what do EMTs do where you are

[band aid man]

Where are you and do EMTs get to do anything but drive at your company

 

[Jim37F]

Ambulance Operator for a fire department in LA Co (All 911 here is Fire Department Firefighter-Paramedic run)....all 6 ambulances are dual EMT BLS rigs. All 9 Engine companies have a minimum of 2 Paramedics on board and the 3 Truck companies typically have at least 1 medic (All engines and trucks are typically 4 man, very occasionally 3 man, and even then the engines are still required to be at least 2 medics on board). Every EMS call gets an Engine and a BLS. Even though we have a minimum of two medics on every single call...they pretty much expect us to do all the BLS stuff. All the splinting and bandaging they'll pretty much leave to us, taking vitals, hooking the patients up to the 12 lead is pretty much our bread and butter on the BLS lol. If we're first on scene (which happens approximately about a third of the time, another third we're showing up at the same time as the engine and the last third they're on scene first) then they expect us to have the assessment started, they want us to have Pt's name, age, chief complaint, HPI, initial set of vitals, and beginning any and all BLS treatments as appropriate if they're more than a couple minutes behind us. If it's a BLS level call, the medics will hop back on the engine and go back available, we'll transport in the ambulance so yes, you'll get to attend the patient, and get to work on your assessment and history skills so you can give a full and proper report to the ED staff. If it's an ALS skill, then the medics hop in the back with you, and your assisting them with whatever they need (having all the IV stuff ready, spiking the bags, getting a BSG, 12 lead, trauma naked and secondary physical assessment, etc etc etc)

Compare to my previous job here in LA Co, where I was an EMT for a private ambulance company that contracted with the local FD for ambulance response/transport. That department responded to every single medical call with an Engine and a two person Paramedic Rescue Squad. Similar to above, BLS level calls we'd take and both Engine and Rescue go back in service, ALS the medic off the Rescue would hop in back (and the engine would go back in service). However, a key difference is that no matter what the call was for, the contract specified we (the private ambulance) would respond Code 2 (no lights or sirens) while they'd go Code 3 (lights and sirens). As a result I can count on one hand the number of times I was first on scene in the 6 months I was there...by the time we arrived on scene they'd typically already have everything done and pretty much just used us as gurney pushers where we hardly did anything more intensive than simple vital signs. I imagine even in the driver only EMT situations they get to do more than I did there, especially if only the ambulance shows up and no fire. Needless to say, looking back, I hardly felt like an EMT there compared to my current job.

 

[COmedic17]

Either run calls the medic deems as BLS, or assist medic with initial pt contact ( obtain vitals, start IV, etc) then drive to hospital.

 

[ecphotoman]

In SB county fire rolls and an ALS rig with one medic and one EMT also roll. About 90% of the time the ambulance gets there first and those guys do most of the work. In our county fire really doesn't need to show up.

 

[PrincessAnika]

PA - bls unit has 2 EMTs. Pretty self explanatory, call for a medic if needed. MICU has either 2 medics or medic and EMT. EMT does bls skills as well as assist medic in anything necessary - spike IV bag, get requested meds out of bag (no drawing up but handing boxes or vials), set up monitor/12lead, etc. then drive to hosp. Depending on pt condition and facility transporting to, may call in report (ALS notification, 53 yom shortness of breath/asthma attack, vitals stable - the busier hospitals don't eat any more info than that unless you need command but the EMT won't call for the medic for that).

 

[COmedic17]

Oh, and I am in colorado. Forgot to add that. Won't say my place of employment or area where I work, as everyone in CO EMS seems to know each other.