STAT213

Back at ya, bro.

My department now is a fire department. I work for and get paid by them. I also belong to a union. We do fundraising, coordinate the honor guard, get members involved in the parades, sponsor a little league team as well as a whole host of other items (including negotiating our contracts.) Wow, look... We have two separate organizations. Both with similar goals but different functions. Just because YOU don't get the system, doesn't mean it's stupid or a waste of time and energy. The NY fire system is a little convoluted, but it is also filled with tradition and in many cases, pride. There are things you just can't get done from the floor. The separate organizations provide a means to get things done in many cases.

And there you have it.

Thus the statement about the FAA Mandate. If what you were saying was true, EVERY airport receiving commercial flights would have to have the same level of fire protection. Again, look around. Westchester is not staffed anything like JFK. A small airport up near me has two commercial flights a day. They have an F550 crash truck that the local FD has access to.

I would think that airport size and activity determines the FAA's mandate for size and capability of the FD. By the reasoning above, every airport would need a fully staffed crash rescue department and we know that's just not true. There's plenty of airports that have nothing in the way of fire protection.

Its easy enough to find out. Just drive to a truck stop with a scale. Even the vanbulance will have a sticker with the GVW on it.

http://nypost.com/2013/11/10/female-fdny-recruit-fails-running-test-five-times-but-graduates-anyway/

You're not safe in any ambulance. No manufacturer does adequate testing. Horton won't release their crash test data. The way to ensure safety is to insist on specs that increase occupant safety i.e. restraints, equipment securing and design features. Most importantly, you need to train your drivers. Do background driving checks on them. Don't let them speed. Speed and these vehicles are a match made for disaster. Train them to drive safe and slow.

We found that with the E450 chassis, gear and two crew members, we rapidly approached max GVW. This is one reason we moved to the C4500 and now the Terra Star chassis. Get in a bad wreck, your vehicle will likely get weighed. Don't end up on the wrong side of the scale.

Holy Hannah, that is one ugly f$&*%ng truck.

D*# it! What did I miss??? Oh well. Wait a week, there's always more!!

I'm not familiar with what evidence was presented to our medical control board to push these changes. I know they are doing their best here to use evidence based medicine for as many of the protocols as possible. I do know that previous changes have included references for those of us with minds that need to know.

Wasn't a member of the SP. He was a civilian medic. Not even worth my time. I actually got a good chuckle out of it. Until I saw a trooper in my rear view one day on the thruway. Ha! Oh, and this was from the Syracuse base, not Stewart. I lived up that way and worked there for a number of years before my stint with Stat Flight.

Two options 1)They move themselves. They get out of the car and lie down on our stretcher. 2) You use a long board, scoop, vacuum mattress or other full length extrication device. To quote the draft again : "Do NOT use short board or KED device." Also, no more standing take downs. Eliminated from protocol. Talk about going against everything we've done for years, huh?

Somehow, someway, I'll get by. I gave up worrying what the cool kids wore LONG ago.

The one they give me. It is my favorite, mostly because the price is right.

New Hampshire will likely be eliminating the routine use of backboards in the next few months. Only reason to transport someone on one will be to restrain them. Suh-weet!!!! Here's a quote from the draft of the protocol : Long backboards do not have a role for patients being transported between facilities And another: Once the patient is moved to the stretcher, remove any hard backboard device by using log roll or lift-and-slide technique. AWESOME. Also, no more KED's or short boards. Period. I cannot wait for this roll out. Timeline is still not certain, but they are working on getting it to us ASAP.

Had a funny occurence related to having your name out there and web forums. I made some negative comments about the NYSP Air Medical program a few years back on another web forum. They were not inaccurate, but they were pointed and direct. I basically told a former co-worker of mine (and the whole forum) that I felt that it was long past time for the MEDICAL side of the program to get with industry standards or get out of the business completely. I felt that they were advertising a service that they didn't provide, and thus doing a dis-service to everyone. My, my, did I ruffle his feathers. He told me that I had pissed off the entire NYSP police force, and if I managed to get myself pulled over while driving in NY I should watch out. Yikes! We haven't spoken since.

Just something to think about... Do you know the flammable range of of CO? In addition to being a lethal gas for reasons of oxygen deprivation, it is a volatile substance. Symptoms or not, CO calls shouldn't be toyed with. They deserve a minimum of an engine.

What exactly caused you to decide that I was talking about rural areas? You say don't assume, but do just that. Antman, listen to the counsel of those senior to you. You wonder why we found your post scary, and taking an offensive posture? You said if an EDP threatened you or your partner, you wouldn't hesitate to put them down. That is a very offensive posture. I've had more "EDPs" threaten me than I can count. Haven't wanted to shoot any of 'em. In fact, I cannot recall a situation in my career where I can say a firearm would have made me feel better about doing my job, or a situation where I could have said...damn I wish I had a handgun I could've used today.

No. I don't want my partner armed. ESPECIALLY if that partner has an attitude like yours. The NRA classes take a weekend. The police academy takes months. They aren't ALMOST anything like each other. Look, I guess you missed the part where I said I've been doing this for more than TWENTY years. This stuff just doesn't happen on any kind of a routine basis. Partners that I've had who carried illictly were the ones who got into trouble, mostly because they ran their mouths, knowing that they had something to fall back on. Don't get into the situation where you'd need it. Be aware, be smart and leave. Or don't enter in the first place. That's why we have cops on these calls with us.

I've been doing this EMS thing for over 20 years now. I've worked in busy, nasty urban areas, sleepy rural areas and pretty much everything in between. The poster who claims that we need to be armed, and he'd put someone down who was gonna hurt him...wow. Just, wow. With a mindset like that, EMS is NOT for you, pal. If you showed up to work with me, and started with that attitude, I'd drop you off at the next corner and wish you well. I am a STRONG supporter of the 2nd amendment, and I want no part of having to carry weapons at work. Have I been in fights? Yup. Hairy situations? A few. But looking back, they were mostly avoidable and walking away (or running for that matter) will get you out of trouble you probably never should have been part of in the first place. Quite frankly, you scare me more than the EDP's do. Put down an EDP? Beacuse they threatened your life? Do you know how many times in a busy urban area EMT's get threatened each year? We both can't count that high. A few other points: Concealed carry won't stop an assault. They dont know you have it, so it's not a deterent. Additionally, cops carry a number of tools to repsond to threats of force, or force. They have rules of engagement, force must be met with force. They don't just draw down and waste every person that threatens them. Please, please rethink your approach to EMS.

Somebody above asked if John Q. Public really cares. I can tell you, yes they do. We are no longer allowed to go to the grocery store or run any kind of errands while on duty. Why, you ask? Because John Q. Public cried. Loud. My LT got written up one day for returning a movie. We were in the store for minutes, and had been on a call just prior in the area. Didn't matter. Someone cried. He got chewed. So, yes, they are watching and yes, they do care how their dollars and cents are being spent.

The new 2015 style. Go to the ford link listed above, then build the biggest cutaway you can find. It will come out with dual rear wheels. Sorry...yes, it's a transit.

The Ford is available with Dual rear wheels. Took about 15 seconds to find it on their website.