A Rant

wadford

wadford

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Ok so this is a little bit of a rant.

I've been doing this for almost three years now and in that admittedly short amount of time I've learned a few things. There's policy, common sense and then there are good partners.

The scenario goes as follows. We get finished running three calls back to back to back. We get back out in our area after stopping by another medic station for supplies and stopping by the fire station to pick something up. Upon leaving the fire station apparently I did not put my seat belt on right away, so five minutes down the road my partner reminds me, so I go to put my seat belt on and it will not go all the way (it does that depending on how you're or in this case how my partner is driving). So we get back to the station and I restock the truck, sign reports and what not, I come back in to find that my partner has written me up for failure to put my seat belt on. I would understand if I was getting a write up if it pertained to patient care (which has never happened), but this just seems nitpicky to me. Firstly we are out in the middle of no where, our supervisors don't even come out this far, they wait until we are posted at one of the closer fire or medic stations. Secondly, we are supposed to be partners. Feedback on how to deal with nitpicking partners would be greatly appreciated.
 
wadford said:
Ok so this is a little bit of a rant.

I've been doing this for almost three years now and in that admittedly short amount of time I've learned a few things. There's policy, common sense and then there are good partners.

The scenario goes as follows. We get finished running three calls back to back to back. We get back out in our area after stopping by another medic station for supplies and stopping by the fire station to pick something up. Upon leaving the fire station apparently I did not put my seat belt on right away, so five minutes down the road my partner reminds me, so I go to put my seat belt on and it will not go all the way (it does that depending on how you're or in this case how my partner is driving). So we get back to the station and I restock the truck, sign reports and what not, I come back in to find that my partner has written me up for failure to put my seat belt on. I would understand if I was getting a write up if it pertained to patient care (which has never happened), but this just seems nitpicky to me. Firstly we are out in the middle of no where, our supervisors don't even come out this far, they wait until we are posted at one of the closer fire or medic stations. Secondly, we are supposed to be partners. Feedback on how to deal with nitpicking partners would be greatly appreciated.
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First off telling you to wear a seatbelt is not nitpicking, not even close.

Put your seatbelt on when the truck starts, every time, no exceptions. Did you need to get written up ? maybe not. Do you need to start wearing your seatbelt every time period, yes.

Personal pet peeve of mine. Nothing is easier to do to prevent "preventable" deaths and injuries then putting a seatbelt on...
 
I get that, and 99.9 percent of the time I do, it's a habit. This time for whatever reason I didn't. I simply thought doing paperwork on it was a bit of an overkill.
 
Rialaigh said:
First off telling you to wear a seatbelt is not nitpicking, not even close.

Put your seatbelt on when the truck starts, every time, no exceptions. Did you need to get written up ? maybe not. Do you need to start wearing your seatbelt every time period, yes.

Personal pet peeve of mine. Nothing is easier to do to prevent "preventable" deaths and injuries then putting a seatbelt on...
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This^^^

Unbelted you present a safety risk for others in the cab in the event of a crash.

from my experience these types of "incidents" or write ups happen when there is a lack of communication between partners.
 
Basically:

Get some trauma tape. Tape, starting at the center of the dash in a linear fashion down the middle of the cab. Continue taping all the way around the console, the back wall, the roof, the windshield, all the way to where you started.

You have now created an impenetrable force field separating your space from your partners space.

You must then let your weak sauce partner know that he is not to present and limb beyond the force field or you will repeatedly stab him with a 16 gauge 2 1/2 inch needle.

Then tell him.... "Hey bro, you could have just asked me nicely instead of creating this rift we're going to have forever since we spend so much time together in this truck in the middle of nowhere and now I don't like or trust you. Get off your high horse ."

If he is receptive in a positive manner - squash it, then put your seatbelt on.
If he responds negatively, GTA5 his butt--- slap 'im around a little. And then Put on your seatbelt.

Like the other advice on here suggests--- you should put on your seatbelt, no matter what happens.

Be a role model. If you don't get there safely..... You know the rest.
 
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For real though...
Wear your seat belt.

Communicate with your partner/supervisor... Professionally.

Is a write up excessive? Maybe- I don't know your history.
Either way you have to swallow it.

Lesson learned.
 
I don't get between dogs and their food, married people, or partners.

laurel-and-hardy-LST034546.jpg
 
If you have a nitcpicky partner then you better be good about following policy. Eventually you can talk to him about it, but in the interim you're just going to have to do it by the book.

For what it's worth I think it's kind of a crappy move to go straight to a writeup. However, he did ask you twice and you did not do it, whatever your reasons may be. If the seatbelt wasn't working as you described why not just ask him to pull over?
 
Alright, so your partner may have gone over the top by writing you up, but the best way to handle this one is to be graceful and move on. Admit you were in the wrong, assure them it won't happen again (and just because your supervisors don't make it out to your area doesn't mean that it's okay to bend the rules) and then let it go.

And maybe at some time in the future have an adult conversation with them and politely voice your thoughts on directly addressing a partner about a concern before taking the next step and reporting it.
 
You should have had your seatbelt on, but it was a crap move and I definitely would have trouble trusting that dude to have my back.
 
FiremanMike said:
You should have had your seatbelt on, but it was a crap move and I definitely would have trouble trusting that dude to have my back.
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This. Big freaking deal you forgot to put it on. Your partner is a ****.
 
Agreed, it was a **** move... If it actually happened the way the OP claimed. I find it really hard to believe that his partner wrote him up over a simple "Fergotz mah seatbelt! OMGZ, it was teh first time evar". I'd bet this was a long time coming and the culmination of a series of indiscretions. Maybe not all seatbelt... But I can almost hear this in my head.

"Dude, put your seatbelt on"

"Hey man, put on your seatbelt"

"Seriously? Every time we get in the truck I have to remind you to put your seatbelt on."

"C'mon man. Seatbelt. Do it."

I had recent incident with a partner who simply DID NOT HEAR what I was saying until I had a supervisor mention it, then suddenly I was an arse for talking to the supe about it. Someday you just can't win.

I'll always talk to the partner about it first, but at the end of the day, supervisors get paid more than I do to deal with personnel issues.
 
I agree with everyone else. Seatbelt is a given, but I think everyone here has forgotten a time or two in their lives right?

Do you drive ever? If he's in that seat, drive like he does or rig it so he can't wear his and then write him up :) Actually don't do that. That wouldn't be good.
 
wadford said:
I get that, and 99.9 percent of the time I do, it's a habit. This time for whatever reason I didn't. I simply thought doing paperwork on it was a bit of an overkill.
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If you were my partner, I'd have the write up paperwork done by the time I got back to the station... but then again at my company that can be an instantly terminable offense, and doing it when you're partnered w/ a supervisor is always a bad idea.
 
DEmedic said:
I'll always talk to the partner about it first, but at the end of the day, supervisors get paid more than I do to babysit.
Click to expand...

Fixed it for you
 
TransportJockey said:
If you were my partner, I'd have the write up paperwork done by the time I got back to the station... but then again at my company that can be an instantly terminable offense, and doing it when you're partnered w/ a supervisor is always a bad idea.
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You advocate termination for a first time offense of not wearing a seatbelt??
 
FiremanMike said:
You advocate termination for a first time offense of not wearing a seatbelt??
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No I dont. Its company policy though. Up to and including termination. But if it's not the first time i've had to talk to them about it the write up would be there. And this story still sounds like there's something that hasn't been said. I don't know anyone who would write up someone just for the first time
 
TransportJockey said:
No I dont. Its company policy though. Up to and including termination. But if it's not the first time i've had to talk to them about it the write up would be there. And this story still sounds like there's something that hasn't been said. I don't know anyone who would write up someone just for the first time
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A story with two sides? No way! :wacko:
 
If it truly is just a seat belt uh "violation" then ya, your partner is a **** and total tool. However this obviously goes much deeper, I'm assuming you two normally don't get along?

Things like this are a quick way to get yourself "blacklisted." You'll earn a reputation as a tool that will follow you everywhere.
 
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