# Do you use the PAs?



## MMiz (Jun 12, 2005)

When I first starting working for this private company I used the PA on my first shift to test it out.  That was the last time I got in an ambulance with a working PA.  It wasn't me, I swear.  The guy working in the garage opened all the mics and disabled them, probably pulling a tiny plug or two.  Now none of them work.

I miss my PA.  Do you guys use 'em often?


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## ma2va92 (Jun 12, 2005)

the word never comes to mine.......


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## emtbuff (Jun 12, 2005)

Can't say I've seen any one use the PA on purpose.  Heard a good story the other day about one of the gals off the squad using it in the middle of the night trying to get a hold of dispatch to tell them they were in route or at scene (something along that line)  I heard she tried it a couple different times wondering why dispatch wasn't answering.  Hmmmmmmmm  wonder why.    But other than that I don't even think that they use them during the parade.  We also talk about trying to do something with it a different events but never do.  You know to cheer on a team.  Never happens.


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## shorthairedpunk (Jun 12, 2005)

Our manager disabled them because i would click them and make the carinival music through it going past the FD.

The only time I could see utilizing it would be in an MCI where I wanted to get word out to all the greens and get them grouped in one area


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## TTLWHKR (Jun 12, 2005)

I was really frustrated. We were going down a deserted street and come upon two cars stopped and the drivers were talking. Cars parked along both sides of the street nowhere to go. (Could have used the side walk, but only on third watch-do people not get canned for that.)

So I tap the siren. bloooooooo ooooooop.

They don't do anything.

So we lay on the siren and the horn, and pull up to his bumper w/ the eQ2B on.

NOTHING.

So I get on the PA "Hey, A$$hole, the lights mean theres an emergency and the siren means get the f**k out of the street"

EVERYONE on the street stopped what they were doing and looked at us.. the car took off w/ tires squeeling.

F**kin B*****ds  :angry:


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## Jon (Jun 12, 2005)

> _Originally posted by shorthairedpunk_@Jun 12 2005, 08:04 PM
> * Our manager disabled them because i would click them and make the carinival music through it going past the FD.
> 
> The only time I could see utilizing it would be in an MCI where I wanted to get word out to all the greens and get them grouped in one area *


 That is nice, as is MORONS who "forget" that you MUST pull over to the RIGHT SIDE!.

Jon


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## rescuecpt (Jun 12, 2005)

I use the PA, extremely sparingly, to clear traffic - but only something like "Please move to the right".


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## emtal233 (Jun 13, 2005)

Sometimes the PA comes in handy and we use it sparingly. At work at the new trucks don't have a PA too mnay people playing with it and some of the old trucks still have one. One time while going to a job the guy diving the bus was feelin silly so he decided to see if saying "excuse me " in stead of using a click of tye siren to move a car to the right and guess what it worked....


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## ECC (Jun 13, 2005)

The Q and the Air horns work better, and keep me and my mouth out of trouble.


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## Jon (Jun 13, 2005)

> _Originally posted by rescuecpt_@Jun 12 2005, 09:23 PM
> * I use the PA, extremely sparingly, to clear traffic - but only something like "Please move to the right". *


 Yep... I've had to use it for a few morons who either stop in a curve or on a hill-crest and expect me to pass them there "I can't see around you..."


Jon


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## Phridae (Jun 14, 2005)

I don't think we've ever used the PA.

We only have one truck with air horns. Makes me sad. But that trucks my favorite.


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## CodeSurfer (Jun 14, 2005)

When I went on my ride along, forget the PA, the chief was sticking his head out the window yelling at school children.  i dont know how that bodes for the dept. reputation.


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## ffemt8978 (Jun 14, 2005)

No, because my Spanish isn't that good and nobody around here seems to speak English.  <_<


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## Phridae (Jun 14, 2005)

> _Originally posted by ffemt8978_@Jun 14 2005, 01:18 AM
> * No, because my Spanish isn't that good and nobody around here seems to speak English.  <_< *


 lol

We have that ...ah..situation around here too.

I live in Delavan, we call it delajuan.  h34r:


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## coloradoemt (Jun 14, 2005)

I have never been in a situation where I thought I needed to. I cant see how my voice on a PA is going to be more effective than a fully lit up rig with the siren going. As far as using it onscene, that has never crossed my mind.


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## rescuecpt (Jun 14, 2005)

> _Originally posted by coloradoemt_@Jun 14 2005, 04:29 PM
> * I have never been in a situation where I thought I needed to. I cant see how my voice on a PA is going to be more effective than a fully lit up rig with the siren going. As far as using it onscene, that has never crossed my mind. *


 Sometimes people around here seem to be numb to the lights & sirens, but when they hear a voice, they listen.  Maybe they think it's G-d, who knows.  Remember Real Genius when they implanted the speaker in Kent's tooth and he thought G-d was talking to him?  LOL


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## coloradoemt (Jun 14, 2005)

I understand the whole God idea, but I do not in any way shape or form take that resposibility away from my Medic!!    :lol:  h34r:


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## KEVD18 (Jun 15, 2005)

frequently.

i work a very busy service in a tightly congested area where, it is a medically proven fact that people become deaf and bilnd when an ambulance lights it up behind em(boston, ma)

i once spent ten minutes telling a story about the little ambulance that could while trying to get through a very corwded city neighbourhood during rush hour.

"there once was an abulance that was trying to get to a dying person. the driver had all the lights and sirens going, but no one would move. he honked the horn and yelled real loud, but nobody listened......"

imagine that over the pa. the driver was cracking up. our pd escort was howling when we finally got on scene


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## MMiz (Jun 16, 2005)

> _Originally posted by KEVD18_@Jun 15 2005, 10:04 PM
> * frequently.
> 
> i work a very busy service in a tightly congested area where, it is a medically proven fact that people become deaf and bilnd when an ambulance lights it up behind em(boston, ma)
> ...


 LOL.  I'll have to remember that.


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## CodeSurfer (Jun 17, 2005)

I would have loved to have been there for that one. :lol:


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## ma2va92 (Jun 17, 2005)

Our new truck just arrived...... 2005... and .. came with a PA... wells there one more thing we won't use.. so many things on it.. that ya have to take... but don't really need


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## CodeSurfer (Jun 18, 2005)

I start my new shift in about a week and our new rig should be in pretty close to then.... and we have a PA!!!!! We run from 1pm-1am, and should be able to put that to use a little bit.


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## DT4EMS (Jul 4, 2005)

The main use for the PA mic is to make the Pac-Man noise while the siren is going. You know the Wa-Uh, Wa-Uh as he is eating the dots. It works on Wail once you get the timing down.


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## vtemti (Jul 7, 2005)

I only use the PA during parades, but if it is late at night you can use it in conjunction with the spot light to call the deer for jacking.   Just kidding. :lol:


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## Stevo (Jul 10, 2005)

> *So I get on the PA "Hey, A$$hole, the lights mean theres an emergency and the siren means get the f**k out of the street"*



man, i'd use that PA  a lot more if i could get away with that language!

 

~S~


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## KEVD18 (Jul 11, 2005)

its easy to get away with that kind of stuff, as long as your service runs more than two units at a time. just mask the unit number and screw around at will

however, just obscuring the unit number in and of it self could be seen as a fireable offense, so proceed at your own risk


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## ffemt8978 (Jul 12, 2005)

Each of our ambulances has a different color scheme, so covering the unit number wouldn't help.


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## Jon (Jul 12, 2005)

> _Originally posted by KEVD18_@Jul 11 2005, 09:13 PM
> * its easy to get away with that kind of stuff, as long as your service runs more than two units at a time. just mask the unit number and screw around at will
> 
> however, just obscuring the unit number in and of it self could be seen as a fireable offense, so proceed at your own risk *


 Great thing is that most of the large transport Co's use uniform colored fleets, with White as the base color.

A little bit of 2-inch medical tape, and you can obscure the unit number, and with some Co's, the Co's Telephone number (as a "how's my driving" number)

Then you can get away with more, so long as you don't get seen by someone from your Co. who can recognize the rig by the lightbar, manufacturer and year..... like me an PaRescue..........   :lol: 


Jon


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## Ridryder911 (Jul 16, 2005)

When traffis is real congested.. we attempt to tell people to pull to the left; 
However.. we did have one pull the right.. my partner said "Your other Left !".. the person quickly pelled to the left then...LOL

Be safe,
Ridryder 911


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## emtd29 (Jul 16, 2005)

I don't need no stinkin PA...( besides, we're not really allowed to use them )

I gots me an AIR HORN!!!!!!!

People DO Move!!!

( most of the time, anyway )


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## emschicksrock (Jul 26, 2005)

Yes, we are in an unusual situation where we use the PA all the time for traffic control. I work in a tourist area, and there are lots of horses around. We can't use a siren, so we have to "Announce" our presence via voice.


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## Summit (Jul 27, 2005)

Singing along with Metallica over the PA...


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## Wingnut (Jul 27, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Summit_@Jul 27 2005, 06:13 PM
> * Singing along with Metallica over the PA... *


 Excellent taste


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## Jon (Jul 28, 2005)

> _Originally posted by emschicksrock_@Jul 26 2005, 11:59 PM
> * Yes, we are in an unusual situation where we use the PA all the time for traffic control. I work in a tourist area, and there are lots of horses around. We can't use a siren, so we have to "Announce" our presence via voice. *


 Nice!


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## Jon (Jul 28, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Wingnut+Jul 27 2005, 08:01 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>*QUOTE* (Wingnut @ Jul 27 2005, 08:01 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Summit_@Jul 27 2005, 06:13 PM
> * Singing along with Metallica over the PA... *


Excellent taste   [/b][/quote]
 Yep... even better... using the PA to make the music EVEN LOUDER!!!


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## Jon (Jul 28, 2005)

> _Originally posted by emtd29_@Jul 16 2005, 10:41 PM
> * I don't need no stinkin PA...( besides, we're not really allowed to use them )
> 
> I gots me an AIR HORN!!!!!!!
> ...


 Yep.... I'm upset, though, because we used to have a "chain" and switch for the airhorn in the one rig, but the chain was removed..... seems some folks didn't like other folks using the airhorn as the primary warning device....


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## rescuejew (Aug 12, 2005)

Ahhh, the PA, my favorite peice of equipment next to the air horn.  

Although, there was that one time the rookie went to pick up the PA and shouted: "Get out of the way dumba**!"  and when communications said "10-9?", our little rookie got into a big pile'o'trouble...!!!  The dummy had picked up the radio...ooops!


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## MMiz (Aug 12, 2005)

> _Originally posted by rescuejew_@Aug 12 2005, 01:19 PM
> * Ahhh, the PA, my favorite peice of equipment next to the air horn.
> 
> Although, there was that one time the rookie went to pick up the PA and shouted: "Get out of the way dumba**!"  and when communications said "10-9?", our little rookie got into a big pile'o'trouble...!!!  The dummy had picked up the radio...ooops! *


 I did that once.  At which point dispatch responded "Unit calling, wrong mic, try the other one".


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## Jon (Aug 12, 2005)

> _Originally posted by rescuejew+Aug 12 2005, 01:19 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>*QUOTE* (rescuejew @ Aug 12 2005, 01:19 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Ahhh, the PA, my favorite peice of equipment next to the air horn.[/b]_


_

Yeah..... espicially if it is a REAL airhorn...

<!--QuoteBegin-rescuejew_@Aug 12 2005, 01:19 PM
*Although, there was that one time the rookie went to pick up the PA and shouted: "Get out of the way dumba**!" and when communications said "10-9?", our little rookie got into a big pile'o'trouble...!!! The dummy had picked up the radio...ooops!*[/quote]


NICE!!!!! Probably reason #20 on the list at the squad to justify not having PA's


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## DFDEMS (Sep 15, 2005)

We had a crew last year that was responding to call around Christmas playing “jingle Bells” etc over the PA instead of the siren. Those that couldn’t see the humor in it and didn't pull to the right got the air horn I guess..


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## Beegers (Oct 5, 2005)

Hahaha I loved reading your stories....I gotta remember the ambulance story one! I will definitely think about it when I go to Boston next time.

Around Christmas I like driving around playing christmas carols off the radio over it.

But just to have one working is nice. So would working brakes....and lights....and back up alarm.....and radio....and wiper blades.....and seat belts.....and air conditioning.... :blink: 

On volly, we just use it to **** around with other members if we are behind them.


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## Jon (Oct 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Jb78emt+Oct 5 2005, 12:44 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>*QUOTE* (Jb78emt @ Oct 5 2005, 12:44 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>But just to have one working is nice. So would working brakes....and lights....and back up alarm.....and radio....and wiper blades.....and seat belts.....and air conditioning.... :blink:
> [/b]_


_
Yep..... you MUST work transport    :lol: 

<!--QuoteBegin-Jb78emt_@Oct 5 2005, 12:44 AM
*Hahaha I loved reading your stories*[/quote]
The fine print of this website, of course, is that all stunts pulled and documented here were done by highly trained professionals.... Don't try these at home  :lol:  :lol:  :lol: 

Jon


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