HotelCo
Forum Deputy Chief
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You need to write out a written complaint with all details and turn it in to your supervisor. Talking to him in my opinion isn't your responsibility and if he takes it the wrong way could possibly pose a risk to your safety. This is a problem that should be handled by your supervisor.
"Hey, man. You were driving pretty rough the other day. Was something going on?"
If he says no, tell him he should think about toning down his driving, especially while driving an ambulance.
If yes, suggest he not drive while he's upset/elated/whatever.
There's no reason to take this to a supervisor, before you've talked to the person. Man up and talk to them. Don't wimp out and go run to the supervisor.
I agree with HotelCo. Give him the benefit of the doubt. Once. Maybe it was a bad day, and even if he's a d-bag, that might have been worse than normal for him.
Do you have drive cams? We do, and there are panic buttons on the bottom. They are also activated by G forces. They record video in the cab and in the front of the ambulance, as well as the audio, for 10 seconds before and 10 seconds after the activation. They are a great way to catch someone like this being dangerous; they also have saved jobs. If you don't have them, you should. Talk to your management. Most insurance companies will reduce rates if they are in all the rigs.
If they ask, just say his driving scares you. The last nail is what he needs driven in.
He is an EMT, and from what I understand, he's already hanging by a proverbial thread due to habitual lateness and inability to get along with others. I'd hate to put the last nail in his coffin...
Also, I don't look at taking something important to a supervisor as "wimping out". If this person wasn't reasonable enough to unglue himself from the Xbox for 5 minutes or drive like a responsible driver, I find it hard to imagine that anything else that I say would matter to him.
You're not exaggerating, are you?
If not then open your mouth, for all of you!
If he doesn't hear you and respond affirmatively when you bring it up, go to a Supervisor. You have no reason to give him more than one chance. Purposely scaring you AND a pedestrian is dangerous.
Unfortunately, I have been in a similar situation. I was new and my partner just had no respect for anything. I asked politely if the person would please remember I am on the truck also and would like to go home to my family. I told him that "I love me too much to let you drive like a maniac when I am in a vehicle with you"
He had no idea what I meant so I told him when I felt something was dangerous in his driving manner, I would just point it out. Not to browbeat him but just so he could see my concerns. That went well for 3 days then he just told me I would have to get over it because he felt like he was "driving Miss Daisy". That's when I went up the chain-of-command.
OK. Lets say you decide to talk to the guy instead of going to the supervisor. You are sitting on standby and you bring up that his driving scares you and makes you feel unsafe. He tells you to get over it and you decide after shift you will go to your supervisor. In the meantime this idiot pulls out of the parking lot as usual and you are t-boned in the passenger side and instantly killed. The EMT lives and tells everyone in his report you told him it was clear and he never saw the car coming. Does he learn his lesson? Maybe. He may go on to never drive like that again. You? You are just dead. Your family suffers and your kids cry each day because they miss you. There are times that talking to your partner is the best route. It is NEVER an option when it involves your personal safety. We face enough danger everyday we work. No one should have to go and tell your family you died because your partner was stupid and you didn't report it.
What if you tell the supervisor, and while you're in their office, a giant purple giraffe comes in and eats you?