How often do random people talk to you/say thank you?

[patzyboi]

When youre in your uniform/working?

How often will a stranger just walk up to you and have a conversation and such.
A lot? like everywhere you go, or just so so.

And have you ever been to a place where no one gave you respect? As in more than giving you a hard time

 

[VCEMT]

Mostly, rude jackasses that believe fire are the only medics working and I am just an *** clown with no training.

I've literally, arrived on scene minutes before fire and have been ignored by the pt.'s family and pt.s and they would only talk to fire.

 

[Aprz]

I've gotten it a lot actually. It's weird because they imagine we save lives, are like doctors, gone through a lot of training, etc. In reality, we are BLS IFT, and our worst call ever is "failure to thrive". I still try to explain it, but I think they think I am trying to be humble cause they try to argue (nicely).

 

[mycrofft]

Had a kid try to knock me off the tailboard with a golf driver once.

 

[Anonymous]

Mostly, rude jackasses that believe fire are the only medics working and I am just an *** clown with no training.

I've literally, arrived on scene minutes before fire and have been ignored by the pt.'s family and pt.s and they would only talk to fire.

Really? Because around here it is more like the post below.

I've gotten it a lot actually. It's weird because they imagine we save lives, are like doctors, gone through a lot of training, etc. In reality, we are BLS IFT, and our worst call ever is "failure to thrive". I still try to explain it, but I think they think I am trying to be humble cause they try to argue (nicely).

Usually only people that approach the ambulance are homeless/mentally ill or crackheads.

 

[abckidsmom]

I get it sometimes from my mom friends who think its a big heroic job.

Once in a blue moon otherwise.

 

[ToyotaTruck]

My favorite restaurant told me thanks and gives me half off in uniform. It might just be because he likes me and I go there 5 times a week no joke. They have a bomb chicken salad...

 

[U2623]

I've had everything from free food to a $20 tip that was forcibly put into my shirt pocket...but then I've also been flipped off by people on the sidewalk as we drove back to station...

I will say however most people seem appreciative if now awed by any first responder.

 

[saskvolunteer]

Had a kid try to knock me off the tailboard with a golf driver once.

Sir, I absolutely love everyone of your posts. Humour or knowledge with you- usually both. And I got a good laugh out of this one.

 

[Handsome Robb]

We have people come up to us an talk to us every day. Comes with the territory working in a busy urban system and running system status management. Whether it be with questions, compliments or abusive, angry people.

Someone tried to throw a brick through the window of my buddy's rig while tey were driving. Luckily missed the window and hit the box. Unfortunately they boogied before PD showed up.

The angry ones are easy to deal with. "You have 5 seconds to walk away before you get to talk to the police department."

 

[Martyn]

I have been thanked by complete strangers maybe 3-4 times, usually when I have been posted somewhere and we've popped into a gas station for a coffee and eats

 

[Veneficus]

Usually at some point during my visit.

Occasionally outside the medical environment, but I find it very socially awkward when they do.

The most notable was when my university gen chem professor identified me in class as having "saved her husband." (which was nowhere near the truth, just her perception of it, my part was rather small and probably redundant)

The worst is when they show up with apple pie, because I absolutely hate the taste of apples and I feel compelled to choke down a slice.

 

[NYMedic828]

Usually at some point during my visit.

Occasionally outside the medical environment, but I find it very socially awkward when they do.

The most notable was when my university gen chem professor identified me in class as having "saved her husband." (which was nowhere near the truth, just her perception of it, my part was rather small and probably redundant)

The worst is when they show up with apple pie, because I absolutely hate the taste of apples and I feel compelled to choke down a slice.

:excl::excl::excl::excl:

You can stay out of America with that attitude sir! -_-

(not that anyone in their right mind would want to live in a soon to be communist dictatorship)

 

[Shishkabob]

The angry ones are easy to deal with. "You have 5 seconds to walk away before you get to talk to the police department."

I have what my family call my "Paramedic voice", that tends to only get used on my nephew when he hits me. It essentially scares the hell out of people who then think that I myself am a cop. Authoritative, loud, unmistakable. It gets the job done when some stupid person tries to act macho.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Quite often.

Every now and then we will have the crazies come up and talk to us. But we will also have normal people and special needs children come up and thank us and take pictures.

Never had an issue with people not respecting us.

 

[NomadicMedic]

We are approached frequently, especially when were out shopping or grabbing a bite to eat. Apparently all of the paramedics in my system Look-alike because I've been thanked several times for saving people and I have, a) no idea who they are b) no idea where they live and c) no idea what they're talking about.

It just comes with the territory. For what it's worth, the paramedics in my community are received quite favorably. One of my coworkers said, "these people love us. If only they knew what we really did…"

 

[adamjh3]

I worked for an IFT company that did SSM, with really no system to manage. we pretty much just got the scraps the big companies couldn't handle. And for some reason they liked to post us in shady areas. At least once a week people (mostly transients) would come up to us and thank us. I never really had a nasty experience from the general public. That mostly came from psych patients and folks with dementia, not really their fault.

One time some girls from the Monster marketing truck came up and gave my partner and I a bag full of drinks.

We also had a transient who we would see fairly often who wanted his blood pressure checked. Super friendly guy with a sad story. Once in a while I would grab some fruit and a sandwich from one of the EDs snack rooms for him.

 

[rescue1]

The most I've been thanked is when I stopped to vote this year on my way back from work. One party rep thanked me for my service, the opposing party rep smiled and gave me doughnuts.


Doughnuts win every time.

 

[JPINFV]

(not that anyone in their right mind would want to live in a soon to be communist dictatorship)

 

[leoemt]

All the time...Usually its when I am sitting in the U District and its drunk college girls. I have had one person who was saved by an ambulance crew come up and thank us even though we weren't the crew.

Had a drunk homeless guy try to fight the fire department then proceeded to say "Im going to kill myself" and he jumped in front of my ambulance. Luckily my partner was able to stop before turning him into a hood ornament. Usually Fire is all to anxious to give us the patients. First time I have ever seen fire tell someone they were not going to the hospital and that PD was enroute to take them to jail.

Have had numerous drunks piss on the ambulance.