# Inattentive EMT's



## Sydney Bryce (Aug 27, 2015)

So heres a thing I want to ask you guys.
Having you ever seen an EMT completely disregard their PT? 
Recently this one guy decided that sending a text was more important than safely putting their PT into the bus. I've seen the same agency, DROP a PT out of their ambulance.
(Theres a whole slew of nonsense about this agency that bothers me, but i'll refrain for now.)


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## GirevikMedic (Aug 27, 2015)

Unfortunately, this is a problem applies to any provider level. I've seen this due to a number/combination of things: ego, cynicism, burn out, complacency, laziness.

Any/every job or profession is going to have its gold stars and its bad apples.


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## redundantbassist (Aug 27, 2015)

Write him up.


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## epipusher (Aug 27, 2015)

I agree, write them up. Then look for a different place to work.


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## Sydney Bryce (Aug 31, 2015)

I don't work there. That's a volunteer agency in my area that Also has received "agency of the yeat" multiple times now. It's disgraceful. They've nearly hit the volunteer firefighters on more than one occasion because they didn't feel like being on the side. The fire chief plays bouncer to keep the guys away from the firefighters (who are also EMTs and currently with the patient), because that agency is known to push firefighters out of the way to get to a patient. The point where a fire fighter needed stitches because he was pushed onto broken glass.


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## Tigger (Aug 31, 2015)

Sydney Bryce said:


> I don't work there. That's a volunteer agency in my area that Also has received "agency of the yeat" multiple times now. It's disgraceful. They've nearly hit the volunteer firefighters on more than one occasion because they didn't feel like being on the side. The fire chief plays bouncer to keep the guys away from the firefighters (who are also EMTs and currently with the patient), because that agency is known to push firefighters out of the way to get to a patient. The point where a fire fighter needed stitches because he was pushed onto broken glass.


Have you done anything about these incidents?


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## TransportJockey (Sep 1, 2015)

Sounds like that Volly agency needs to start cleaning house. Maybe start from square one.


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## victimsofbasicemt (Nov 16, 2016)

TransportJockey said:


> Sounds like that Volly agency needs to start cleaning house. Maybe start from square one.



Any suggestions on how to make this happen?  I (among others) was the victim of a home invasion at 230am from a volly emt/firefighter that was arrested for three violent felonies and domestic battery.  Our small town fire chief won't do anything about it.


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## Handsome Robb (Nov 16, 2016)

victimsofbasicemt said:


> Any suggestions on how to make this happen?  I (among others) was the victim of a home invasion at 230am from a volly emt/firefighter that was arrested for three violent felonies and domestic battery.  Our small town fire chief won't do anything about it.



The police department....or sheriff's office. Whichever covers where you live. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## victimsofbasicemt (Nov 17, 2016)

Handsome Robb said:


> The police department....or sheriff's office. Whichever covers where you live.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Yeah, like I said, the police arrested the rookie vollie EMT-B/firefighter on all those violent felony charges and domestic battery.  Among the threats levied around 3am that night were that the fire department would get us (me and my partner) fired from our jobs.  Nobody from the fire dept posted bail.  Got let out 5 days later on OR.  

After a guilty plea, court system handed down a sentence of 1 year in jail, suspended, with probation, several thousands of dollars of restitution (volunteer punched out a bunch of windows, threw bricks through them etc. . .) of which not a dime has been received (almost 18 months later).  

I guess I thought fire departments/ems were places of public trust that didn't tolerate this kind of stuff.  All of my fire/paramedic friends in other jurisdictions have said there was no way that they would allow anyone on their force if they were convicted of a violent crime and placed on probation, I guess its just a small town who ya know/blow kind of thing.


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## GBev (Nov 17, 2016)

I was working with what I thought was a relatively experienced EMT (>2 year in field, full-time) at an agency mine had recently acquired. Our pt was a BLS transfer with GCS 10... at leas when we loaded her in. When we reached the destination, this EMT evidently did not do any kind of continuous assessment because she was GCS 3 when I opened the back doors. He was more concerned about finishing as much of the PCR as he could before the transport was completed. The only saving grace was that pt was DNR.

My biggest complaint about BLS transfers is that EMTs see it as an easy call that doesn't require a full assessment or follow ups since the pt was just at the hospital and assessed by an RN before transfer. Not to rip on every transfer-centered system, but I think that generally they produce lousy medics.


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## NysEms2117 (Nov 17, 2016)

victimsofbasicemt said:


> After a guilty plea, court system handed down a sentence of 1 year in jail, suspended, with probation, several thousands of dollars of restitution (volunteer punched out a bunch of windows, threw bricks through them etc. . .) of which not a dime has been received (almost 18 months later).


what state is this? also what were the exact charges?
PM me if you want help, dont take up the forum with other off-topic posts


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## victimsofbasicemt (Nov 17, 2016)

NysEms2117 said:


> what state is this? also what were the exact charges?
> PM me if you want help, dont take up the forum with other off-topic posts



Sorry about that, seemed applicable given the discussion about reporting malfeasance and whatnot; and thanks for the offer, I will hit you up in a few.  What forum would be best for this stuff otherwise?


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## DrParasite (Nov 17, 2016)

Maybe the town council?  speak to the mayor?  complain to the district attorney?  how about the local news paper?

If you have a problem with the criminal justice system, and how your local FD is managed, an EMT forum is probably not the best place to air dirty laundry if you actually want to get stuff changed.


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## victimsofbasicemt (Nov 17, 2016)

DrParasite said:


> Maybe the town council?  speak to the mayor?  complain to the district attorney?  how about the local news paper?
> 
> If you have a problem with the criminal justice system, and how your local FD is managed, an EMT forum is probably not the best place to air dirty laundry if you actually want to get stuff changed.



I think you're misunderstanding the nature of my input.  I'm _asking_ what the best policy is to have someone within that structure (fire dept) address the actions that said person threatened the fire dept would help the defendant get away with.

The criminal justice system has already dealt with this person.  Nonetheless, we are still out thousands of dollars of the restitution that isn't being paid, vandalism and continue to deal with threats of "better hope your house doesn't burn down."

If I was airing "dirty laundry" I would just link to the public stories identifying the person and department.  I'm merely asking you guys and girls where you would go, (i.e. maybe what is the next entity in the chain of command?) in a similar situation.


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## DrParasite (Nov 17, 2016)

victimsofbasicemt said:


> I think you're misunderstanding the nature of my input.  I'm _asking_ what the best policy is to have someone within that structure (fire dept) address the actions that said person threatened the fire dept would help the defendant get away with.


 ummm, if the chief won't do anything, go higher.  even in a volunteer department, there is someone who has oversight over the department (district commissioners, city manager, town council, who gives the department their money?  who has decided that they are the ones who respond to fires?  go speak to that person)


victimsofbasicemt said:


> The criminal justice system has already dealt with this person.  Nonetheless, we are still out thousands of dollars of the restitution that isn't being paid, vandalism and continue to deal with threats of "better hope your house doesn't burn down."


if you are out the restitution, then you should seek legal counsel for the best option.  If you are still getting threats, then consult law enforcement to see if its a criminal threat.  and if you still aren't satisfied, go above the chief's head (see above paragraph).





victimsofbasicemt said:


> If I was airing "dirty laundry" I would just link to the public stories identifying the person and department.  I'm merely asking you guys and girls where you would go, (i.e. maybe what is the next entity in the chain of command?) in a similar situation.


This is now completely off topic, and has nothing to do with inattentive EMTs.

But as I said before, if you have an issue with the chief's actions, go contact your local elected officials.  or the local press.  if they won't do anything, than either the issue isn't as bad as you claim, or you should relocate to a safer area.


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