Jump bag or trauma bag

[94accord]

I have come accross a need to start stocking my own personal bag to take with me to work. One that has things in it that I will need. I have found that he company I work for has a hard time stocking everything that each person may need seeing as how people have different sizes of hands and so forth. So, never the less, I find myself on the market for a jump bag. I do not intend to go pay for all the fun equipment that would be in the company bags, but I will have such things as airway equipement, assorted bandages, gloves, and all the other little odds and ends such as tape, pen lights, stuff like that. I am thinking that a medium size jump bag might suffice. However, It can't hurt to have a larger bag, what I am guessing is referred to as a trauma bag. What I realy need is any links that could be provided to places that would allow me to purchase whichever bag I choose. I have searched ebay, but I personally do not trust them all too much. Any help and info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Sub

 

[KEVD18]

what you described in brief is pretty much everything thats in the rigs bags. bandages tape airway etc. you might buy a commercially available first in bag and then add/subtract as you see fit. thats how i did it anyway....

 

[94accord]

Yeah, well, honestly, i try to steer away from messing with the company's jumb bags as much as possible. Being a 79 transport company, there is little use for the bag. The bag is there because state protocol says that we have to have "1 jump bag: stocked" and thats what the company did. Any suggestions on where I might go to get a real jump bag or anything else you might suggest. I need links because I have no basis on which to judge their products or services unless someone has shopped with them before. Anywho... thanks again.

Sub

 

[KEVD18]

www.galls.com

http://galls.com/style.html?assort=general_catalog&style=TK024&cat=2791

thats the one i have in my car, slightly modified. used frequently unfortunatley

 

[94accord]

heh.... not a bad kit, but a little on the pricy side... at least it seems pricy to me when one looks at stocking it themselves from other sources. Who knows..i might be wrong.. thanks for the link.... perhaps i might get more suggestions in the future. Honestly, I am more interested in a bag, unstocked, as chances are, I will stock it with inventory from the company seeing as it will be used primarily for work anyway.

 

[Airwaygoddess]

I have had very good luck with Bound Tree Medical for supplies. Now tell me this, Does the company you work for require that you provide your our jump bag? If that is the case, that company needs to give you a list of what is required by them and the county EMSA scope of practice for BLS. If I was you, I would find out the EXACT company policy of what equipment and supplies are suppose be on the rig. These items should be supplied by your employer. Help me out guyes if I misunderstood Sub's question, I wored late night and the coffee is not working!!

 

[KEVD18]

well you can buy the bags empty from the same source and fill it from your supply cabinet but investigate whether this is kosher with teh company or do it on an overnight and a partner you trust not to sell you up the river

 

[94accord]

The company does not require me to stop or maintain my own personal jump bag. I choose to do so out of peace of mind knowing that when all else fails, i still got what I need to do my job. The company has been known to be a little lax on getting supplies sent to the various satellite locations. I will not even venture to guess how many units they have on the road hoping the state fire school does not pull them over. I do know the only thing missing off my rig are CID pads and straps which are supposedly on order. anywho... I will take a look and see if i can find the website for the place that airwaygoddess suggested, and see where i can go from there. Thanks again all

Sub

 

[Jon]

What is a "79 transport" company? I think I understand where you are going, and I've even done this. What I think you are trying to say is that your company is too cheap and/or lazy to actually provide you the proper equipment. I've worked for a few of those companies.

I have the same Galls bag, bought 5 years ago and stocked by my squad. I keep it in my car and use it occasionally.

If you really just need gloves, your stethascope, and perhaps a B/P cuff - I'd suggest NOT getting a "whacker pack" and instead carry a backpack or other bag with them and your book, notebook, PSP, etc.

How long have you worked for this company? Does anyone else provide their own jump bags? You might be laughed at for carring you own bag if you are the first or only person to do it.

 

[joemt]

www.buyemp.com that's my #1 favorite site for ordering stuff at a cheaper cost, and get the same or better quality.

 

[94accord]

What is a "79 transport" company?

79 transport is non emergency medical.... you know.. the dumb stuff like from nursing home to Dr appointment and back.... we are there just in case somethign goes bad.... its like a ticking timebomb in my unit every day all day.

Personally i get the distinct feeling that "79" companies/teams, are sort of viewed as the ******* child of EMS by many if not all of the 911 response companies/teams.... at least in my state. I almost feel as if i am not good enough.... totaly paranoid? probably. Oh well. such is life... i get paid a damn good wage to ride, write, and relax.

 

[Tincanfireman]

its like a ticking timebomb in my unit every day all day.

I also work for a non-emergent transport company (though we also do 50+ mile Code 3 critical care transfers to the Big City nearly everyday), but if I felt the same way about my employer as you do yours I might think about casting my nets to find another job. If it's as bad as you say, you are a defendant waiting to be subpoened...

 

[Jon]

Sub,

How does non-emergency transport work in DE? In PA, every ambulance is an ambulance. The state, as far as I can tell, doesn't even differentiate between ALS and BLS Transport units, just ALS/BLS services. Part of that is that many services use some of the same rigs for ALS and BLS crews.

Anyway - How do you guys differ from the 911 companies?

As for the "ticking time bomb" comment - I assume you are referring ton the fact that it is only a matter of time until some old geezer croaks when you are taking him to dialysis, or something else?

 

[94accord]

Well to answer a few different people, yes, I am looking for a new job elsewhere as previously stated in my hello post. Also, the non emergency transports vary in that (at least in my company) 1: there is only one tech on the truck... me. 2: our gear is on the shelves like any other ambulance, but the doors to said shelves, have breakable seals on them so as to determine theft and accountability. Yeah... seals.... as if that was not bad enough, the company actually considdered, at one point, discontinuing the breakable seals because they were too expensive to have to keep replacing.... the substitute... you guessed it.... ZIPTIES!!!! That fell through because me and every other tech in the company refused to transport on a rig that was sealed with zipties. lol. I have had my share of bad gear, rigs leaking oil and fuel, and not to mention dumb stuff like the rigs not having a damn rear bumper cause someone broke it off or even worse... no power inverter... it aparently costs too much money and is NOT required by the state. Protocol is basically the same with a 911 team and a 79 team, just that the paperwork is ALOT different.

 

[Jon]

Been there, done that.

By only one tech on the truck, that means that the driver just has to have CPR and First aid, right? PA does the same thing, but most every service staffs 2 EMT's.

All of the transport companies I've worked for, and even one of my volunteer squads have used breakable seals on the doors. The seals make inventory so much easier. Some places have had forms to fill out when you broke a seal, to say what equipment you used, others don't care. Zipties, though? THat is retarded. I suppose the logic was that every tech has trauma shears.

Inverters? Many of the transport trucks I've worked on didn't have working inverters. A few did, and Dispatch knew those trucks... they did the Critical Care Team transfers.

How does paperwork differ? Does 911 use a state-mandated form, while Transport uses an individual company form with just the basic info?

Finially - my current company tries to keep all the trucks sealed, but also has a decently stocked small jump bag in every vehicle with O2 supplies, basic dressing supplies (4x4's, kling, tape), a hot pack and cold pack, Vionex wipes, B/P Cuff and stethascope, etc. That way, you only have to break a seal when you run out of stuff.