Volunteer question?

[EMTCLM]

Do volunteer EMT-B's get their own radio/pagers? And what else do we get, or not get and have to supply ourselves?

 

[Epi-do]

This will vary between organizations and locations. Check with the organization you are interested in volunteering with to get more information.

 

[daedalus]

No idea. Check with the agency you plan on working for. Every agency will have a different communication set up.

 

[cbjfan]

With my agency we all get pagers. If we live outside of the city limits the department provides you with radios as well.

 

[firecoins]

we get radios. I bought my own though.

 

[medic417]

If I were to give my time away for free I should at least be able to expect to have communication equipment provided.

Side note/rant: No wonder EMS is so low paying people not only give it away for free they even provide their own equipment.

 

[firecoins]

Yes I bought my own radio. There is no correlation to low paying EMS jobs. There are no volunteer IFT companies.

I do paid EMS where the company requires you to bring your own equipment. Paid EMS does its own damage. Maybe if the minimum level didn't just require an EMT-B class we could raise pay.

 

[emtdude]

Side note/rant: No wonder EMS is so low paying people not only give it away for free they even provide their own equipment.

I don't think volunteers are suckers... nor do they bring down or negatively impact EMS by performing community service. I

There are thousands of MD's volunteering, yet I don't see health costs declining as a result.

... and yeah, I realize your were ranting.

 

[medic417]

I don't think volunteers are suckers... nor do they bring down or negatively impact EMS by performing community service. I

There are thousands of MD's volunteering, yet I don't see health costs declining as a result.

... and yeah, I realize your were ranting.

You don't see thousands volunteering constantly. Yes they give a few hours a year but that is it, except a rare few.

 

[Foxbat]

Volunteer services typically do issue pagers. Some of them issue radios. I would not worry about that.
If your service has its station staffed 24/7, you might not need a pager or personal radio at all.

 

[BossyCow]

"Volunteer" has become a relative term. Many so called vollie agencies actually pay a wage to their personnel when they respond to calls.

The amount of equipment furnished generally depends on the financial health of the agency. In some areas, extremely remote, impoverished areas, the vollies purchase what they need because the equipment furnished is so sub-par.

Most vollie agencies will provide at least a radio.. because they want you to be able to respond. My SAR unit has gone to using text on cell phones for our call outs.

It's a liability issue for the most part. If you are providing your own equipment and something goes wrong on the call, you can be held personally liable. Especially if there is other equipment that belonged to the agency that you chose not to use.

When I first started with our SAR unit, we provided everything. We bought all our own gear. The only equipment provided was the actual rescue systems. Ropes, pulleys, brakes, etc. That and a vehicle to haul it. Everything we carried on our person was stuff we bought ourselves. We are better funded now and are provided coats, rhinos, t-shirts, hats, gloves, and some other stuff.

 

[AJ Hidell]

Do volunteer EMT-B's get their own radio/pagers? And what else do we get, or not get and have to supply ourselves?

Of all the bizarre questions to be asked on the forum, I can't believe that this one has been asked twice in one week. :blink:

There are thousands of MD's volunteering, yet I don't see health costs declining as a result.

Think, Dude. Do you honestly not see the difference between paid professionals who occasionally volunteer their professional services to the poor and amateurs who make a full-time hobby out of playing the role of a professional? I think you're smarter than to even consider such a silly analogy. Aren't you?

 

[emtdude]

Think, Dude. Do you honestly not see the difference between paid professionals who occasionally volunteer their professional services to the poor and amateurs who make a full-time hobby out of playing the role of a professional? I think you're smarter than to even consider such a silly analogy. Aren't you?

No, gosh, guess I'm just not very smart.

But, how's this for an analogy:

http://www.redcross.org/

http://doctorswithoutborders.org/

How about if you contact someone from either of these organizations (there are others) and ask about their full time amateurs pretending to be professionals?

And how would you propose small, rural communities handle their EMS needs? Surely not volunteers, as they degrade the reputation and pay scale of all EMS professionals.

 

[AJ Hidell]

No, gosh, guess I'm just not very smart.

You said it, not me.

How about if you contact someone from either of these organizations (there are others) and ask about their full time amateurs pretending to be professionals?

And there's the proof. Do you know anything about DWB? They are full-time PROFESSIONALS who volunteer their PROFESSIONAL services part-time in poor countries. That is not even remotely similar to an amateur, three-week EMT who makes a hobby out of playing "professional" part-time to an American community who can darn well afford it, simply for the pleasure of playing with the siren. Apples and oranges.

And how would you propose small, rural communities handle their EMS needs? Surely not volunteers, as they degrade the reputation and pay scale of all EMS professionals.

It's been asked and answered here so many times already that, if you have not gotten a clue by now, you never will. Pity.

 

[emtdude]

And there's the proof. Do you know anything about DWB? They are full-time PROFESSIONALS who volunteer their PROFESSIONAL services part-time in poor countries. That is not even remotely similar to an amateur, three-week EMT who makes a hobby out of playing "professional" part-time to an American community who can darn well afford it, simply for the pleasure of playing with the siren. Apples and oranges.

Those MD's are hanging out in Darfur are doing it part time?... wow. I doubt you clicked on the link, so why not do it now?

And I see how you avoided the whole Red Cross thing. Probably because there are ARC members here who would happily educate you about their amateurism. Condescending retorts won't work as well in that situation.

It's been asked and answered here so many times already that, if you have not gotten a clue by now, you never will. Pity.

IOW, -YOU- don't have an answer. Glad we got that settled.

 

[ffemt8978]

Play nice people....

 

[fortsmithman]

No comment from me. This topic seems to have been discussed numerous times. Now I'm wondering how long it will be before this thread is locked. I was kind of hoping that this could be discussed without getting nasty to one another.

 

[spnx]

You don't see thousands volunteering constantly. Yes they give a few hours a year but that is it, except a rare few.

Depends on where you are. Canada has thousands of volunteers donating hundreds of thousands of hours yearly.

 

[medic417]

Depends on where you are. Canada has thousands of volunteers donating hundreds of thousands of hours yearly.

Me thinks you failed to read I was responding to doctors working for free for the majority of the time, not just a few hours a year.

 

[Ridryder911]

Those MD's are hanging out in Darfur are doing it part time?... wow. I doubt you clicked on the link, so why not do it now?

And I see how you avoided the whole Red Cross thing. Probably because there are ARC members here who would happily educate you about their amateurism. Condescending retorts won't work as well in that situation.



IOW, -YOU- don't have an answer. Glad we got that settled.

EMT and Red Cross, yep about the same thing = First Aid.

p.s. while your at it, read the Dr. without borders website.. yeah, they do not allow EMT's but will allow other healthcare professionals.. Wonder why?

Now that's settled.

R/r 911