Emergency Volunteers: Firefighters, EMT's, First Responders

[Fireman Farmer]

I have been a volunteer Firefighter/EMT-P/ Hazmat Technician and lots more for 16 years and a paid for 9 years. Currently getting ready for a deployment in August to McMurdo station in the Antartic. This is going to be a interesting trip. I love my job.

 

[catwalk]

Quote:
Is this the crash?
http://www.ems1.com/ambulances-emer...1071509-2-die-4-hurt-in-Okla-ambulance-crash/

 

[Kassaundra]

Quote:
Is this the crash?
http://www.ems1.com/ambulances-emer...1071509-2-die-4-hurt-in-Okla-ambulance-crash/

Yes, that's it.

 

[texasgal]

Thank you all for what you do!

 

[catwalk]

I've recently been thinking about the differences in protocal from my county to the one directly north of me. I make runs in Mercer County, but if I was based in that county, my rules would be different. Here, in Darke County, we can call CareFlight directly to the scene if we think a level I trauma center or cath-lab is warranted. Based on the nature of the 9-1-1 call, dispatch can launch a bird as well. Sometimes, CareFlight is on the ground before we have a patient extricated! But in Mercer County, the hospitals have sole control over helicopters. When working a scene mutual with a Mercer EMS agency, we package the patient and drive 25 minutes to the hospital, where staff there will evaluate and call CareFlight. That adds around forty minutes to response time! I feel so fortunate that our county values patient care over hospital revenue, and I can't imagine the frustration of being forced to delay care.

 

[herfrds]

Had an interesting one last night.
My family was headed home after a day in town. Came to this underpass that goes into town. There are 3 cars and a guy on a dirt bike there and there are some teen girls standing by the side of the road.
We stop and I get out and ask if there was a accident, no. This driver in this pickup is not responding and they know don't know what to do.
I knock on the window pretty hard, no response.
open the door and feel for a pulse, got a good strong heart rate, ok that rules out heartattack. Driver still not responding.
One girl has 911 on the phone, I talk to them and ask for the ambulance.
After about 5 minutes the driver wakes up and I find out quickly they had had their foot jambed on the brake. Stupid thing is I had looked at the dash and didn't realize the truck was in gear.
After 1 second of panic got the truck stopped and shut off. My mistake was not doing it sooner.
Ambulance arrives get the driver out of the truck, has trouble walking and is disoriented.
they were saying the driver might be drunk, but I wonder.

 

[kerroppi76]

Hi. I started off as a volly with no certs for a few months then quickly became an EMT - B for approx 3 before I got my NREMT - P and a paid job about 10 years ago. My hubby was a FF turned EMT-B turned medic as well a few years after me. He is currently still a full tiem medic/officer while I stay at home with the kids and animals. I loved my job and he obviously still does but LOVE being home even more!

 

[catwalk]

I need advice, guys. I had my first really bad call on Monday, and I'm not feeling well at all about it. The squad says that it is okay to go to the funeral of the pt, and I want to go, but I don't want to offend the family. I spent a good amount of time with family involved in the incident, and I believe that I won't be anonymous at the funeral home. I'm afraid that they may have displaced some blame on me, and while I don't mind taking on that burden, I don't want to make their day worse with my presence. It would be good for my soul to see the father and brother in a more composed demeanor, and I'm sure there will be pictures of the pt in a happy/healthy state, which I need to displace the images in my head. I am going to enquire of the contruction workers, who will continue to work on that street for some time yet, if they want a cross at the scene.

I know it's a lot to ask strangers for advice like this, but I'm terrified that my pager will go off again soon, and I need to calm down. I believe that I will behave appropriately at the funeral home, but I don't know what to expect. Anyone been there?

btw, Denise Selzer, in the article, is the town busybody who managed to get quoted in every story. Nobody's spokesman

http://www.whiotv.com/news/28870182/detail.html

 

[mulewagon]

catwalk, I'm not in your field, though I've been in health care - let me give you a

It's generally accepted that funerals are open to acquaintances who want to show respect to the the departed and their families, so that part's okay. As to how the family will react - I see from the story that the father accidentally killed his own son - there's no telling how they will react to anything. They're going to be overcome with horror and loss for a long time, poor folks...

I think it's awfully decent of you to go and give them condolences and support - I would say just stay in the background, keep your professional face on, and be prepared to leave quietly if necessary. It's likely they won't notice you much at all, but they only way to find out is by going. It just depends on what you feel like you can handle.

I hope going does make you feel better - but even if the family can't appreciate your efforts right now, the rest of us do. Thank you for trying, and for being there with him.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I have never went to a funeral of someone I only new from the ems call. Just not something I would do. Don't think there would be anything wrong with going but I don't think it would help anyone feel better.


Your local EMS director should have a person that you can talk to for free that works full time with EMS to help with the things they see. Its well worth doing. There is no shame in doing it. There is no one else you can legally talk to about what you saw.

Unfortunately there are some things you see doing that job that will haunt you forever an most will involve kids.