On the contrary. If this happened and it was a FD that was responding you guys would be allover the fact it was a FD. (but I will admit that is speculation on my part... but it has good standing with the track record of this forum).
Honestly, I can't think of 1 FD I have ever encountered, volunteer or otherwise, that would leave a trapped victim because of percieved inability to reach them short of a major disaster, which I doubt snow in Pittsburg is, having spent many winters there with family and freinds, I don't see anyway to defend such behavior. It was extremely poor judgement.
My argument with fire based EMS is a bit more logical and nuanced than just shaking my fist in the air. As a former firefighter, if a large percentage of FDs in the US would admit to their shortcomings and address them, I would support them with all my ability. Sadly many don't even think they have a problem.
I am also equally quick to call out non fire based agencies with shortcomings, but they usually try to hide them rather than publishing propaganda on how perfect they are.
I agree! And what was the problem... the roads had too much snow. So call the DOT for a plow. Heck break out the shovels and start digging if you feel you must. The FD is no more qualified to shovel snow that anyone else so why do they (in your opinion from what I am inferring) get the special job of shoveling snow?.
It was not I who posted call the FD to shovel snow. However, every fire truck I have been on did have a shovel. I have only been on a handful of ambulances, both fire or otherwise, that had one. It sounds like a failure of the local EMS agency to not have a shovel on its units, considering it snows in Pittsburg every year.
And if we didn't have a shovel on the ambulance it meant our pants and socks were going to get wet as we trekked through the snow.
It is worthy to note though that in Bratislava, Slovakia, The fire department there considers it a duty to help EMS reach patients and in particularly inclimate weather, ( routinely more snow and cold than Pittsburg) the FD helps by taking on as part of maintaining emergency readiness, clearing major roadways of snow so there is better access in the event of an emergency.
Likewise, when I was part of a suburban US fire department, we had a plow on one of the FD pickups that would precede both the squad and heavier apparatus in heavy snow, because DOT wasn't always nearby. It seems quite possible (and probably a good idea) to equip a plow on many ambulances if you may have need of one.
It is not that the FD should have cleared the snow, or they are better at it then anyone else, they just happen to usually have equipment and manpower. It makes more sense to have the EMS crew attend the patient while anothers dig them out or make a sled. In this case it seems the patient would have been better off calling the ski patrol than 911.
Not sure what this is about... maybe something towards FD's. To rescue the Pt call a plow and while your waiting read a book. Start walking if you want to get to them sooner. But abandoning them is not an option..
I was trying to make the point that this was a rescue call that went unrecognized.(when last I heard Pittsburg EMS had its own rescue units, but it has been about a year since i spoke with somebody there) It had nothing to do with FDs. I agree fully, if you work in EMS in a winter climate and you are not able to walk through snow, then you didn't come to work prepared and you didn't do your job.
