Recent content by medic8613

If the rig was stuck, they should have called for FD to help with the rig and to clear a path, and then proceeded on foot to the patient to begin care while FD responded and got to work. PEMS is an all ALS service with EMS physicians in fly-cars (4 wheel drive fly-cars). Even without a means of...

Any paramedic worth a damn can suck it up and walk three blocks in the snow. It's not summiting K2, it's walking down a city street. If a medic shows up to work not ready to be outdoors for a while, they are bad at their job. I have never seen an EMS job description that did not mention being...

Thanks for all the replies. The department is willing to cover up to $100 of the cost. They expects us to run them as emergency lights, not courtesy lights. Insurance is covered by the department, and policies fall within state laws and regulations. The rule is 1 forward facing light is...

Emt-b+wemt There are a few major wilderness medicine schools that offer both EMT-B+WEMT courses, and WEMT "upgrades". When you are looking, look for things like WEMT "Upgrade", "extension" or "module". Here are some of the best regarded agencies offering WEMT upgrades: Wilderness Medical...

Wilderness EMT The WEMT training is really good. My initial EMT-B training was a course that combined EMT-Basic and WEMT in one month-long course. Having the WEMT opens a lot of doors in rural areas, and with outdoor organizations like NOLS, Outward Bound, and SOLO. It also shows potential...

To start, I know a lot of people feel that POVs shouldn't have emergency lights, and I, for the most part, am in agreement. However, the rescue squad I am joining requires me to have lights in my Jeep. So now that I covered that, lets get to the actual question: Does anyone have a...

Does anyone know a good website with EMS clipboards like the kind nurses use that have a "cheat sheet" with information such as normal vital signs ranges, GCS, APGAR, and other somewhat hard to remember stuff?

I haven't read many of the posts, but I can tell you this much: It does not matter what arm it goes on, and the stars can face either way. As long as it is not upside down it is proper "flag etiquette." The stars facing forward is a pretty new thing, and contrary to tradition. As the name...

I waited more than 15 minutes to edit, so I have to add this way: As for sweaty hands, I carry a pair of large gloves and a pair of extra large. Once I take off the large ones and my hands are sweaty, the XLs are easier to put on. The textbook answer is always wear gloves during any patient...

In my opinion if someone tells you to take your gloves off you can tell them to f*** off. The most important thing is your safety, and the absence of bodily fluids does not mean that there is nothing you need protection from. There is never a situation in which you can be faulted for wearing...

Driving an emergency vehicle with lights and/or sirens...well lights or lights and sirens changes the way a person drives regardless of the size, paintjob, and owner of the vehicle. A solution to the problem of people driving different with lights and sirens could be better EVOC. EVOC as it is...

Why is this your opinion? I think if someone has lights on their car because they are an EMT now, and they can, it is absurd and shouldn't be allowed. However, in many places statons aren't manned and it is policy for people to respond to the scene or station (whichever is closer) in their...

Here the definition of emergency lighting is red, white, or blue lights. Amber lights are not considered an emergency color. My 4 ways (blinkers) have been modified to flash in different patterns (much like backup lights on a police vehicle, but for non-EMS work)...I don't consider them...

It must be different from state to state, but where I live if you are in clothing that identifies you as a medically trained person (whether it bee an EMT, paramedic, or even lifeguard), then you have a duty to act.

We use the standard Sears issue tackle box for all except narcotics. We keep our narcs in a locked metal box...similar to the metal cash boxes people use in place of a cash register. In the IV kit we also have 1000ml NSS, and (2 each of) epi, atropine, lidocaine, narcan, 1 amp of D50, and 1...