# The (un)offical I'm stuck at work on Christmas thread



## adamjh3 (Dec 25, 2010)

How's your company/agency treating you this year for Christmas? 

I'm on the 24 hour car and they're letting us post at station all day and buying us dinner :beerchug:


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## TransportJockey (Dec 25, 2010)

I just got off a 36 hour on-call shift that I spent more time at the station than at my apartment, now I'm on a 12 hour duty shift, followed by 24 more of on-call and 12 more of duty. It sucks being the only single person without kids at my service.

As for today... One of the service's members invited me and my partner to his place for xmas dinner


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## Stephanie. (Dec 25, 2010)

I'm working dispatch for 16 hours today. Off at 11pm & absolutely nothing. 


Was hoping I could talk one of the fire departments in bringing us up some Christmas dinner, since I don't have any family here... I'll keep my fingers crossed. If not, then I will be chowing down on a hot pocket. LOL


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## NomadicMedic (Dec 25, 2010)

I'm on day 2 of the Christmas 48. Yesterday, the BLS crew made pulled pork and rice with cherry pie for desert.  Today the duty crew is baking a couple of hams and roasting potatoes. Where I am working today, medics only run ALS IFT, so it's been pretty slow. Only three calls yesterday. Now, I'm having breakfast with my girlfriend and her kids.


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## SanDiegoEmt7 (Dec 25, 2010)

Mmmm hot pocket, I'm watching movies at station, hoping no one wants to go to the hospital unless they really need it.


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## lex (Dec 25, 2010)

My partner and I are the only ones in town and neither of us work where our family is so we're both hoping for a nice day to catch up on sleep (in my partners case) and reading (in mine). And after lunch we're going to head over to the seniors centre to visit and spread some Christmas spirit to those who don't have family to spend the day with. I can honestly say that I LOVE working Christmas!

But for now I am curling up on the couch with a new book (and no it is not a text book) and a cup of tea, exactly how I like to spend my Christmas morning.


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## HappyParamedicRN (Dec 25, 2010)

Working 24 hours...  We are based out of a fire station so were invited to a FF's house for brunch, thankfully since nothingis open!  Food was good,  now selting down at the station to watcha movie!

Happy


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## Shishkabob (Dec 25, 2010)

I worked a 24 yesterday, so I technically worked 7 hours of Christmas (and got the 'holiday pay' to prove it!)


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## lightsandsirens5 (Dec 25, 2010)

Well, I'm not working today, but if you are, my family and I just said a small prayer for you. Thanks to all of you that are covering today. Be safe please! And Merry Christmas.


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## WolfmanHarris (Dec 25, 2010)

Worked yesterday and today.
Yesterday sucked. One medical VSA and one messy traumatic arrest in the hospital parking lot. (long story) Almost booked off after the last arrest, but chilling in the reporting room at the hospital with everybody helped and a quick phone chat with our CISM guy and Christmas eve with my wife got my back into work today.

Today's been great. My partner and I arranged to do breakfast. I brought in a griddle and we did bacon, eggs, toast juice and coffee. Watched "Meet the Fockers" and some other random TV. Hung out with one of our SRU guys who decided to post in the north for awhile. And then around 1100 on of our medics who lives across from the base surprised us with a second breakfast. She brought over eggs benedict and perogies for the three of us. 

We had almost six hours of down time before we got an non emerg call for generally unwell lymphoma Pt. Now back at bash, three hours to go and the peak truck has booked on so we're second up. 

Life is good.


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## TransportJockey (Dec 25, 2010)

How's everyone's shifts been? I've had 4 calls so far... 1 transport to the city and 3 refusals. But the transfer jsut made the day seem ungodly long... Still 2 more hours left till I go back on-call


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## MoonachieFirstAid&Rescue (Dec 25, 2010)

I alas am stuck at work too. I'm a volly EMT but I'm stuck working my paid job (Line service technician at an airport.) 3 other people from my volly squad are working with me today, all of us wishing we weren't.


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## HotelCo (Dec 25, 2010)

I've only had one call in 6 hours. One of our dispatches cooked an entire homemade Christmas dinner for us. Now I'm sitting in the crew room watching some basketball, and thinking about taking my belt out a notch after all that food.

.


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## adamjh3 (Dec 25, 2010)

Slow slow slow here. Not a single call and we're the only crew on. I'm hoping it stays this way until after 11 tonight. Would love to run a couple calls and get paid out.


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## nakenyon (Dec 25, 2010)

Been on-call all day. One diabetic problem. On until 0500 tomorrow. Enjoying a delicious christmas dinner with the family right now then spending the rest of the night back at the station watching movies.


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## STXmedic (Dec 25, 2010)

On shift today at my Fire job, 24hr. Caught a warehouse fire right as Christmas lunch/early dinner was going to be ready... Figures. Lol at least it was a nice worker!


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## Fox800 (Dec 25, 2010)

On a 24 hour shift here. One call so far, suspected meningococcal encephalitis. Was exciting until I realized there wasn't much I could do for the patient. Then our transmission crapped out, and the reserve truck we got into had an empty main oxygen tank. The winch we use to swap out tanks was broken, and someone had also knotted the webbing/ratchet system that secures the oxygen tank to the ambulance, so we had to undo all the knots and change the (6 foot tall, 200lbs+) tanks by hand which sucked. We're at a joint-use EMS/fire station and ate with fire for lunch, probably will for dinner, too.


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## NomadicMedic (Dec 25, 2010)

Only 2 calls so far. Did an epigastric pain r/o Cholecystitis at 2 this morning and a possible CVA about an hour ago. Other than that, I've been alternating between napping and watching "a Christmas story" and mythbusters. We just ate a big dinner of ham, smashed potatoes and all the fixin's and now everyone is relaxing like fat cats on the couch in the crew lounge.


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## TransportJockey (Dec 25, 2010)

I'm glad I wasn't driving... we managed to get into an MVC with our backup unit...


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## adamjh3 (Dec 25, 2010)

jtpaintball70 said:


> I'm glad I wasn't driving... we managed to get into an MVC with our backup unit...



Everyone okay? 


Just played a round of tennis with balled up paper and bottles of Clorox. Yeah, we were a little bored


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## TransportJockey (Dec 25, 2010)

adamjh3 said:


> Everyone okay?
> 
> 
> Just played a round of tennis with balled up paper and bottles of Clorox. Yeah, we were a little bored


Yea, we're all ok. A car not only failed to yield to our lights, they blew a stop sign they should have stopped at anyways. I am more sore than the others cause I had just unstrapped to restart an IV that the patient had pulled out. Yet another reason I hate medium duty rigs. I can't work on the patient and be strapped in. I miss working in a Type II


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## adamjh3 (Dec 25, 2010)

Fox800 said:


> On a 24 hour shift here. One call so far, suspected meningococcal encephalitis. Was exciting until I realized there wasn't much I could do for the patient. Then our transmission crapped out, and the reserve truck we got into had an empty main oxygen tank. The winch we use to swap out tanks was broken, and someone had also knotted the webbing/ratchet system that secures the oxygen tank to the ambulance, so we had to undo all the knots and change the (6 foot tall, 200lbs+) tanks by hand which sucked. We're at a joint-use EMS/fire station and ate with fire for lunch, probably will for dinner, too.




Wait... there's a way to change those other than by hand?


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## adamjh3 (Dec 25, 2010)

jtpaintball70 said:


> Yea, we're all ok. A car not only failed to yield to our lights, they blew a stop sign they should have stopped at anyways. I am more sore than the others cause I had just unstrapped to restart an IV that the patient had pulled out. Yet another reason I hate medium duty rigs. I can't work on the patient and be strapped in. I miss working in a Type II



Good to hear, glad everyone's good to go.


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## Adz (Dec 25, 2010)

adamjh3 said:


> Wait... there's a way to change those other than by hand?



Not for us, that winch would be nice though


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## Fox800 (Dec 25, 2010)

jtpaintball70 said:


> Yea, we're all ok. A car not only failed to yield to our lights, they blew a stop sign they should have stopped at anyways. I am more sore than the others cause I had just unstrapped to restart an IV that the patient had pulled out. Yet another reason I hate medium duty rigs. I can't work on the patient and be strapped in. I miss working in a Type II



What kind of rigs do you guys run?

We run an International chassis but are transitioning to Ford F-450's.


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## Sandog (Dec 25, 2010)

Well, sorta of a Christmas tradition with my wife and I, we run a blanket collection drive for the homeless here in San Diego. Last X-mas my wife and I were handing out blankets when I was attacked by a homeless man. As it turns out, some of the donated blankets we had were surplus SD County jail blankets and this apparently struck a cord with this particular individual.

Needless to say, I became somewhat bitter towards the homeless (Ungrateful bastages I thought). 

Fast forward to this year... My wife talked me into another blanket drive, reluctantly I went along with another blanket delivery downtown still bitter about the year before. This time we drove to a homeless mission to drop off the blankets. When we got there I was saddened by all the small children that we saw. Poor little guys... they never asked for this way of life.

At any rate, we handed out about 100 blankets, my wife was handing cute blankets to the kids. Now keep in mind, I am still somewhat bitter about these ungrateful homeless people.

Fate has a funny way of making a point. All the blankets were handed out and my wife and I started to leave. I jump into the driver seat and happily buckle up in preparation to leave. Turn the truck key, click...click...click.

Son-of a bit^%$, The damn car was dead. I popped the hood and stare blankly at the engine. At this point I look at my surroundings and scene is not safe... 

Now remember I said, fate has a funny way of making a point. Next thing I know, a half dozen homeless guys offer to help us out. We all push the truck as my wife pops the clutch. The engine started and my wife drives down the street and make a U turn.  All the helpers smiled and wished us a Merry Christmas.

Last year I was scrooged and grew bitter. This year, my faith in humanity returned.   Bless all those little souls in the cold tonight.

Merry Christmas all...


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## TransportJockey (Dec 25, 2010)

Fox800 said:


> What kind of rigs do you guys run?
> 
> We run an International chassis but are transitioning to Ford F-450's.



Right now... An old E350 with a long and wide box (larger than any I've seen on a Type III E-series chasis), which is what I was in. It's technically not medium duty I guess but it's larger than standard and approaching the size of box of our others.
We have a newer (08) C4500 'Medium' Duty box from Lonestar Emergency vehicles, which is our primary unit.
An IH medium duty which is in the shop right now
And a Type II Chevy that we use for transfers to Odessa


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## Stephanie. (Dec 25, 2010)

I've had about 10 calls in a 16 hour shift. Going home now!


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## medicdan (Dec 25, 2010)

Chinese food with 200 fellow MOTs last night, followed by 18 hour shift (covering bang-outs), 15 calls. Absolutely wiped out. Time for bed to make it to my 0800 shift tomorrow. 
Meh, I'm Jewish... don't mind working Christmas if it means co-workers can spend it with family or friends. It's just Saturday to me.


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## NomadicMedic (Dec 25, 2010)

Just transported a 475 pound young guy with trigeminal PVCs. Interesting stuff.

Santa just keeps droppin' 'em down my chimney.


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## Ewok Jerky (Dec 26, 2010)

Just got home from a 36-hour shift that started at 0500 christmas eve. Luckily I had an hour or two between 12s to freshen up a bit. yesterday, at the first station we had about 300 chocolate covered strawberries get dropped of by fire dispatch. Second station this afternoon had tri-tip, potatoes and salad. Other than that just a crap load of holiday pay! Oh and a 24-hour "christmas story" matson on tv


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## TransportJockey (Dec 26, 2010)

I'm technically on-call... but the duty crew has been running near non-stop since I got off duty at 1800... And we've run 3 calls as the second out crew tonight.


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## CodyHolt83 (Dec 27, 2010)

Stephanie. said:


> I'm working dispatch for 16 hours today. Off at 11pm & absolutely nothing.
> 
> 
> Was hoping I could talk one of the fire departments in bringing us up some Christmas dinner, since I don't have any family here... I'll keep my fingers crossed. If not, then I will be chowing down on a hot pocket. LOL



I too was working dispatch that day just outside of Dallas.....BUSY AS CRAP!!!


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## 94H (Dec 27, 2010)

2 calls in 16 hours


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