DC Hiring single role medics

[Hunter]

Not sure if this was shared yet but someone posted it on FB. Thought it was interesting.

http://www.jems.com/article/news/dc-breaks-policy-begins-hiring-civilian

The D.C. fire department is set to hire civilian paramedics to address dire shortages in its emergency medical services workforce - moving forward with a major policy shift that reverses decades of efforts to establish an agency whose employees are cross-trained as both medics and firefighters.

 

[Wes]

Apparently, we're rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Again. Nothing that I know of works at DC Fire/EMS because quality fire and EMS isn't a priority for DC government. And the management is more concerned about diversity and equality than good patient care.

 

[JPINFV]

Am I the only one who hates the term "civilian paramedics."

 

[chaz90]

Nope! I thought the same thing when I read this. Like going through a fire academy automatically makes people members of the military...

 

[JPINFV]

Nope! I thought the same thing when I read this. Like going through a fire academy automatically makes people members of the military...

Granted, medicine/health care gets a bit pretencious when we refer to anyone not in it as the laity (i.e. lay provider), but we don't continuously shove it in peoples faces. There's also a practical difference (i.e. are you trained in medicine or just first aid), which can't be said about "civilian" vs "uniformed" in regards to front line providers.

 

[Hunter]

Civilian just feels like it makes them sound like they're less important or not as trained. You don't call the firefighters civilian firefighters. You could easily use a word such as single role paramedics. Vs. Dual role or even just plain "Paramedics".

 

[Handsome Robb]

I agree with you guys. The only argument I see is FD is sworn in here. They all wear a badge. EMS is not sworn in and no badges.

 

[JPINFV]

I agree with you guys. The only argument I see is FD is sworn in here. They all wear a badge. EMS is not sworn in and no badges.

That's because EMS is above wearing a piece of flair.

 

[DesertMedic66]

That's because EMS is above wearing a piece of flair.

I like my fancy piece of flair

 

[socalmedic]

I have 17 pieces of flair that are on my uniform shirt... hanging comfortably in my locker 90% of the time...

 

[Jon]

I'm wondering how this is going to work.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Me too. But my wife told me I can't apply.

 

[Wheel]

Me too. But my wife told me I can't apply.

Probably for the best though, huh?

 

[Jon]

Me too. But my wife told me I can't apply.

I mean, DC is a cool town... But I'm pretty sure I don't want to be a single-role medic for DC FEMS.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Oh yeah. I don't think I'd want to open that can o' worms.

 

[Hunter]

For agreements sake. Why not?

 

[NomadicMedic]

Well, I certainly wouldn't want to be a "civilian paramedic" in a department where all if the other employees are sworn, IAFF firefighters. I'd imagine the atmosphere would be a little ... Tense.

 

[DrParasite]

The department's uniformed firefighters and its dwindling number of civilian medics work different shifts, are represented by different unions, and have separate pay and benefits schedules. The bifurcated model led to tensions between providers of the different services and accusations of inequitable treatment.

so they have different unions, different pay, and different benefits.... no wonder they are treated liked the redheaded step child.

hell, if I was a FF/PM, I wouldn't want to take the pay cut, weaker union, and worse shifts, just so I would ride the ambulance.

its like FDNY all over again.

 

[abckidsmom]

And for second, I'd hate to be one of the only smart medics in town. I have a friend who spent some time there and ended up back at his suburban DC department after a couple of months. He said the attitudes of the vast majority of the employees there are so negative they don't even register on the disgruntled meter.

Add to that crappy equipment, terrible leadership, a woefully understaffed system and its a recipe for disaster, career-wise.

It would be fun for 1 year and 1 year only, like a deployment.

I've always thought there was a market for traveling medics, like traveling nurses. I think it would be neat to see something like that come up.

 

[Aidey]

And for second, I'd hate to be one of the only smart medics in town.

*snicker*

I wouldn't go near that department for anything less than a million a year.