# what do you do if you have downtime?



## ulrik (Aug 12, 2008)

that is, if you have downtime?


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## Ridryder911 (Aug 12, 2008)

I used to sleep as much as possible.. hah! Now, I catch up on paperwork and statistics, and enforce my crew to get as much naps as possible. Once in a while, the crew will play a video game or watch some boob tube as well as vent and B.S. with each other. 

R/r 911


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## ulrik (Aug 12, 2008)

sounds like something i would do.


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## Epi-do (Aug 12, 2008)

Study, nap, workout with the guys, go to training, watch TV, play on the net.


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## ulrik (Aug 12, 2008)

everyone has something to do.


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## zacdav89 (Aug 12, 2008)

study, surf the web and emtlife, when school starts do my homework,anything i find that needs to be done around base, work out


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## KEVD18 (Aug 12, 2008)

i get as much of my required stuff(station duties, overdue paperwork etc) done as early as possible. i use the rest of my shift to do as little as possible. i can usually be found unconcious, watching tv, unconcious, smoking, unconcious, playing ps2 or unconcious.


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## TransportJockey (Aug 12, 2008)

Surf the net, sleep, do paperwork, study (not much as every time I pulled out a book we'd get a call)


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## MMiz (Aug 13, 2008)

I'd usually catch up with partners (I had no assigned partner), catch up on sleep, watch a DVD, or do work for school.

I know a few Paramedics who used their downtime to get degrees from online nursing colleges.  That sounds like a good use of time.


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## ulrik (Aug 13, 2008)

yes, very great use of there time.


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## mycrofft (Aug 13, 2008)

*I was field EMS before the Internet*

I spent the time doing my homework away from my wife and one year old son in the last year. The first year we spent washing vehicles, and our service also drove limos, drove a contract MNICU, did body pickups for the coroner's and funeral homes, and sold coffins...sort of a cradle to grave outfit... so no downtime.


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## traumateam1 (Aug 13, 2008)

*Good ol' Timmy's*

If we get down time and after all the station duties are done, and paperwork is caught up, I like to go hang out at Timmy's.


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## gillysaurus (Aug 13, 2008)

In my short career as an EMT thus far, I've taken nicely to using downtime to do lots of homework or nap. Napping is my favorite


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## NJN (Aug 13, 2008)

Nap, TV (YAY unlimited On Demand  ) Surf the web, clean, nap, nap, play guitar hero or rock band, nap, nap, did i say nap.


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## Buzz (Aug 13, 2008)

Sit in the truck and :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored: about how whoever designed the front console in the E350 must have been a midget because there is absolutely no leg room. I usually end up going in back and sitting on the bench seat or the stretcher where I can actually stretch out a bit and relax.


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## jazminestar (Aug 13, 2008)

since we are usually stuck on a rig, my partner and i will shoot the breeze, talk about how we are like the only unit that gets the majority of calls on the overnights.......if we have time, take naps, read, homework......maybe if my partner brought her portable dvd player, we'll watch a movie........


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## TransportJockey (Aug 13, 2008)

Buzz said:


> Sit in the truck and :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored: about how whoever designed the front console in the E350 must have been a midget because there is absolutely no leg room. I usually end up going in back and sitting on the bench seat or the stretcher where I can actually stretch out a bit and relax.



I'm with you on that one. I usually will push my seat all the way up on the rails and then recline it. THat at least is slightly comfortable


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## Hastings (Aug 13, 2008)

I've really gotten into reading lately. Never was a fan of books or reading until one of the EMTs let me borrow a book she had enjoyed. Read that, and have been reading ever since. 

If not reading, I'm crawling in the back and sleeping on the bench. We have the radio playing music the entire time, and I bring a pillow, so it's pretty comfortable.


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## silvercat354726 (Aug 13, 2008)

I take my laptop with me and surf the web, pay bills, going to start taking a book with me as well.


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## KEVD18 (Aug 13, 2008)

oh yeah, and flirt with nurses


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## ulrik (Aug 13, 2008)

hehe, nice one.


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## Buzz (Aug 14, 2008)

KEVD18 said:


> oh yeah, and flirt with nurses



I do this too lol. Comes in handy sometimes too..


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## ulrik (Aug 14, 2008)

very handy i bet, hehe.


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## lilbeddoe (Aug 26, 2008)

im on a volley squad and lots of time there  is a 3rd member
left alone in the back everything is done with
anything to keep you entertained in the back on the way back from hospitals?


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## mikie (Aug 26, 2008)

lilbeddoe said:


> im on a volley squad and lots of time there  is a 3rd member
> left alone in the back everything is done with
> anything to keep you entertained in the back on the way back from hospitals?



happens to me often.  it can be a bore...no great view either

sometimes there is a fourth (talk about crowded), at least there is someone to talk to


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## NJN (Aug 26, 2008)

lilbeddoe said:


> im on a volley squad and lots of time there  is a 3rd member
> left alone in the back everything is done with
> anything to keep you entertained in the back on the way back from hospitals?



I'm in the back 98% of the time, when i was new on an ambulance i would just keep looking where everything is. Now i just have loud conversations with the people up front or listen to music on my Ipod.


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## lilbeddoe (Aug 27, 2008)

NJNewbie196 said:


> I'm in the back 98% of the time, when i was new on an ambulance i would just keep looking where everything is. Now i just have loud conversations with the people up front or listen to music on my Ipod.



okay but ive gone through the rigs numerous time i know where everything is 
and i finish the call sheet most of the time with 10- 15 minutes left


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## AbsoluteZzZero (Aug 27, 2008)

traumateam1 said:


> If we get down time and after all the station duties are done, and paperwork is caught up, I like to go hang out at Timmy's.



Ah, Timmy's is the best! Sooooo much better than starbucks. I was in Alberta for 10 days and I swear we must have gone there at least 15 times. Didn't help any that we could walk to it from where we were staying. 

Sorry. A bit off topic..


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## BossyCow (Aug 27, 2008)

lilbeddoe said:


> im on a volley squad and lots of time there  is a 3rd member
> left alone in the back everything is done with
> anything to keep you entertained in the back on the way back from hospitals?



I just attend the little party I carry around in my head!


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## Emtgirl21 (Aug 27, 2008)

play Guitar Hero or Rock Band or study.


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## KEVD18 (Aug 27, 2008)

my downtime while posting is almost always occupied by sleeping, smoking or thinking up new and clever ways to screw with my coworkers.


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## FireFlyYFD (Aug 27, 2008)

Catch up with coworkers I haven't seen in a while. sleep, watch TV. If we are out of a certain one of our bases we'll tune up and mess with our paintball stuff.


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## Katie (Aug 28, 2008)

do homework :wacko:  or sleep whichever seems most necessary at the time


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## TransportJockey (Aug 28, 2008)

Katie said:


> do homework :wacko:  or sleep whichever seems most necessary at the time


Ain't being a student great?


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## Tiberius (Aug 28, 2008)

I try to do inspections frequently during my downtime.

The insides of my eyelids require frequent inspections especially after running my :censored: off.


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## zacdav89 (Aug 28, 2008)

i seem to be doing nothing but homework now that school has started back up


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## KEVD18 (Aug 28, 2008)

Tiberius said:


> I try to do inspections frequently during my downtime.
> 
> The insides of my eyelids require frequent inspections especially after running my :censored: off.



if you dont keep an eye on that(pun intended), you can find yourself in trouble...


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## BirdtheEMTB (Aug 28, 2008)

BS, pester my crew members and take there vitals, nap...


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## TransportJockey (Aug 28, 2008)

BirdtheEMTB said:


> BS, pester my crew members and take there vitals, nap...



Since right now both night trucks are staging side by side at UNM I might pester the other crew and take their vitals to keep me busy. Practice doing manual BPs is always good


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## ILemt (Aug 29, 2008)

BS, nap, eat, play XBOX with my partner.


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## firemedic7982 (Aug 29, 2008)

Depends on which station I'm at. 

Most of the time I avg. 13-20 calls a shift, so no time to do anything but fix people, and restock the truck. 

If Im at my other station, I usually avg. 1-4 calls a shift, so a LOT of T.V. watching, and the occasional nap.


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## Flight-LP (Aug 30, 2008)

Occasional nap my a$$, you used to sleep all dang day ya lazy bum! Keep in touch bro, I haven't heard from you in a while..................................


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## RESQ_5_1 (Aug 30, 2008)

We don't have a station. We have an office and a garage. We do 4 hours of core duty from 8 am to noon. After that, we get to go home. The rest of my time is spent sitting at home in my man jammies playing Xbox or watching tv. And, the occasional nap.


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## Alexakat (Sep 1, 2008)

Mostly study...


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## Hastings (Sep 1, 2008)

Eat. 60% of my salary goes to food, much of which is eaten in between calls. 125 pounds and constant. Taking advantage of a great metabolism while it lasts.


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## lightsandsirens5 (Sep 1, 2008)

Fry my brain looking at EMTLife. 

Oh wait. Wouldn't EMT Life be an oxymoron? Can you even use those two in the same paragraph?

lol :lol:


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## aussieemt1980 (Sep 1, 2008)

Downtime, what is that?

I may sleep in the truck (stretchers are surprisingly comfortable in the back), or I might get some study done for my nursing course.

Sometimes I even wash the truck and try to look busy - if people think you are doing nothing, people find something for you to do. Always good to walk around with a peice of equipment or something and look like that you have a purpose in doing that - everyone leaves you alone.


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## lightsandsirens5 (Sep 4, 2008)

aussieemt1980 said:


> Always good to walk around with a peice of equipment or something and look like that you have a purpose in doing that - everyone leaves you alone.



In the US Navy they say:

Mill about smartly.


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## BossyCow (Sep 5, 2008)

aussieemt1980 said:


> Downtime, what is that?
> 
> Sometimes I even wash the truck and try to look busy - if people think you are doing nothing, people find something for you to do. Always good to walk around with a peice of equipment or something and look like that you have a purpose in doing that - everyone leaves you alone.



I've found that looking busy is generally more work than actually finding something to do.


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