Recent content by Rip Shears

Hmmm, seemed to have missed this thread when I first signed up. So, allow myself to introduce...myself. Yeah. Joined the Navy in '96 and went through Paramedic training in '98. Still active duty. Started doing medical R&D in '03 and began development of the Rip Shears nearly four years ago...

You won't receive the same level of high-angle rescue training the PJs get as a MARSOC Corpsman, nor will you operate at the same level (in most cases). The PJs are more specialized and have been part of SOCOM for much longer than MARSOC (formerly known as Force Recon). Don't get me wrong...

Rip Shears, LLC has now expanded its lineup to include a glow-in-the-dark version of its original RS-1 Ripper called the RS-3 Firefly to help civilian medics keep track of their gear long after lights-out. We have had great feedback from civilian and military medics, both in the US and abroad...

Sorry to hear that. Not that it's going to be any consolation for your lost Rip Shears, but we now offer our glow-in-the-dark Firefly to help medics keep track of their gear in low-light situations.

It goes back a ways. Just keeping it directionless.

I can see TGP's point. Interest and education are obviously very important, but they must be backed by aptitude and commitment to make one an effective caregiver. I don't think TGP is necessarily being discouraging, just realistic. Medicine is not something to be treated lightly, as I'm sure...

Yes.

Bates makes a very comfortable black duty boot with Gore-Tex and a side zip. The octogrip sole pattern is outstanding, too. I received a set of 5.11 HRT boots years ago and they were garbage by comparison. I still have the Bates. The 5.11's...not so much.

I've used the 5.11 pants and they're terrible unless you have little toothpick legs. Just try stepping up onto something above your knee...the fabric completely binds up on your thigh so you have to work against the pants. They totally restrict freedom of movement, and the crotch isn't...

How many folks have used the Prestige fluoride shears and how many like them? The only other ones I've seen with the fluoride (black teflon) coating are made by Miltex, and they're extremely expensive (about twice the price of the Prestige scissors). Do you think the Prestige shears are worth...

Not to hijack this thread, but how are the UK EMS services doing in general? I've heard about them taking big budget cuts over the last year due to the economy. London EMS in particular.

Your treatment was appropriate. You did what you could. Don't beat yourself up.

Gotta say that going through HM A-school in San Antonio would be a huge improvement over anything at Great Lakes. Especially being able to consolidate lessons-learned from the other services in one place.

Yep, that pretty well sums it up.

Concur with Trey. The EMT-T or TEMS personnel I have dealt with have always been directly associated with a LE entity (be it a local SWAT unit or the national FBI HRT). Like with NREMT-P, there needs to be a nationally-recognized curriculum to support the EMT-T designation. For the medic...