrest without bystander CPR is 6 to 8 minutes from arrest to first responder. Another 12 to 18 for first round of ALS interventions. Interrupting quality CPR at this point just to get to an ER that will essentially push the same drugs you would isn't helping the patient. Stay, give it your best effort, and ensure quality CPR.

Agreed mtnmedic... Field pronouncements are conducted in numerous systems, including Westchester County, as it is pointless transporting a patient whose been in "routine "arrest (as in no extenuating circumstances) for 30 minutes with no response to ACLS interventions. I've never had a problem with a death notification to family members. The more empathetic, and more importantly, professional you are in your delivery of the notification, the less likely you will have an issue with family.

Oh please, we work up 98% of arrests on scene and pronounce on scene whenever it appears appropriate to us and our telemetry doctor. With proper training and protocol this can be done anywhere.

The public doesn't vote because they don't care/don't know. If you gave them a reason they would turn out.

I invision a fully paid crew in every fire station 24/7, I also invision that if volunteers are trained (and that training documentation is provided) they can ride on the paid machines, I also invision that if deptartment "X" has a fully staffed crew for a ladder/engine/rescue(and that training documentation is provided) from the hours of ___ to ____ that they call dispatch and be put in service and added to the CAD which will recommend the closest appropriate machine for the call being dispatched. I invision that the career officers will be in charge of their crews and volunteer officers will be in charge of their crews. The SFRD deputy will respond to all calls and be there in case the VFD chief is not, or to provide an extra set of eyes/safety. There will be standards of training across the board for all ranks and positions. But alas, the SFRD ff's have absolutely no say in how any of this will work. The department says you will work here and that's where you work. And as long as the city doesn't violate the union's contact, I believe they have no say in how the forces will be deployed. Unlike the volunteers, career staff have no vote on the issues.
I also invision a lot of feet stamping and law suites........

If everyone would just keep that info in their purse or wallet none of this ice, yellow dot, etc junk would be necessary. Do yourselves a favor. Emergency contact, med history, allergies and medications. Date it, update it as needed, and burry it in your wallet. I will find it when I pick your pocket, I promise.

If everyone would just keep that info in their purse or wallet none of this ice, yellow dot, etc junk would be necessary. Do yourselves a favor. Emergency contact, med history, allergies and medications. Date it, update it as needed, and burry it in your wallet. I will find it when I pick your pocket, I promise.

If everyone would just keep that info in their purse or wallet none of this ice, yellow dot, etc junk would be necessary. Do yourselves a favor. Emergency contact, med history, allergies and medications. Date it, update it as needed, and burry it in your wallet. I will find it when I pick your pocket, I promise.

I guess it's a done deal. If there is a logo it must be happening !!!!!!

If this were to happen, will the residence of XYZ department be bumped to The City of New Rochelles residecy list if they took the New Rochelle Firefighter exam a few months ago? Or will Pelham still hire from the Westchester County Towns and Villages lists?<br />
Come on, They are just talking about the possibility of authorizing a study. They have not even started talking to the other municipality yet. Let not start talking about what drapes to buy or the lettering on the trucks yet!

Hi Tommy,
This isn't directed at you personally.
What's up with the "go after" mentality? I mean to a certain extent we've all bought into the rhetoric that has come from the political discourse. "Go after" has been ingrained in our collective thoughts as if there has to be some group that bears responsibility for the problems the country has been having.
Within every segment of our society there are people who obviously have taken advantage of others for their own greedy reasons. There is unfortunately corruption, greed, and cheating virtually everywhere. But it's never an entire group. Not even the bankers.
We as a society can begin to solve some of these problems when we can move past the "go after" entire segments of society; because they wear a uniform, or teach, or even work in the political world.
I've known some politicians who have incredible integrity. A fighter pilot during Vietnam (no not John McCain, never met him) who flew 200 sorties during the war. He entered politics to make a difference, to help people. In the same way cops and firemen help people. In the same way teachers help people.
The answer to solving the problems that our society is having is to utilize and respect the solutions that smart people have come up with. For instance the consolidation study of the south Westchester FDs.
No one group out there is the "enemy." I think we should all try to keep that in mind. We all want the problems our country is having to be solved. Let's just be smart about it. It can be done.
Have a great day.

If you are on scene with the FD you act as a firefighter. Your agency is not an EMS agency and puts themselves at risk if they put you to work as an EMT. In NYC all firefighters whether they are EMTs or Medics on the outside operate as CFRs on an assignment. You should address this with your dept to establish a definitive policy. The district has a lawyer, put him to work.
I don't know of caveat superior. I know caveat emptor, Let the buyer beware.
The California case is from 2008 and was specific to California because the decision spoke directly to the language of the law. That being said, a similar decision could conceivably come down in NY or they could find their own reason to hang you out to dry.

NYS statutes do not obligate an individual citizen, regardless of training, to respond to a situation or provide care unless there is a formal duty by job description or role expectation. Such a duty to act arises from participation with an agency having jurisdiction.
That says it all right there. Not an EMS response agency, no EMS responsibility in your job description, and no EMS expectation from you role equals you are a firefighter and not an EMT.

Yes, they did, 3 years ago, and afterward, many of the politicians (who could have ACTUALLY taken the study and DONE SOMETHING about it) stood around patting each other on the back, congratulating themselves about such a fine study they had commissioned.

Unless I'm mistaken the Yonkers budget is still subject to comptroller approval for a few more years. So in June the city of hills will once again be trying to prevent state intervention and maintain their independence from an oversight committee. Yonkers was, is, and will continue to be at risk for state takeover. Why the nitpicking over semantics?

If so, I stand corrected. I'll have to have my PR people do a little more research before I post. LOL

http://www.lohud.com/article/20120708/NEWS02/307080038/UPDATE-Drowned-boy-taken-off-life-support-afternoon-after-organ-donation-postponed?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage
Very sad, but nice to see some good come of this tragedy through organ donation. Thoughts and prayers with the Amory family.

Unless I'm mistaken the Yonkers budget is still subject to comptroller approval for a few more years. So in June the city of hills will once again be trying to prevent state intervention and maintain their independence from an oversight committee. Yonkers was, is, and will continue to be at risk for state takeover. Why the nitpicking over semantics?

If you are on scene with the FD you act as a firefighter. Your agency is not an EMS agency and puts themselves at risk if they put you to work as an EMT. In NYC all firefighters whether they are EMTs or Medics on the outside operate as CFRs on an assignment. You should address this with your dept to establish a definitive policy. The district has a lawyer, put him to work.
I don't know of caveat superior. I know caveat emptor, Let the buyer beware.
The California case is from 2008 and was specific to California because the decision spoke directly to the language of the law. That being said, a similar decision could conceivably come down in NY or they could find their own reason to hang you out to dry.

Remember when they used to sell "gum cigarettes"? Sold them in a box that looked just like Lucky Strikes. Kids like me, we used to puff out the powdered sugar inside the paper wrapper. A puff of "smoke", just like a cigarette, before you unwrapped the paper and chewed the gum. B@stards.