Most useless equipment you carry

[Melclin]

The majority of time during my volunteer shifts the most useless thing I carry is an EMT-B cert, because all I do is drive the truck and stretcher. The non-Certs get to work in the back with the medics and learn while I get to clean up behind them and restock while the NCs smoke, watch TV, play on the computer, flirt, etc.

What's a non-cert?

What qualification do they have?

 

[Phlipper]

They have no cert within EMS, and are either CNAs or EMT-B students. Non certs cannot drive the truck nor QRV in our world.

 

[Melclin]

Woah.

American EMS just gets better and better.

 

[TransportJockey]

They have no cert within EMS, and are either CNAs or EMT-B students. Non certs cannot drive the truck nor QRV in our world.

Sounds like a useless person to have on an ambulance. I don't understand the point of that kind of person on a rig

 

[Foxbat]

Sounds like a useless person to have on an ambulance. I don't understand the point of that kind of person on a rig

You never did a ride-along before getting your basic cert?

 

[TransportJockey]

You never did a ride-along before getting your basic cert?

Not allowed by any of the services in the city I did my basic in.

 

[rescue1]

Ride along/training is one thing, people who consistantly jump in the back without even a EMT-b is another. We have a couple in one of the places I volunteer. Some are drivers only, which is one thing, but others cannot drive and simply don't have an EMT cert or let it expire. Some can help lift, others are good for maybe passing you something on the other side of the ambulance and generally taking up space.

 

[JPINFV]

Ride along/training is one thing, people who consistantly jump in the back without even a EMT-b is another. We have a couple in one of the places I volunteer. Some are drivers only, which is one thing, but others cannot drive and simply don't have an EMT cert or let it expire. Some can help lift, others are good for maybe passing you something on the other side of the ambulance and generally taking up space.

Occasionally having someone who only drives is understandable as its important for them to see what's going on and how the quality of driving can affect care in the back. However, someone who isn't currently certified, is not a student on a clinical, and is not a driver has no business in the back. If a person's only use is to take up space, then they can go take up space somewhere else.

 

[rescue1]

Oh trust me, I believe you. But if you tried telling some of the folks at the station here that, they'd probably :censored::censored::censored::censored: a brick. They subscribe to the more is better philosophy when it comes to getting on the ambulance.
So I guess my most useless piece of equipment is more then two providers (/pretend providers) in the back of the ambulance on anything but an arrest.

 

[TransportJockey]

Oh trust me, I believe you. But if you tried telling some of the folks at the station here that, they'd probably :censored::censored::censored::censored: a brick. They subscribe to the more is better philosophy when it comes to getting on the ambulance.
So I guess my most useless piece of equipment is more then two providers (/pretend providers) in the back of the ambulance on anything but an arrest.

One of the vollie agencies that we do ALS intercept for has that mentality. We tend to call their rigs clown cars. And I'm not above kicking some of them out to ride in my empty bus if there are too many for my liking in the back of their bus.

 

[Phlipper]

Ride along/training is one thing, people who consistantly jump in the back without even a EMT-b is another. We have a couple in one of the places I volunteer. Some are drivers only, which is one thing, but others cannot drive and simply don't have an EMT cert or let it expire. Some can help lift, others are good for maybe passing you something on the other side of the ambulance and generally taking up space.

We have a couple that fit that definition. The rest are squared away and are here to learn and to give back. I shouldn't have painted with that BIG brush I carry around. Just don't like managing stretchers and playing truck driver while everyone else is in the back learning. I'll get over it, though.

Most of the volley services around my AO, which are few and far between nowadays, use non-certs. They are hard up for folks anyway and will take whatever they can get (I'm still shaking my head at how hard it was to find a volley slot right after I cert'd). Luckily, most of them are working fire already or are in an EMT-B class, and they are motivated team players. Some ... well, now we're back to taking up space and getting in the way. Not many, thank God.