The "Whacker" in You

[EDAC]

Funny thread, but good. I have a first aid kit that I have carried for at least 12 years, the age of my oldest kid, guess why. And yes I do keep it up to date, and it has been used many, many times. Now I put my stethoscope in there as well because that is the best place I found for it. I do have an NREMT sticker on the window of my POV because I do support the NREMT.

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

Good for you. 120 hours of training is so much to be proud of....

Come on daedalus... 120 is more than enough to give you the right, legal authority, and devine commission to throw on the cape and be a super hero... The world needs saving and and those heros that we couldn't get along without 3 months ago need the tools to do this... Thank God for Galls...

 

[DV_EMT]

Come on daedalus... 120 is more than enough to give you the right, legal authority, and devine commission to throw on the cape and be a super hero... The world needs saving and and those heros that we couldn't get along without 3 months ago need the tools to do this... Thank God for Galls...

well... though I think there should be more hours... classroom and experience. The 120 is enough to give a generic understanding and "could" save someones life.

 

[Hal9000]

ME TOO!!! Only I sharpened the end of it...

Now there's an idea...wish I'd thought of this...B)

 

[viccitylifeguard]

well... though I think there should be more hours... classroom and experience. The 120 is enough to give a generic understanding and "could" save someones life.

i completly agree if it was up to me the program would be at least a month longer. As for actual experience during the class time our school is responsable for many events around the Edmonton Alberta Canada area including one that i was not present at but my class mates were and that one was the BIG VALLEY JAMBOREE in Camrose alberta. those studants had to deal with a massive MCI that included over 70 patients including a death.
nothing beats actual hands on experience you can be so book smart but it only gets you so far because not every paitient presents like you read in class

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

well... though I think there should be more hours... classroom and experience. The 120 is enough to give a generic understanding and "could" save someones life.

How many hours of training does a Doctor have? With that training and education they have a better shot at saving someones life... and yet... how many Docotrs have Two Fully Stocked ALS Jump Bags, Lights on their cars, or giant Stickers with MD on their cars? How many Doctors sit at home "moitoring" various local hospitals, clinics, and Medical Offices waiting for the chance to jump in an respond because thier training trumps all else?

120 hours is a enough to give you a "generic understanding" of nothing, but is also enough to make you 100 times more dangerous than Doctors whose experience and education trump an EMTs a thousand fold...

 

[dragonjbynight]

Good for you. 120 hours of training is so much to be proud of....

daedalus, not trying to pick a fight, but to those of us who can't afford to go further, or are volly's with the local FD with full time careers elsewhere, obtaining an EMT cert is something to be proud of. While I wish that i could go further and get my Paramedic, At this point in time I cannot. And I will be da*n proud (da*n scared too) to be an EMT. Everyone has to start somewhere. And not that its the point, but his post did show emt-a which is 230hrs....albeit, not the 1394 hours req. for paramedic, but still.

Don't have anything considered wackerish yet, check back in six months..lol

 

[HuiNeng]

natural progression

Funny thread, but good. I have a first aid kit that I have carried for at least 12 years, the age of my oldest kid, guess why. And yes I do keep it up to date, and it has been used many, many times. Now I put my stethoscope in there as well because that is the best place I found for it. I do have an NREMT sticker on the window of my POV because I do support the NREMT.

Yup. Do you still carry a couple of Band-Aids in your wallet?

My bag just gets bigger as I add knowledge. Camping kit turned out not to be sufficient for bicycle accidents. The current contents of my big kit might be thought to be at the edge of whackerism. Magill forceps would definitely push it over the line. Reflecting on the contents of my car first aid kit led me to consider, then commit to, getting EMT training.

 

[resq330]

I have been in volunteer EMS for 13 years now.

- I have a Littmann Cardiology II Stethoscope
- I have my own stocked run bag that I carry with me
- I have my own clipboard with PPCR's (runsheets) in it
- I have all kinds of EMS apparel that I wear all the time
- I carry trauma shears and a glove pouch when I wear my run pants

I will probably add more to this...

 

[ZVNEMT]

Been a Basic for almost 3 years now... i've got my littman steth, a palm style bp cuff, a couple medical t-shirts i got for volunteering at a M.S. charity bike race. i'd like a jump bag in my car, mostly for the icepacks, splints, and various bandages (I'm the only EMT in my jiu-jitsu class, people frequently get hurt there...). I frequently leave the station wearing my uniform after my shift, granted its untucked and smells bad, but i'm too tired to care by then.

 

[EMSLaw]

I don't think owning your own steth makes you a whacker. If it does, I guess I am.

I've worn my squad tee-shirt off-duty, but only to training, never just around town or anything.

 

[eveningsky339]

Good for you. 120 hours of training is so much to be proud of....

Amount of education =/= proper amount of pride.

 

[eveningsky339]

Genuine curiosity here but this has been driving me crazy.

Is whacker just for "emts" or does it apply to "ffs" as well?

To answer your question...

"Whackers" exist primarily in emergency services. So firefighters, police, and EMTs are all prone to whackerdom.

 

[Sasha]

So what are the things that you do that could be considered to be under the field of "whackerdom?"

I coordinate the color of my O2 key, shears, and pen light.

I carry an O2 key on my car keys (But, it's pink and it helps me find my keys in my bag or purse... )

I get REALLY excited when I get to discuss medicine outside of work.

 

[bunkie]

Good for you. 120 hours of training is so much to be proud of....

Being frank here. I enjoy your posts but I think this is a really :censored::censored::censored::censored:ty attitude. It seems to me that some of you forget we all had to start somewhere. My program is 130 hours and I'm at the end of it. My husband is deployed and I have 3 kids under 5. My classes became a huge PITA for childcare arrangements. I had to move in the middle of it with the flu while I deal with my own medical problems and other random life bull:censored::censored::censored::censored:. I'm proud of myself for not only getting to the end, but doing it well and earning the respect of the people I've encountered along the way. I have goals and dreams in EMS but I can't go anywhere until I start here. So I'm proud of my pathetic 130 hours of training and all the headaches and grief it cost me along the way. Because I finished it and I didn't let anything stop me. I set an example for my children and gave them something they could emulate one day. A hard working mother who didn't quit when she was told she couldn't have her dream, but found a new passion and went for it.
So I'll put that stupid little sticker on my car as a kudos to myself and pride in the field I chose to get into when I could have done a dozen far better paying/easier things.

So forgive me.

 

[Lifeguards For Life]

Being frank here. I enjoy your posts but I think this is a really :censored::censored::censored::censored:ty attitude. It seems to me that some of you forget we all had to start somewhere. My program is 130 hours and I'm at the end of it. My husband is deployed and I have 3 kids under 5. My classes became a huge PITA for childcare arrangements. I had to move in the middle of it with the flu while I deal with my own medical problems and other random life bull:censored::censored::censored::censored:. I'm proud of myself for not only getting to the end, but doing it well and earning the respect of the people I've encountered along the way. I have goals and dreams in EMS but I can't go anywhere until I start here. So I'm proud of my pathetic 130 hours of training and all the headaches and grief it cost me along the way. Because I finished it and I didn't let anything stop me. I set an example for my children and gave them something they could emulate one day. A hard working mother who didn't quit when she was told she couldn't have her dream, but found a new passion and went for it.
So I'll put that stupid little sticker on my car as a kudos to myself and pride in the field I chose to get into when I could have done a dozen far better paying/easier things.

So forgive me.

good for you. no sarcasm at all implied.
Everyone here started out as an EMT. You can learn alot in 120 hours.

 

[wolfwyndd]

- Lights and siren.
- Several FF or EMT related t-shirts that I occassionally wear off duty.

Just the lights and siren makes me a whacker to some people. My justification for lights and sirens. Our squad (and fire department too) sometimes calls for additional manpower to respond direct. Occassionally, I do respond direct.

 

[resq330]

I have been in volunteer EMS for 13 years now.

- I have a Littmann Cardiology II Stethoscope
- I have my own stocked run bag that I carry with me
- I have my own clipboard with PPCR's (runsheets) in it
- I have all kinds of EMS apparel that I wear all the time
- I carry trauma shears and a glove pouch when I wear my run pants

I will probably add more to this...

Not sure why I can't edit my own posts...


But, I also have a red light in my POV. Just one. Some members in squad have multiple. Grill lights and all.

 

[VCEMT]

I carry gloves in my pocket, that's about it.

 

[Dominion]

I have wanted that jump bag since way before Trauma and my wife recently ordered it for me then I saw it on Trauma. I don't care one way or another though, it's a really really nice bag. I like it better than the ones made by Pacific (or the bags designed after the pacific bags) which are the bags most of the medics at my service carry.

Plus I know all my equipment works in my bag vs. the crap shoot I have now of the company supplied bags.