Recent content by Honeybadger

I was thinking that, but I was unsure if there were ethics violations, e.g. a doctor cannot treat his/her own family. I feel confident I cools handle the call, it is just another patient after all, I'd be treating him no differently than any other patient.

I am potentially being placed in the position of responding to my fiancee's father as a psych patient. What are the ethics involved? If he requests I tech, do I decline and force my partner to to tech? Do I refuse to have my unit run the call and request another ambulance? Which may take quite a...

I've called in and stepped in on quite a few incidents of rolling domestic violence. Not because I have any special training, but because it's the decent thing to do. There's nothing wrong with stopping to make sure everyone's okay and if necessary, calling 911. Even if you don't stop, calling...

Why does everyone keep assuming that when I say that bystanders are great assets, that I am implying that they're doing your job and you should not listen to them at all because you should be doing the job that you better damn well be doing anyways? What kind of idiot doesn't assess patients...

Though I severely disagree that moi is not a good indicator for index of suspicion of relative injury (a and b pillar damage, distortion or intrusion of the passenger cell, pedal shifting, airbag deployment or lack thereof, starring windshields and head prints on side windows are all extremely...

Scopes are really like cell phones or car brands. Vehement loyalty. But hold a master cardio side by side to a harvey dlx and you would be able to tell the difference clearly. I don't want to put down a littman, I think the cardio 3 is fabulous. And littman fit and finish is superb. But you are...

Yes I've broken a whole hell of a lot of auto glass. Very minor damage usually does not result in doors failing to open (deformation of the passenger cell is one of the key restrictions there. Most of the time, even in severe accidents, Doors will open. It's a pretty darn important feature to...

Oh absolutely true, I dont trust anything an ON DUTY seattle firefighter tells me (had a guy vomiting red four loco with pancreatitis. Firefighter tells me "I think this might be the real deal, he has a hx of aortic dissection") and you should never fail to perform your own examination, but that...

Not necessarily "never" but so rarely that you might as well just smash it with whatever if the situation calls (the nose of those shears is potent enough to smash a window) Heavy rescue is usually available, glass going everywhere can create further injuries, the only time you should be using...

Bystanders can be great sources of information. Why wouldnt you listen to an off duty ems personnel with pertinent info? We had a kid die recently and one of our off duty EMT's was there to witness the crash and timed the concurrent seizure along with getting him into a c collar that he had in...

I'm not too thrilled with mine. The steel doesn't hold an edge all that well, the seatbelt cutter and oxygen wrench cant really be ussd unless the knife is folded completely, the fit and finish isn't great, the handles are INSANELY uncomfortable and the nylon handle stop that keeps the shears...

Opinels use a collar lock that will stand up to just as much punishment as any slip joint or pin lock system. The blade will break long before the lock does on any decently made knife. DEmedic is right though, trauma shears are your only real ems cutting implement. I sharpened my cheap penny...

External compartments for things like your stair chair, backboards, clamshells, and main o2 tanks makes for a much easier to organize, spacious, and tidy interior. I'm curious to see how the new ford transits with the 3.2 five cylinder diesel do. But we may go for the ecoboost twin turbo v6 as...

It's not expensive to have an emergency kit. I got it from my mother, a thoroughly practical engineer. She always has had a small 4wd suv with a milk crate or two of tools and supplies in the back. Acdelco makes a nice hilift jack for $50 and a huge heavy duty comealong is all of $30. Most of...

I'm not some doomsday prepper, and my stuff on my truck is mostly for off road use (where it does get used heavily) But I know how to use my tools and why shouldn't I help out somone with a broken down car or a kid who hit a patch of gravel and dropped his bike? It all fits into one big plastic...