# Ambulance Driver's License (ADL)



## Double-E (Jun 8, 2009)

i'm looking into what it takes to get an ambulance driver's license and i'm having a hard time finding any straight answers.  here's what i've gathered you need:

EMT-B cert
cash (it's...like...anywhere from $12-$25, amirite?)
???
profit!

but in all seriousness...from what i've gathered you just buy some book (which the lady @ the DMV said was quite pricey...any details on this?  which book series or type of book is required?) and just take a written exam...right?  :wacko:

i'm in CA but i'd like to hear ppl's experiences from all over...


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## Mountain Res-Q (Jun 9, 2009)

go to the DMV.  get a ambulance drivers handbook (5-10$).  read the book... wake up... read some more.... go for a run... read some more... take in a movie... read some more... have dinner... finish reading it... go to bed... wake up and read it again because you have forgotten what the heeelllll you read. go to the DMV and pay to take the ADL test.  take the test.  pass it? great!  More than likely you'll fail it at least once.  Take the test that has been corrected, memorize it, and take the test again.  1/3 of the questions on the new test will be copied from the last one.  If you fail it again, you can still take it once more.  You can take the test up to 3 times that day on that same fee.  I know of no one that has failed it 3 times straight and (personally) only one that passed it on the first try.  If you pass they give you a temporary (3 month) ADL then and there.  you pemanent slip of paper (I mean ADL) will be in the mail.

Now that is only part of it.  You also need a Medical Exam to be allowed to drive a transporting vehicle like an ambo.  The form can also be found at the DMV.  See a doc, have them examine you, sign you off, submit that paperwork to the DMV, and pocket the "green card" whihc is good only for 2 years.  (NOTE:  Some employers arrange for you to get this exam).

mind you, I haven't recerted my CA ADL in 4 years... so things may have changed.  but that is what i remember and I believe I still have my handbook somewhere in my office.


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## JPINFV (Jun 9, 2009)

Don't forget about the live scan.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/ambu_drvr_cert.htm


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## djmedic913 (Jun 9, 2009)

I can only tell you about NY, PA, and NH...neither of these require anything more than a standard driver's license to drive an ambulance. Most companies require you to do a CEVO type course, which they either do themselves or repay you to take.

I have no clue how Cali works it


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## TransportJockey (Jun 9, 2009)

In NM all you need is an EVO course to drive a rig. No special license needed


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## mikeN (Jun 9, 2009)

in mass you just need a ticket and a pulse to drive an ambulance.


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## Mountain Res-Q (Jun 9, 2009)

JPINFV said:


> Don't forget about the live scan.
> 
> http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/ambu_drvr_cert.htm



Oh ya.  Forgot about that.  Just like with getting your EMT cert to begin with, you need to have another NCIC background check.  So far, I have had 6 total in 8 years for my various certs... ya think there would be a better way (and less expensive!)


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## JPINFV (Jun 9, 2009)

Yea. How about we get the government organizations to actually work together, especially when the checks kinda of go together (like EMT-B and ADL). Oh, but noeessss, there are privacy concerns.


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## EMS25 (Jun 9, 2009)

I am in CA. This web page helped me to pass. Almost every question from the AMR site was on the DMV test.

http://www.amr-evoc.com/evoc/dmv/


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## MedicObserver (Jun 10, 2009)

Double-E said:


> i'm looking into what it takes to get an ambulance driver's license and i'm having a hard time finding any straight answers.  here's what i've gathered you need:
> 
> EMT-B cert
> cash (it's...like...anywhere from $12-$25, amirite?)
> ...


for one thing, it is not "ambulance driver"!! that is one of THE BIGGEST insults to a Paramedic! once when i was on a ride we got into it with this snooty CNA at the ER because she told us that she didn't need an ambulance driver (uggh, i hate that word!!) telling her how the patient was doing when she could see for herself. i very politely (well, that's kind of stretching it) informed her that she could go back to whatever floor she came from and be a bedpan changer like she really was. you can guess how many laughs that got! we had PATIENTS and TOP ER PHYSICIANS laughing at it; i guess no one like her anyway (except for maybe the bedpans; she WAS the one who dumped them) lol sometimes you just need a good laugh but PLEASE , i tell you, PLEASE DO NOT USE THE TERM "AMBULANCE DRIVER" AGAIN!! IT IS DISRESPECTFUL WHERE I COME FROM!!


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## mikeN (Jun 10, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> for one thing, it is not "ambulance driver"!! that is one of THE BIGGEST insults to a Paramedic! once when i was on a ride we got into it with this snooty CNA at the ER because she told us that she didn't need an ambulance driver (uggh, i hate that word!!) telling her how the patient was doing when she could see for herself. i very politely (well, that's kind of stretching it) informed her that she could go back to whatever floor she came from and be a bedpan changer like she really was. you can guess how many laughs that got! we had PATIENTS and TOP ER PHYSICIANS laughing at it; i guess no one like her anyway (except for maybe the bedpans; she WAS the one who dumped them) lol sometimes you just need a good laugh but PLEASE , i tell you, PLEASE DO NOT USE THE TERM "AMBULANCE DRIVER" AGAIN!! IT IS DISRESPECTFUL WHERE I COME FROM!!



I'm pretty sure he's talking about a cert to specifically drive an ambulance, separate from teching calls.  A cert in addition to an EMT ticket.  Some states like Vermont and New York you do not need an EMT cert to drive the ambulance, so technically, those are ambulance drivers.


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## djmedic913 (Jun 10, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> for one thing, it is not "ambulance driver"!! that is one of THE BIGGEST insults to a Paramedic! once when i was on a ride we got into it with this snooty CNA at the ER because she told us that she didn't need an ambulance driver (uggh, i hate that word!!) telling her how the patient was doing when she could see for herself. i very politely (well, that's kind of stretching it) informed her that she could go back to whatever floor she came from and be a bedpan changer like she really was. you can guess how many laughs that got! we had PATIENTS and TOP ER PHYSICIANS laughing at it; i guess no one like her anyway (except for maybe the bedpans; she WAS the one who dumped them) lol sometimes you just need a good laugh but PLEASE , i tell you, PLEASE DO NOT USE THE TERM "AMBULANCE DRIVER" AGAIN!! IT IS DISRESPECTFUL WHERE I COME FROM!!



Lighten Up...We are Ambulance Drivers...or do prefer the term cab driver.

or cabulance driver?

Do you get upset when people ask if have oxygen on your truck, too?
I know personally my rigs have a lot of oxygen on board...all the air inside the truck is full of O2...and that is usually good enuff...
Besides, you list your training as "Lay Rescuer", so how is that not insulting to a paramedic, who has gone thru all that training to become a medic
Hell, I've been a paramedic for a while now and still call myself an ambulance driver.

so tell me what do you think of this joke:
Q:what is the difference between god and a paramedic?
A:god doesn't think he is a paramedic.

I love that joke...it is lame and old and well, dumb...but still funny...


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## CAOX3 (Jun 10, 2009)

Public ridicule, is that the way we educate people as to what we do? 

If I was your fifth grade english teacher I would be disrespected at your grasp of grammer and that attempt at a  paragraph.


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## mperkel (Jun 10, 2009)

*well..*

I woke up one morning, 10am, went down to the DMV, purchased the book, while waiting an hour in line, I read the book, took the test and missed 1.

Dunno, but that's just me, lol.


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## JPINFV (Jun 10, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> for one thing, it is not "ambulance driver"!! that is one of THE BIGGEST insults to a Paramedic! once when i was on a ride we got into it with this snooty CNA at the ER because she told us that she didn't need an ambulance driver (uggh, i hate that word!!) telling her how the patient was doing when she could see for herself. i very politely (well, that's kind of stretching it) informed her that she could go back to whatever floor she came from and be a bedpan changer like she really was. you can guess how many laughs that got! we had PATIENTS and TOP ER PHYSICIANS laughing at it; i guess no one like her anyway (except for maybe the bedpans; she WAS the one who dumped them) lol sometimes you just need a good laugh but PLEASE , i tell you, PLEASE DO NOT USE THE TERM "AMBULANCE DRIVER" AGAIN!! IT IS DISRESPECTFUL WHERE I COME FROM!!



In California you need an EMT-B certification to attend patients on an ambulance and an ambulance driver certificate to drive the ambulance. Amazingly enough, ambulances don't drive themselves yet and in most states (including California), you have to be an EMT-B or higher to drive (note: In California you don't have to be an EMT-B until 6 months after getting the driver certificate unless you work for a volunteer group).

Seriously, don't you think that if this wasn't a legit question that the people who actually work in the field would have gotten indignant?


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## el Murpharino (Jun 10, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> for one thing, it is not "ambulance driver"!! that is one of THE BIGGEST insults to a Paramedic!



You shouldn't take offense.  Yes they may not be accurately describing your job to you or calling you by your proper title...there are reasons "ambulance driver" is in many people's vocabulary.  Alot of us forget from time to time that EMS is a relatively young field - only 43 years after the after the "White Paper" was written and released.  Prior to that time, EMS was pretty much a pick-em-up and take them to wherever they wanted to go service...usually by a hearse and two funeral home workers in a 'Good Humor' outfit.  Many people called them ambulance drivers...which is what they did.  

Yes things have changed much since that time, but you aren't going to change many minds that have used that term since childhood and have never needed to use their service.  Especially the elderly who remember them only as ambulance drivers.  You can get into pissing matches if you want...or you can let your actions and professionalism speak for itself.


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## MGary (Jun 10, 2009)

djmedic913 said:


> so tell me what do you think of this joke:
> Q:what is the difference between god and a paramedic?
> A:god doesn't think he is a paramedic.
> 
> I love that joke...it is lame and old and well, dumb...but still funny...



Never fails to remind the paragods that they were once basics too. Surprisingly, many don't need reminding. ^_^

As far as ADLs in NV go, from what our new Ambulance Director told me, they're not necessary. You need NREMT-B cert, NV State EMT-B cert, and Ambulance Attendant's License. (Must be over 18 to get these, not sure if that's uniform across country) You got these, you get to drive. 

No seperation here between driver/tech. We have trouble staffing just two two-person crews here, so you're expected to fix it up with your partner who drives and who does pt care. Usu. Rock Paper Scissors or some other random method for first call, and then switch off every other call after that. In my case as a Basic, I get the lame calls where ILS and ALS (read IV's, intubation, and drugs) are not needed. :sad:


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## MedicObserver (Jun 10, 2009)

CAOX3 said:


> Public ridicule, is that the way we educate people as to what we do?
> 
> If I was your fifth grade english teacher I would be disrespected at your grasp of grammer and that attempt at a  paragraph.


yes i must say that my grammar is poor. i have excellent writing skills but i am not very computer friendly and i don't type on home row like you're supposed to; i do the old 2-finger peck and jab at the keyboard-type deal. i dont have time to go through and use caps, punctuation and all that.


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## djmedic913 (Jun 10, 2009)

MGary said:


> Never fails to remind the paragods that they were once basics too. Surprisingly, many don't need reminding. ^_^



You can never forget where you started.

WE were all Basics once. Some of us even started as 1st responders.

I have never forgetten that once upon a time I knew nothing, had no experience, and no confidence.  Over the years, I gained experience and confidence....and, well...ok, so I still know nothing...lol

But you need to remember these things for new people, or people that are new to the area, or to a new level. Remembering this will keep you patient with these people and help them to grow and learn and gain those things which I have gained. This will make them better. Even tho those paragods and old timers would rather them out of EMS. They grumble instead of teach.

As ending line from the Red Green show says: "We're all in this together"


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## MedicObserver (Jun 10, 2009)

djmedic913 said:


> Lighten Up...We are Ambulance Drivers...or do prefer the term cab driver.
> 
> or cabulance driver?
> 
> ...


i just get so p.o.'d because people say "oh, there goes the ambulance driver!" that really gets me torqued because it does not come anyways near describing everything that responders do or all that they put up with. i have ranted and raved on that theory for the past 2 years and have found more truth to it everyday. and, in response to your question, if someone asked me if i had oxygen in the truck (we refer to it as a bus where i'm from) i would gladly show it to them and give them a full speech and demonstration of its proper use and application (this would take forever, because i'm a really good public speaker) but they would now know that i have oxygen in my bus. however, if they were blue and passing out, i would skip the demonstration and get consent to begin BVM ventilation or call for an ALS unit to get an airway inserted.


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## Mountain Res-Q (Jun 10, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> i just get so p.o.'d because people say "oh, there goes the ambulance driver!" that really gets me torqued because it does not come anyways near describing everything that responders do or all that they put up with. i have ranted and raved on that theory for the past 2 years and have found more truth to it everyday. and, in response to your question, if someone asked me if i had oxygen in the truck (we refer to it as a bus where i'm from) i would gladly show it to them and give them a full speech and demonstration of its proper use and application (this would take forever, because i'm a really good public speaker) but they would now know that i have oxygen in my bus. however, if they were blue and passing out, i would skip the demonstration and get consent to begin BVM ventilation or call for an ALS unit to get an airway inserted.



this thread was about how an EMT or Medic in CA can get the required cert (in addition to medical certs) to drive the rig.  How you can send this thread down the "I am not an ambulance driver" route is beyond me.  If you have ever driven a rig... then yes, you are ALSO an ambulance driver.  How do you think we get those shinny trucks to the scene?


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## rmellish (Jun 10, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> i just get so p.o.'d because people say "oh, there goes the ambulance driver!" that really gets me torqued because it does not come anyways near describing everything that responders do or all that they put up with. i have ranted and raved on that theory for the past 2 years and have found more truth to it everyday. and, in response to your question, if someone asked me if i had oxygen in the truck (we refer to it as a bus where i'm from) i would gladly show it to them and give them a full speech and demonstration of its proper use and application (this would take forever, because i'm a really good public speaker) but they would now know that i have oxygen in my bus. however, if they were blue and passing out, i would skip the demonstration and get consent to begin BVM ventilation or call for an ALS unit to get an airway inserted.



We call it an ambulance where I'm from. 

Question, if ambulance driver is such an insult, why would you call your ambulance a bus? Ambulance drivers and paramedics have different job descriptions. They're similar though. Buses and ambulances both carry people, but isn't one more specialized than the other? 

Just wondering, since you seem to be quite bent out of shape about it.


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## rescuepoppy (Jun 10, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> i just get so p.o.'d because people say "oh, there goes the ambulance driver!" that really gets me torqued because it does not come anyways near describing everything that responders do or all that they put up with. i have ranted and raved on that theory for the past 2 years and have found more truth to it everyday. and, in response to your question, if someone asked me if i had oxygen in the truck (we refer to it as a bus where i'm from) i would gladly show it to them and give them a full speech and demonstration of its proper use and application (this would take forever, because i'm a really good public speaker) but they would now know that i have oxygen in my bus. however, if they were blue and passing out, i would skip the demonstration and get consent to begin BVM ventilation or call for an ALS unit to get an airway inserted.



 According to your profile you have been doing this since you were 13?


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## MedicObserver (Jun 10, 2009)

djmedic913 said:


> Lighten Up...We are Ambulance Drivers...or do prefer the term cab driver.
> 
> or cabulance driver?
> 
> ...


WHOA!!! FOR ONE THING, I HAVE THE GREATEST RESPECT IN THE WORLD FOR ANYONE IN EMS, WHETHER THEY BE THE PARAMEDIC THAT KEEPS THE BLOOD FROM GUSHING OUT OF SOMEONE'S BODY OR THE POOR GUY THAT SCRUBS THAT BLOOD FROM THE FLOOR OF THE UNIT AFTER THE RUN! SECONDLY, I AM ONLY A LAY RESCUER DUE TO THE AGE FACTOR. I AM WAITING UNTIL I TURN 16 SO I CAN GET MY FIRST RESPONDER CERT.  Why is it that everyone always wants to criticize the younger people in the field due to the stereotype that they are stupid and do not know anything?  I mean, how many 15 year olds do you think could describe the procedure for inserting and oropharyngeal airway (OPA) ? Pull 10 teenagers off of the street, and maybe 1 of them will be able to tell you how long you should suction a patient. Even easier, ask those 10 people what ALS stands for and see how many correct answers you get. So if you think that I'm just an average high schooler with a responder's jacket, think again. I have worked my (well, let's keep it clean here) off to get as far as I have in EMS. While everyone else my age is laying around getting high and burning up their brains I'm out on the streets helping Paramedics pick trauma patients up off the ground and keep their heart beating so that they can live to see another day. And no, I don't think that I deserve some kind of award or special treatment- I do it because that is what I love to do and it is my way of serving my fellow citizens in the name of the Lord. So please, don't make judgments about me just because of my age. I really do know how things work.


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## MedicObserver (Jun 10, 2009)

rescuepoppy said:


> According to your profile you have been doing this since you were 13?


Yes, I have been involved in EMS since I was 13. My very first experience was when my assistant football coach got his NREMT-P certification and invited us all down to the Paramedic bay to see the new buses we had just gotten. I always looked up to him; he was almost like another brother. I then started investigating it as a career when we had careers class in school. Once I got as far as my first interview with a Paramedic I was hooked like a catfish on stinkbait!! I wish other young people would get involved; we need more good minds and helping hands in the field.


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## MedicObserver (Jun 10, 2009)

rmellish said:


> We call it an ambulance where I'm from.
> 
> Question, if ambulance driver is such an insult, why would you call your ambulance a bus? Ambulance drivers and paramedics have different job descriptions. They're similar though. Buses and ambulances both carry people, but isn't one more specialized than the other?
> 
> Just wondering, since you seem to be quite bent out of shape about it.


It's just slang we use on the radio. It's easier to say "bus" than it is "ambulance" Idk who started it, but it was around before I got involved with EMS. I thought it was weird too but I figured that the ParaGods had been around for awhile and that they knew what they were talking about.


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## MedicObserver (Jun 10, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> this thread was about how an EMT or Medic in CA can get the required cert (in addition to medical certs) to drive the rig.  How you can send this thread down the "I am not an ambulance driver" route is beyond me.  If you have ever driven a rig... then yes, you are ALSO an ambulance driver.  How do you think we get those shinny trucks to the scene?


By the way I have driven a rig. It was like a week after I got my learner's permit for Driver's ED. I got to drive a Type I TraumaHawk (I love that word; it just sounds like a rock song or something) down to the car-wash and scrub it from top to bottom. Then I got to drive the RapidResponse Tahoe because I was with an EMT-B and we were the only unit free to handle it. He handled the patient in the back while I drove to the ER. (Chill, people, I had already learned how to run the radio and lights and such long before that and I knew the legalities of the situation as well. Plus, we got there without any issue and nothing was said to the contrary about my driving.) Like I said, I AM NOT YOUR AVERAGE TEENAGER!!


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## Mountain Res-Q (Jun 10, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> WHOA!!! FOR ONE THING, I HAVE THE GREATEST RESPECT IN THE WORLD FOR ANYONE IN EMS, WHETHER THEY BE THE PARAMEDIC THAT KEEPS THE BLOOD FROM GUSHING OUT OF SOMEONE'S BODY OR THE POOR GUY THAT SCRUBS THAT BLOOD FROM THE FLOOR OF THE UNIT AFTER THE RUN! SECONDLY, I AM ONLY A LAY RESCUER DUE TO THE AGE FACTOR. I AM WAITING UNTIL I TURN 16 SO I CAN GET MY FIRST RESPONDER CERT.  Why is it that everyone always wants to criticize the younger people in the field due to the stereotype that they are stupid and do not know anything?  I mean, how many 15 year olds do you think could describe the procedure for inserting and oropharyngeal airway (OPA) ? Pull 10 teenagers off of the street, and maybe 1 of them will be able to tell you how long you should suction a patient. Even easier, ask those 10 people what ALS stands for and see how many correct answers you get. So if you think that I'm just an average high schooler with a responder's jacket, think again. I have worked my (well, let's keep it clean here) off to get as far as I have in EMS. While everyone else my age is laying around getting high and burning up their brains I'm out on the streets helping Paramedics pick trauma patients up off the ground and keep their heart beating so that they can live to see another day. And no, I don't think that I deserve some kind of award or special treatment- I do it because that is what I love to do and it is my way of serving my fellow citizens in the name of the Lord. So please, don't make judgments about me just because of my age. I really do know how things work.



First things first:  CALM DOWN.  You speak of respect for EMSers and that you are mature.  So far there is nothing here to indicate that.

Let's get a couple of things straight.  First, I applaud your choice in careers.  good luck.  But, you are 15 and trying to school profesional adult EMSers on EMS?  ha ha.  Procedure for OPAs?  I could teach my 10 y/o nephew the procedure.  I do not care how old you are or what your views are, but when you start that superiority garbage... than I have problems with anyone that wants to be in a thankless job like EMS and already has a "para-god" mindset.  But, no, obviously you do not really know how things work.  At 15, and being just an observer for a single agency in a certain area... you are not some expert on how things work in the real world of EMS.  This is evidenced by your ranting toward EMSers with a combined 1,000 plus years actually working EMS (not observing).  If you are going to be in EMS for any length of time, get one thing straight... you know nothing and are insignificate in the grand picture (not you personally, but all of us!)

On topic:  Kid, yes some think that we are all just "ambulance drivers".  For the record, in some areas they are just ambulance drivers... they only drive.  As far as Medics and EMTs being called ambulance drivers... that stems from a lack of education in the public on what we are really all about.  Live with it and help educate the public on what EMS is, don't presume to _lecture_ anyone on this subject... especially people on an EMS forum.  But, yes, part of what we do is drive.  So we are *also* ambo drivers... but not* just *ambo drivers.  I don't know the various state laws, but in CA you need an additional drivers cert to work on a ambo... because we do drive those shinny trucks... the pts. do not come to us.  You, however, being 15 and of the belief that you know a lot about EMS, see the words ambulance and driver in the same sentence and, ignoring all else, ranted about a topic that everyone here is already too familiar with... a topic that had nothing to do with the original post.  

Take a step back, kid...  and rethink your attitude a little.  No one here is (or should be) bashing you for your age alone (we were all there and probably didn't realize that EMS was where we wanted to be)... but your attitude (dripping with superiority and some profound knowledge) and opinions on EMS have no business being spouted by any 15 year old towards adult EMSers with more combined real world experience than you will ever have.  And if you don't like the responses here, then really rethink emergency services... too many of these personalites here in EMS/FIRE/LE?etc...


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## djmedic913 (Jun 10, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> in response to your question, if someone asked me if i had oxygen in the truck



I guess I should have been more specific with that question.
I was aiming that questions more at nurses in hospitals or nursing homes.
I have been asked more times than I can count, if we carry oxygen on the rig.

we call it a bus here as well...as well as many other things...lol
but you know why we call it a bus, don't you. Coz a bus is bigger than a cab and we can transport more patients that way...

I still like cabulance...lol


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## Mountain Res-Q (Jun 10, 2009)

djmedic913 said:


> I guess I should have been more specific with that question.
> I was aiming that questions more at nurses in hospitals or nursing homes.
> I have been asked more times than I can count, if we carry oxygen on the rig.
> 
> ...



LOL  ^_^

Ambulance, Ambo, Rig, Truck, Unit, Bus.  Does the title really matter?  It isn't about what we are called or what we drive... but about what we do.  As long as I can go to bed at night knowing that I did the best job I could to help others... you can call me whatever like.  Cab Driver ain't half as bad as what I've been called by some psych patients.  I didn't get into this field for titles or power or because I cared what other people think of me.  Maybe other did...


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## MedicObserver (Jun 10, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> First things first:  CALM DOWN.  You speak of respect for EMSers and that you are mature.  So far there is nothing here to indicate that.
> 
> Let's get a couple of things straight.  First, I applaud your choice in careers.  good luck.  But, you are 15 and trying to school profesional adult EMSers on EMS?  ha ha.  Procedure for OPAs?  I could teach my 10 y/o nephew the procedure.  I do not care how old you are or what your views are, but when you start that superiority garbage... than I have problems with anyone that wants to be in a thankless job like EMS and already has a "para-god" mindset.  But, no, obviously you do not really know how things work.  At 15, and being just an observer for a single agency in a certain area... you are not some expert on how things work in the real world of EMS.  This is evidenced by your ranting toward EMSers with a combined 1,000 plus years actually working EMS (not observing).  If you are going to be in EMS for any length of time, get one thing straight... you know nothing and are insignificate in the grand picture (not you personally, but all of us!)
> 
> ...


My intentions do not include any superiority or that "I know it all" attitude. I never meant anything like that. What I am getting at is that everyone always makes the assumption that I don't know what I'm getting into and that I won't make it bacause I don't know what EMS is about. And that's what gets me mad, because when I ride I don't just sit in the front and watch the cars fly past as we rush to the ER. No Sir, I am right there in the jump seat watching everything, ready to grab something from a cabinet and hand it to whomever is working on the pt. (I have handed many things across the stretcher to a Paramedic or an EMT.) Also, when I first started planning for my career, I had 500 people say that chances are I would lose it the first time someone died in the back of the ambulance. Well, they were wrong: 15 month old baby, unresponsive, no oxygen in the blood, blue and clammy skin. The little guy flatlined twice on the way to the ER. The second time it was over; we couldn't possibly have done anything else to save him. And, honestly, I did kinda make me feel bad, but I just thought "We did the best we could, Lord. We tried our hardest but this time things just didn't go the way we wanted them to. Thank you, Lord, for the courage and will to keep going and we ask for your help on our next run." We all had a group prayer in the bay of the ambulance building after cleanup was done. What I am getting at is that it is so hard to prove yourself anymore. Everyone goes, "Well there's a 15 year old riding shotgun in an ambulance. What's he doing getting involved with something he knows nothing about?". I am unfortunately stuck in a generation that is ignorant and selfish and I get labeled with everyone else which I don't think is fair. I have had to support myself all along this path and hold myself up. I hate to have an excuse, but I really don't come from a positive area. I have zero support from my family in my decision, and everyone always has nothing but negative trash to say. What I mean, really, is that I'm not stupid like most people say. I take pride in knowing that I have skills that not everyone around here has. Is this understandable? If not I can clarify it somewhat.


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## djmedic913 (Jun 11, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> LOL  ^_^
> 
> Ambulance, Ambo, Rig, Truck, Unit, Bus.  Does the title really matter?  It isn't about what we are called or what we drive... but about what we do.  As long as I can go to bed at night knowing that I did the best job I could to help others... you can call me whatever like.  Cab Driver ain't half as bad as what I've been called by some psych patients.  I didn't get into this field for titles or power or because I cared what other people think of me.  Maybe other did...



Amen brother


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## VentMedic (Jun 11, 2009)

djmedic913 said:


> I guess I should have been more specific with that question.
> I was aiming that questions more at nurses in hospitals or nursing homes.
> I have been asked more times than I can count, if we carry oxygen on the rig.


 
Believe it or not that is not a stupid question to be asked about oxygen.

When we contract ambulances for transport, we like to know how much O2 is on board and what type of outlets or connectors you have as well as how many. If we are running a ventilator, knowing you have a straight 50 psi is helpful as is knowing if your system uses quick connects or threaded. 

I also can not tell you how many times EMT(P)s have shown up to a pick up a patient and have not brought an O2 tank with them. Their response is "the pt is just on 2 L/m, he can wait hold out until we get to the truck". Yes, but the patient will have to endure the discomfort of being short of breath with an SpO2 of 80%. It makes us in the hospital wonder if someone didn't check the O2 in their tanks. Thus, when a nurse asks you about O2 in your truck, they are probably asking "did you check your tanks today". Or, we may assume they are just too lazy to bring a tank in and that also makes us worry about the safety of our patient with that crew.

As far as the O2% in the back of a truck, we covered that in another thread. Room air is 21% while what you have in a tank is 100% O2. If you reply with a smart arse answer like "we have plenty in the truck, meaning room air, someone who has a healthcare license may know the difference and realize you don't. But then, some do now know from the other thread.


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## MedicObserver (Jun 11, 2009)

Can we just drop the whole thing and get back to waht the forum is about: members of the EMS family getting together to just chat or share info or do whatever they feel what would better connect them with their fellow responders? Instead of arguing and bashing each other?!


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## djmedic913 (Jun 11, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> Believe it or not that is not a stupid question to be asked about oxygen.
> 
> When we contract ambulances for transport, we like to know how much O2 is on board and what type of outlets or connectors you have as well as how many. If we are running a ventilator, knowing you have a straight 50 psi is helpful as is knowing if your system uses quick connects or threaded.
> 
> ...



ok..1st I always have O2 with me and 1st in bag...it is like my american express card...I don't leave the bus without them...

but when I have been asked about O2 it was definitely meant as "did I check my tanks today", because there is usually utter amazement on their faces when we tell we have O2. They ask because they look down upon us and still assume we are nothing more than ambulance drivers. the way we were back in the day....


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## VentMedic (Jun 11, 2009)

djmedic913 said:


> but when I have been asked about O2 it was definitely meant as "did I check my tanks today", because there is usually utter amazement on their faces when we tell we have O2. They ask because they look down upon us and still assume we are nothing more than ambulance drivers. the way we were back in the day....


 
I am amazed and embarrassed for some also. It is also a reason why some ambulance companies lose their contracts with facilities and some hospitals now have their own trucks for Specialty, IFT and CCT. Our drivers are also out of the security/transport pool so we don't have to worry about offending them since we know their names and job title.

Hospitals and NHs also deal with many different forms of transport including medi  and community vans.  They may all wear uniforms and some will even have EMT patches but their vans do not carry medical supplies.  Get familiar with the services in you area and you might actually be helpful when asked about different transportation companies.


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## djmedic913 (Jun 11, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> My intentions do not include any superiority or that "I know it all" attitude. I never meant anything like that. What I am getting at is that everyone always makes the assumption that I don't know what I'm getting into and that I won't make it bacause I don't know what EMS is about. And that's what gets me mad, because when I ride I don't just sit in the front and watch the cars fly past as we rush to the ER. No Sir, I am right there in the jump seat watching everything, ready to grab something from a cabinet and hand it to whomever is working on the pt. (I have handed many things across the stretcher to a Paramedic or an EMT.) Also, when I first started planning for my career, I had 500 people say that chances are I would lose it the first time someone died in the back of the ambulance. Well, they were wrong: 15 month old baby, unresponsive, no oxygen in the blood, blue and clammy skin. The little guy flatlined twice on the way to the ER. The second time it was over; we couldn't possibly have done anything else to save him. And, honestly, I did kinda make me feel bad, but I just thought "We did the best we could, Lord. We tried our hardest but this time things just didn't go the way we wanted them to. Thank you, Lord, for the courage and will to keep going and we ask for your help on our next run." We all had a group prayer in the bay of the ambulance building after cleanup was done. What I am getting at is that it is so hard to prove yourself anymore. Everyone goes, "Well there's a 15 year old riding shotgun in an ambulance. What's he doing getting involved with something he knows nothing about?". I am unfortunately stuck in a generation that is ignorant and selfish and I get labeled with everyone else which I don't think is fair. I have had to support myself all along this path and hold myself up. I hate to have an excuse, but I really don't come from a positive area. I have zero support from my family in my decision, and everyone always has nothing but negative trash to say. What I mean, really, is that I'm not stupid like most people say. I take pride in knowing that I have skills that not everyone around here has. Is this understandable? If not I can clarify it somewhat.



We are not attacking you for your age. NOT at all. I am sure most of us commend you for your efforts and energy and desire at such a young age. I never even knew your age until someone posted it here.

Looking back through this entire thing, most of what you posted and the way posted makes a bit more sense knowing your age. You want us to come to terms with the fact you know more about EMS and have seen more horror then most kids your age. and we acknowledge this...but you are still a kid.
I don't want to dissuade you from a career in EMS, but be a kid while you can. EMS will still be here and still be fun...

Believe it or not, the attacks were more teaching than attacking. But when someone is trying to teach you something, don't argue with them. Most of the time the person trying to teach you something has a lot more experience in the matter than you do. Listen, Learn. this goes for anyone any age, any experience. NO ONE on these boards has seen it all, so we are always learning in this job.


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## Mountain Res-Q (Jun 11, 2009)

Without any bashing:

Because I believe that all youngins interested in EMS should be encouraged and given direction, allow me to point out a few things that you wrote that raise the hair on my neck and make me doubt you as a future EMSer:



MedicObserver said:


> My intentions do not include any superiority or that "I know it all" attitude. I never meant anything like that. What I am getting at is that everyone always makes the assumption that I don't know what I'm getting into and that I won't make it bacause I don't know what EMS is about. And that's what gets me mad,



I can not see where any such assumptions were made here on anyones part except your own.  Maybe you are a little too thinned skinned and need to get over that to be in EMS, a field with far two many opinionated type A personalities.



MedicObserver said:


> when I ride I don't just sit in the front and watch the cars fly past as we rush to the ER. No Sir, I am right there in the jump seat watching everything, ready to grab something from a cabinet and hand it to whomever is working on the pt. (I have handed many things across the stretcher to a Paramedic or an EMT.)



Wow… that is impressive.  That alone is dripping in superiority.  You really think that handing the medic a 4x4 qualifies you in some grandiose way… or gives you some insights that we (the people you hand the 4x4 to) do not?



MedicObserver said:


> "We did the best we could, Lord. We tried our hardest but this time things just didn't go the way we wanted them to. Thank you, Lord, for the courage and will to keep going and we ask for your help on our next run."



Once again… you are an observer.  We are in EMS.  Obviously the crews you observe include you as part of a team.  GREAT!  But that is unfortunately leading you to believe that you are in EMS and have as much of a vested interest in pt. care as the ones who have already made this their career and have done so for many more years.  Can you lose a cert or license if you fail to hand the ambu bag to the EMT fast enough?



MedicObserver said:


> I am unfortunately stuck in a generation that is ignorant and selfish and I get labeled with everyone else which I don't think is fair. I have had to support myself all along this path and hold myself up. I hate to have an excuse, but I really don't come from a positive area. I have zero support from my family in my decision, and everyone always has nothing but negative trash to say. What I mean, really, is that I'm not stupid like most people say. I take pride in knowing that I have skills that not everyone around here has.



This is true.  I am so disappointed in the future of this country.  I relatively younger and am saddened by the youth.  I do not fault you for your age… in fact I personally applaud you for taking an active interest in a career that is by definition thankless but rewarding in the fact that you get to help others.  Obviously you are already jaded a little.  Instead of taking the perspective you have on EMS and spouting it as the “truth of EMS”, try a gain a broader perspective of what EMS is really all about.  A forum like this is a place to start.  Listen to what these people say and let it influence you for the better.  The first rule in my world of EMS is to accept that you know nothing (even if you are a Brain Surgeon) and that there are always smarter people that you can learn from.  I can understand the lack of support when you choose something like EMS as a career.  Oh can I understand it!!!  It is great to have an inward resolve to not let that affect you and that resolve often translates into a defiance that in this case does you some harm as well.  In particular I take that last sentence on pride.  Be proud that you want to do this as a career.  But lose the pride in your skills and abilities, both of which are so far beneath anyone here that it isn’t funny.  Pride like that (which is a manifestation of superiority) has no place in EMS.  Confidence and a resolve are wonderful. Pride (especially as is manifested in your posts) is not so good.

AND, yes, got your PM… and I understand what you mean.  But you still need to watch yourself and how you, even if you are a brighter more focused 15 year old, present yourself.  Without knowing your age originally, I though that you were some 20 year old newbie that just got his cert and was way too full of himself.  It turned me off and it will others.  Approach EMS from the standpoint of “I want to learn so I can help people” and not a “This is how accomplished I am and what I have to say are pearls of wisdom from my 2 years of observation.”  If you are truly as bright and focused as you say, it will show in your posts if you present yourself appropriately.  

Oh, anf you still realize that your original rant had no place in a discuseion on getthing a cert to drive an ambo in California, right?  ^_^

AFTERTHOUGHT:  See what I mean, this EMSers is smart.  Listen, Learn:



djmedic913 said:


> Believe it or not, the attacks were more teaching than attacking. But when someone is trying to teach you something, don't argue with them. Most of the time the person trying to teach you something has a lot more experience in the matter than you do. Listen, Learn. this goes for anyone any age, any experience. NO ONE on these boards has seen it all, so we are always learning in this job.


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## MGary (Jun 11, 2009)

*...You did what?*

:excl:





MedicObserver said:


> By the way I have driven a rig. It was like a week after I got my learner's permit for Driver's ED. I got to drive a Type I TraumaHawk (I love that word; it just sounds like a rock song or something) down to the car-wash and scrub it from top to bottom. Then I got to drive the RapidResponse Tahoe because I was with an EMT-B and we were the only unit free to handle it. He handled the patient in the back while I drove to the ER. (Chill, people, I had already learned how to run the radio and lights and such long before that and I knew the legalities of the situation as well. Plus, we got there without any issue and nothing was said to the contrary about my driving.) Like I said, I AM NOT YOUR AVERAGE TEENAGER!!



It's great that you want to get into EMS. Really, it is. But it's stunts like this that will keep you out of it. You're on a public board. People can figure out who you are from your postings on here. You just posted how you willfully broke numerous laws. 

You think it's smart to brag about driving an ambulance too young (law=18), on a learner's permit, w/o a licensed driver in the passenger seat, Code 3 without any training or even experience driving a normal vehicle let alone an ambulance, without the proper credentials (for example, an ADL or AAL, what this discussion was originally about) and endangered your own life, the life of your patient, the life of the EMT you were working with, and the life of every driver and pedestrian you passed while driving Code 3 unauthorized? 

Was there no cop, firefighter, first responder, or any other emergency personnel who you or the other EMT could have asked to drive the ambulance to the hospital for you? 

Do you think you'll get your EMT cert and Ambulance Attendant's License if your state EMS office hears about this stunt?

Do you think an employer will want to hire you after you demonstrate this kind of careless, reckless behavior? Insurance companies will drop coverage on private ambulance companies if they're caught pulling this kind of sh*t.

The EMT you were with should have known better, and you should know better. A private ambulance company can go out of business for this kind of crap. You want to see your buddies out of work for your screwup?

Man, you say you're mature and can handle EMS and its lifestyle. Prove it. The best way to step up and prove you're a man is to know when you've met circumstances that you can't handle. Instead of driving a rig Code 3 unauthorized, have the balls to tell that EMT no. Or even grab the damn radio yourself and advise Dispatch that you're a single unit and will need an LEO or FF to act as a driver once on-scene.


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## CAOX3 (Jun 11, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> yes i must say that my grammar is poor. i have excellent writing skills but i am not very computer friendly and i don't type on home row like you're supposed to; i do the old 2-finger peck and jab at the keyboard-type deal. i dont have time to go through and use caps, punctuation and all that.



You dont have time?  Attention to detail is a very important aspect of EMS, slow down a bit. Short cuts are not advisable in grammer and especially in EMS.


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## Double-E (Jun 12, 2009)

got my ADL handbook the other day.  thanks for the tips and stories all!


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## guardian528 (Jun 13, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> for one thing, it is not "ambulance driver"!!


yes it is. we're talking about CA, where you need a separate ADL(ambulance driver's license). not everywhere is the same, some require more or less to drive an ambulance, so it's an honest mistake on your part assuming that the laws are the same where you are from.



MedicObserver said:


> i very politely (well, that's kind of stretching it) informed her that she could go back to whatever floor she came from and be a bedpan changer like she really was.


this is just downright rude. I can't believe you weren't tossed off your ride-along right there and then. At 15, your role is to observe, learn more about the profession, and be respectful of those helping you along. This is not the time or place to get cocky. You need to approach these situations with a little humility, and realize there are people that have been doing this for longer than you have been alive; and that they can teach you a great deal if you are willing to learn.


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## JCampbell (Jun 13, 2009)

Here's my experience from over here on the other side of the states. We are not required to be EMT B certified, or take a test at DMV. We sit through a video and written test from a workbook and we are CEVO  II qualled providing we pass the test.  A DOT Medical Examiners certificate is required. That's it. Oh, and I AM an ambulance driver. B)


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## EMT11KDL (Jun 14, 2009)

well I figured i would throw Idaho into the Mix.  you have to take a EVOC that is provided by your agency.  You also have to have valid DL! 

I know the agency I belong to, we have members that are just "Drivers" and if it wasnt for these drivers we couldnt respond or transport due to the small number of EMT that volunteer with my agency or members that we have in total.


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## reaper (Jun 15, 2009)

JCampbell said:


> Here's my experience from over here on the other side of the states. We are not required to be EMT B certified, or take a test at DMV. We sit through a video and written test from a workbook and we are CEVO  II qualled providing we pass the test.  A DOT Medical Examiners certificate is required. That's it. Oh, and I AM an ambulance driver. B)



You do not need a DOT medical Cert!


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## Melclin (Jun 27, 2009)

*Because I can't resist having my say...*



Double-E said:


> got my ADL handbook the other day.  thanks for the tips and stories all!



HAHAHA saving that gif. 



VentMedic said:


> I also can not tell you how many times EMT(P)s have shown up to a pick up a patient and have not brought an O2 tank with them. Their response is "the pt is just on 2 L/m, he can wait hold out until we get to the truck". Yes, but the patient will have to endure the discomfort of being short of breath with an SpO2 of 80%.



Whats with that? On a couple of my placements, I've gone to grab the Oxysoc (portable oxygen), usually for homeO2 NC COPD pt, and the medics have just said "Nah don't worry about it". It's not like its any trouble just to bring the tank, and all those pt have sat very very uncomfortably in the ED waiting for us to handover.



And on a final note, *EXECUTIVE DECISION TIME*: As a student paramedic and know-it-all-in-the-making, I'm making the executive decision that cabulence will officially be known as the coolest pseudonym. Bugger the rest of ya who say different.h34r:


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## PeterB (Jun 28, 2009)

Whoever said that people tend to fail the California DMV Ambulance test was right. I read the booklet twice, did the online test, felt great, after all, I had finished the NREMT with 70 questions, so I thought I was good. 

I failed the test. 

The DMV lady was surprised also. She said I could take it again right away, but maybe best to study a little? So I went home and studied that booklet for two days straight, hours and hours. I went back, and I still missed two questions.

So study hard. 

Peter


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## Sapphyre (Jun 29, 2009)

PeterB said:


> Whoever said that people tend to fail the California DMV Ambulance test was right. I read the booklet twice, did the online test, felt great, after all, I had finished the NREMT with 70 questions, so I thought I was good.
> 
> I failed the test.
> 
> ...



Hmmm, would now be a bad time to mention I passed it first time, with 0 wrong?


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## Double-E (Jun 30, 2009)

Sapphyre said:


> Hmmm, would now be a bad time to mention I passed it first time, with 0 wrong?



haha now you've both thoroughly confused me


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## Anto (Jul 6, 2009)

http://emtstudyguide.blogspot.com/search/label/Ambulance Driver's Test

Study that + the online quizzes. I did both and missed one question, the one with the ambulance attendant needing an EMT cert after a period of time.


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## Mountain Res-Q (Jul 6, 2009)

Anto said:


> http://emtstudyguide.blogspot.com/search/label/Ambulance Driver's Test
> 
> Study that + the online quizzes. I did both and missed one question, the one with the ambulance attendant needing an EMT cert after a period of time.



Without my looking it up... correct me if I am wrong... but in CA you can hold an Ambulance Driver's License without holding an EMT cert for only 1 year, although I have never met a "driver only" in CA... yet...


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## Sapphyre (Jul 6, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> Without my looking it up... correct me if I am wrong... but in CA you can hold an Ambulance Driver's License without holding an EMT cert for only 1 year, although I have never met a "driver only" in CA... yet...



I have.  One of our local IFT companies....


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## JPINFV (Jul 6, 2009)

That is correct, and I believe volunteer service drivers aren't required to be an EMT-1.



Sapphyre said:


> I have.  One of our local IFT companies....



Just checking, are you sure he wasn't a "driver only" because the company only had enough EMT-1s on the insurance to have 1 driver per ambulance instead of having 2 drivers?


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## 415Luke (Jul 14, 2009)

Regarding the "green card" as coming from the DMV: I'm having trouble getting any straight information about this. 

CA DMV mailed me my original white paper copy of my ambulance drivers license (indicating they accepted my medical examiners form and issued my ABL), but they did not include any green card. I only received the white paper copy of the drivers license. 

I, of course, cannot get any answers from the DMV, so i'm left asking colleagues. Does the DMV still issue physical, (preferably green), proof of medical examiner certification? Thanks!


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## JPINFV (Jul 14, 2009)

You get the green card with the original physical form. Your phyisican should fill out and sign the multipage physical and the pocket sized green card. You turn the multipage physical and keep the green card.


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## guardian528 (Jul 15, 2009)

it comes with the forms they give you to fill out. hopefully you didn't turn it in with the other stuff


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## 415Luke (Jul 15, 2009)

Wow, thanks so much!

I printed my med examiner's form off the internet (http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/dl/dl51.pdf) that's why mine didn't have a green card. Other EMTs told me it would be mailed: guess that was bad information. 

(Incidently, the DMV rejected my DL-51 the first time I sent it because my Dr. missed a check box saying I had a 'regular heart beat'. Word of advice: double-check your Dr's work to avoid delays!)


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## Sapphyre (Jul 15, 2009)

Luke, I printed my first one off the internet too, my doctor gave me the card.  You do know that your ADL isn't valid without a valid green card, right?


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## daedalus (Jul 15, 2009)

MedicObserver said:


> for one thing, it is not "ambulance driver"!! that is one of THE BIGGEST insults to a Paramedic! once when i was on a ride we got into it with this snooty CNA at the ER because she told us that she didn't need an ambulance driver (uggh, i hate that word!!) telling her how the patient was doing when she could see for herself. i very politely (well, that's kind of stretching it) informed her that she could go back to whatever floor she came from and be a bedpan changer like she really was. you can guess how many laughs that got! we had PATIENTS and TOP ER PHYSICIANS laughing at it; i guess no one like her anyway (except for maybe the bedpans; she WAS the one who dumped them) lol sometimes you just need a good laugh but PLEASE , i tell you, PLEASE DO NOT USE THE TERM "AMBULANCE DRIVER" AGAIN!! IT IS DISRESPECTFUL WHERE I COME FROM!!



Wow that is an ignorant post. I feel for the CNA.


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## Level1pedstech (Jul 15, 2009)

I just read this thread start to finish and it amazes me how often threads get off track in this forum and often end up in someones feeling getting hurt weather we know it or not. I wonder how many people lurk and would love to post but are afraid of the possible attacks from the "my cert is higher than your cert" folks.

 Back to the thread, I hate to tell you this but half of you should probably not have a license to drive a car let alone any kind of emergency vehicle. I have been a professional truck driver for over twenty years I hold every endorsement except for the passenger bus endorsement. I have driven well over 2 million miles and except for a few minor equipment damage incidents and 1 ticket for speeding (in 1994) and 1 call in from a pissed off driver I have maintained a stellar safety record. Over the years I have driven in all forty eight states and some of Canada. I have observed drivers in every major metropolitan city from coast to coast. The most common problem I see is lack of attention followed by just piss poor driving skills and a huge lack of courtesy for those around you. I include in this fire,EMS,LE and of course many of my fellow truck drivers. Do I have any answers for those already suffering form these problems, not really but I am concearned with the new folks that are coming out on the road, my son included. 

 I remember taking the 8 hour EVAP course and thinking this along with some practice on the road is how a department prepares people to operate a very large and heavy vehicle on our communities streets. To say I was very concerned is an understatement. I was in the process of developing a driver training and ongoing skills management program when my wife and I had our bonus baby and I know longer had time for two departments and my tech job. I really feel this is a highly overlooked area and one that is sorely in need of attention. Remember our families and all others share these roads with our responding professionals. Just some food for thought.


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## noelpat (Apr 7, 2011)

MedicObserver said:


> for one thing, it is not "ambulance driver"!! that is one of THE BIGGEST insults to a Paramedic! once when i was on a ride we got into it with this snooty CNA at the ER because she told us that she didn't need an ambulance driver (uggh, i hate that word!!) telling her how the patient was doing when she could see for herself. i very politely (well, that's kind of stretching it) informed her that she could go back to whatever floor she came from and be a bedpan changer like she really was. you can guess how many laughs that got! we had PATIENTS and TOP ER PHYSICIANS laughing at it; i guess no one like her anyway (except for maybe the bedpans; she WAS the one who dumped them) lol sometimes you just need a good laugh but PLEASE , i tell you, PLEASE DO NOT USE THE TERM "AMBULANCE DRIVER" AGAIN!! IT IS DISRESPECTFUL WHERE I COME FROM!!



Hey MedicObserver! I don't know where you're from and I understand that to be called an "ambulance driver" by a professional in the medical field is an insult, but here in California, DMV notes the driver certification as an "ADL". What do you think that stands for??? "Ambulance Driver License". I know you were trying to make a point, but the original poster of the question was just referring to the California DMV's term for this type of license. Be a bit smarter about your responses in the future. Also, as a Paramedic, it is your job to care for people and treat other medical professionals with respect, even when they do not show respect to you.


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## Joe (Apr 7, 2011)

Sapphyre said:


> Hmmm, would now be a bad time to mention I passed it first time, with 0 wrong?



hey me too! that test was actually kind of easy...



PeterB said:


> Whoever said that people tend to fail the California DMV Ambulance test was right. I read the booklet twice, did the online test, felt great, after all, I had finished the NREMT with 70 questions, so I thought I was good.
> 
> I failed the test.
> 
> ...



that sucks man, if you can use google it would have saved you the 5 bucks for the blue book...


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## Sandog (Apr 7, 2011)

Joe said:


> hey me too! that test was actually kind of easy...
> 
> 
> 
> that sucks man, if you can use google it would have saved you the 5 bucks for the blue book...



Then do please share the link.


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## JPINFV (Apr 7, 2011)

Sandog said:


> Then do please share the link.


http://tinyurl.com/3gchelf


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## DesertMedic66 (Apr 7, 2011)

JPINFV said:


> http://tinyurl.com/3gchelf



i wasnt sure if we could actually share the link because it is the exact test with the answers.


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## looker (Apr 7, 2011)

firefite said:


> i wasnt sure if we could actually share the link because it is the exact test with the answers.



It's okay as I am sure DMV will not mind it B)


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## DesertMedic66 (Apr 7, 2011)

looker said:


> It's okay as I am sure DMV will not mind it B)



I was thinking about the admins on here haha


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## JPINFV (Apr 7, 2011)

firefite said:


> i wasnt sure if we could actually share the link because it is the exact test with the answers.




I'm not sharing any answers to be 100% technical.


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## Sandog (Apr 7, 2011)

JPINFV said:


> http://tinyurl.com/3gchelf



Clever, The poster I responded to mentioned the Ca, Ambulance license DMV book on line, was not asking about a test, but thanks...


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## Joe (Apr 9, 2011)

hahaha you guys are too much... it is literally the first thing that pops up when you google it. maybe there is a reason you had to take it twice lol


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## firetender (Apr 10, 2011)

firefite said:


> i wasnt sure if we could actually share the link because it is the exact test with the answers.



Somewhere in there, perhaps, but the link itself -- since it's a search feature -- does not appear to violate our rules.


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## nonameheroes (Apr 11, 2011)

I believe its 30 bucks to take the test in cali...and I think you also need your medical examiner's physical as well before you can take it along with the other stuff already mentioned.


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## MrBrown (Apr 11, 2011)

Brown applauds California for having an Ambulance drivers certificate requirement.

In Canada you require a Class F (or 4) license, in the UK you require a C and D endorsement and in Australia you need a Class MR license.  Each of these jurisdictions recognises driving as the most dangerous part of the role and strictly limits driving hours as well as imposing a higher standard of medical fitness and driving ability.

But not in the USA you can hop in with no training and be let loose in an ambulance after that awesome 100 hours course which tells you about how much lights and siren sand rapid transport help.


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## systemet (Apr 11, 2011)

I just want to add that I'm not that impressed with the class 4.  It's a quick multiple choice exam that focuses on taxicabs, ambulances and police vehicles and low capacity school buses.  A fair percentage of the questions are about when the bus driver should use their crossing lights.  Then it's a brief medical, and a 30 minute road test with a slightly lower threshold for failing than a regular driver's licence.  Then you have to file a new medical every 5 years.

Decent systems should put their staff through regular driver training, in the CEVO / NAPD model.


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## kapster68 (May 11, 2011)

*DOT Physical in California*

:exclo not over pay for your DL-51 physical:excl:. If you spend more than $75.00 your getting ripped off. In the San Fernando Valley you can go to Norton Medical on Sepulveda (818)779-1900. DOT Physical is only $65.00 there but you must call to set an appointment. Most walk-in clinics are charging $75.00-$100.00 so shop around.


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