# What do you do to pass the time?



## traumaluv2011 (Jul 23, 2012)

I'm sure we all go through the same check inventory and clean the rig if needed routine when you start your shift. 

After that if you have a lot of down time, what do you guys and girls do to pass the time?


----------



## Anjel (Jul 23, 2012)

We are under status system management.

So while posting I sleep, do homework, make paracord bracelets, go shopping, play frisbee or catch, or pay games on my kindle or phone.

That being said we have been really busy. And not so much free time.


----------



## usalsfyre (Jul 23, 2012)

Catch up on sleep, Netflix, office work overflow.


----------



## Handsome Robb (Jul 23, 2012)

We do a lot of people watching. It's terrible to say but anyone that comes within visual range is fair game.

Lately been doing a lot of studying protocols for my upcoming FTO period. When I say a lot, I mean a lot. I think my partner is getting tired of me asking him questions or to quiz me. Other than that you can find me sleeping or playing around on my phone, I try to read as well but it's tough to find books that really hold my attention, especially with the call volume we've been running lately, not much downtime. 

I spend a lot of time goofing around with my partner I'm bummed that this is my last week with him, we have a lot of fun at work, I'm hoping that we can possibly ride dual medic for a bit if I make it through my FTO time but as it stands it looks like I'll be bright eyed and bushy tailed with a newish EMT rather than dual medic :blink: That'll be interesting seeing as I'm on track to be one of, if not the youngest medics on staff.

If I'm feeling real adventurous you might find me cleaning the rig seeing as a lot of crews let them get pretty nasty in the cab or doing our monthly bag checks.


----------



## EpiEMS (Jul 23, 2012)

Clean, clean, clean. And read.


----------



## Tigger (Jul 23, 2012)

My shift is fairly slow usually so I make sure that the truck is pristine and organized just the way my partner and I like it. Lots of time it seems like I'm cleaning the day crews mess but oh well. I read a book or this forum a lot too.


----------



## wildthingmax (Jul 31, 2012)

watch lonesome dove for the 6,516,510,654,561,651 time


----------



## Merck (Jul 31, 2012)

What's down time?


----------



## VCEMT (Jul 31, 2012)

A little blow, some whiskey, call over some hookers, and deal some candy.


----------



## mrg86 (Jul 31, 2012)

The first company I worked for was quite slow, in a 10 hour shift we ran about 4-6 calls on average. We tried about every coffee shop in the area and tried to eat somewhere different every day. Needless to say the company closed the division and everyone got laid off.


----------



## NomadicMedic (Jul 31, 2012)

mrg86 said:


> The first company I worked for was quite slow, in a 10 hour shift we ran about 4-6 calls on average. We tried about every coffee shop in the area and tried to eat somewhere different every day. Needless to say the company closed the division and everyone got laid off.



Ahh, those busy days of "posting" at Panera Bread, or at my house. 

At my current service, we have daily training and chores to keep us busy. When that's done, most of the medics here are pursuing a BS or postgrad degree, so homework takes up a LOT of time. 

Oh, and Battle Pirates on FB is huge here. I think every medic plays.


----------



## fast65 (Jul 31, 2012)

Well, after the usual daily duties, I can usually be found studying, or browsing the forums. However, I also pass the time by playing Xbox, watching Netflix, or just running around town.


----------



## mrg86 (Jul 31, 2012)

n7lxi said:


> Ahh, those busy days of "posting" at Panera Bread, or at my house.


Thank God they didn't have the foresight to put trackers in the rigs!


----------



## NomadicMedic (Jul 31, 2012)

mrg86 said:


> Thank God they didn't have the foresight to put trackers in the rigs!



The German would have stolen those, too.


----------



## Trashtruck (Aug 11, 2012)

All of our trucks are tracked by dispatch GPS...and it totally blows.


----------



## NYMedic828 (Aug 11, 2012)

Just got a 4 door dodge crew cab ambulance and the seats recline...so... sleeping and more sleeping!


----------



## Chief Complaint (Aug 11, 2012)

Not a whole lot of mention of training in here yet!

We set aside time every shift to train.  It could be EMS scenarios, first due street familiarization, hoseline/ladder training, etc.  Training is the best way to ensure that our skills stay sharp.


----------



## MexDefender (Aug 11, 2012)

watch the news, sleep, clean, read, talk to the people in the ER (attached ems to hospital), and a lot of FreeCell.


----------



## Sandog (Aug 11, 2012)

Anjel1030 said:


> We are under status system management.
> 
> So while posting I sleep, do homework, make paracord bracelets, go shopping, play frisbee or catch, or pay games on my kindle or phone.
> 
> That being said we have been really busy. And not so much free time.



Paracord is fun stuff, have you made a rescue belt yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGDIm5bcQRM


----------



## Tigger (Aug 11, 2012)

The owners have decided that idling trucks waste fuel. They also realized that crews hate parking outside their base and idling their trucks. 

Now I have a flat screen, wifi, and a recliner. Win.


----------



## Aprz (Aug 11, 2012)

I play with my phone a lot. I check Facebook and EMTLife a lot while on shift. I usually bring one textbook (either Hills Chemistry, Ravens Biology, or Clinically Oriented Anatomy) too, but usually I only read a couple of pages at max. The only book that I've made good progress in in my opinion is Ravens Biology. The other textbooks I've read about half or less than half of it. I slowly go through the book. I put a lot of time into memorizing stuff like the steps to the Kreb's cycle is an old one, the 20 common amino acids, etc. It may depend on which textbook I am reading like if I am reading Clinically Oriented Anatomy, I'll spend a lot of time memorizing the different bone markings on the bone, and what attaches to it, what action is associated with it, or if I am reading Hills Chemistry, I'll review over the gas laws, memorize some more parts of the periodic table, look up different elements online via my phone, etc. Sometimes I'll study Santa Clara County's protocols and policies, or the other day I was reading the summary of HIPAA since there was a discussion on it here and JPINFV posted up that link on the summary. I'll do a lot of staring blankly out of the window too which is another popular activity to do. I went to an ITLS and medical Spanish class the last couple of weeks for CEs, and I reviewed a lot of the stuff that I was taught in both class. I knew some Spanish from Wingstop, but didn't know a lot of medical Spanish so I was practicing that with my partner. My partner brought her jump rope yesterday and I was showing off to her how I can criss cross it and double jump it. Pretty much a lot of random things in bits and pieces.


----------



## Obstructions (Aug 12, 2012)

Read, read, read. It can't help to be knowledgeable 

But along with FB, EMTlife and dinking around on my phone. Or cooking.


----------



## jamesbond05 (Aug 14, 2012)

Texting, bbming


----------



## SSwain (Aug 14, 2012)

Sleep....
Most of my shifts are Friday and Saturday nights from 2200-0600.

Other than that, surfing porn.


----------



## CANDawg (Aug 14, 2012)

SSwain said:


> Other than that, surfing porn.



Well that was...... honest. :blink:


----------



## shiroun (Aug 14, 2012)

SSwain said:


> Other than that, surfing porn.



Some people say baseball is americas passtime (or is that football), I say its porn.

Also I work on cars in my spare time. Currently priming my mustang, piece by piece.


----------



## CANDawg (Aug 14, 2012)

If you haven't seen Avenue Q's "The Internet is for Porn", google it.

Not sure if the mods would like me posting it directly.


----------



## firetender (Aug 15, 2012)

*You made me watch it!*



dbo789 said:


> If you haven't seen Avenue Q's "The Internet is for Porn", google it.
> 
> Not sure if the mods would like me posting it directly.


 
I'm not sure if it was the video or the way you tricked me into watching but I wet my Depends (TM)!


----------



## CANDawg (Aug 15, 2012)

firetender said:


> I'm not sure if it was the video or the way you tricked me into watching but I wet my Depends (TM)!



My work here is done.


----------



## epipusher (Aug 16, 2012)

I sit in the firehouse theater room and watch scores of movies.


----------



## BoogieDownMedic (Aug 24, 2012)

Reddit[.]com

So much time wasted...


----------



## Jambi (Aug 24, 2012)

Finishing my BA and looking for graduate programs because I like the pain.


----------



## Thriceknight (Aug 24, 2012)

Apparently tonight I post every where but my station! Errrrr. Lol


----------

