"Does the EMS have a gruge against FFs?"

[46Young]

There's quite the lively discussion on firehouse.com with this thread name. It's pretty one sided, as you could imagine. Perhaps some of you could log on there, and give arguments for seperate services. I'm sure that you'll get a lot of mileage out of that thread, and also bring balance to the discussion. It'll definitely hold more entertainment value for you than discussing stethoscopes, POV lights, so on and so forth. It shouldn't be much of a hostile environment, so don't be afraid to jump in. I haven't seen any derogatory comments towards single role EMS workers or anything.


http://www.firehouse.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113757

 

[medic417]

Why would I want to debate with a bunch of hose monkeys that scored to low on the intelligence exam to qualify to even attempt to become a Paramedic?

 

[ethomas9449]

I really don't understand, from my time on our squad everyone has equal respect and knowledge. We need them and they need us.

 

[Shishkabob]

How am I supposed to debate with someone if they can't even spell 'grudge' correctly... let alone the 20 other atrocious grammar and spelling mistakes he's made in his first 2 times posting in that thread (OP)?

 

[46Young]

Why would I want to debate with a bunch of hose monkeys that scored to low on the intelligence exam to qualify to even attempt to become a Paramedic?

It should be a convincing argument from your side then. Have at it! Some on that thread are paramedics as well.

 

[46Young]

How am I supposed to debate with someone if they can't even spell 'grudge' correctly... let alone the 20 other atrocious grammar and spelling mistakes he's made in his first 2 times posting in that thread (OP)?

the OP is a non factor for most of the discussion.

 

[46Young]

I really don't understand, from my time on our squad everyone has equal respect and knowledge. We need them and they need us.

Some areas everyone's cool, other areas they hate each other's guts. I haven't had the experience of interdepartmental tension when I was single role, thankfully.

 

[medic417]

It should be a convincing argument from your side then. Have at it! Some on that thread are paramedics as well.

Sadly I have a life, not emtlife, but a real life so no time to go there and teach them right from wrong.

 

[trevor1189]

But the one thing we CAN agree on is that the police are annoying to EVERYONE

I love that! It's so true, they show up and try to run medical calls and try to put fires out. You don't see me in a foot pursuit!

 

[46Young]

I love that! It's so true, they show up and try to run medical calls and try to put fires out. You don't see me in a foot pursuit!

The worst is when I'm working an MVA pt in the back of the bus, the officer comes in and out several times, interrupts pt assessment and questioning, and won't get out of the back when it's time to go.

 

[trevor1189]

The worst is when I'm working an MVA pt in the back of the bus, the officer comes in and out several times, interrupts pt assessment and questioning, and won't get out of the back when it's time to go.

Haha that sounds like nothing, we have cops trying to tell us how much O2 to put a patient on. I have also had a cop tell me that an AED was unnecessary, "It's not a cardiac arrest" (Dispatched for elderly male unresponsive in bed). <_<

 

[JPINFV]

Some areas everyone's cool, other areas they hate each other's guts. I haven't had the experience of interdepartmental tension when I was single role, thankfully.

I think it comes down to the level of maturity of everyone involved regardless of agency. Sure, I hate EMS based fire suppression, however if my patient needs paramedics and it's either a medic-fire or nothing, I'll take the medic-fire and aren't going to complain about it. Leave the fighting for the forums and the city council chambers, not at the patient's side.

 

[MrBrown]

Fire and Ambulance are two seperate professions and should remain so.

 

[Aprz]

Heh.

Really, if you can combine EMS and Fire Fighting then add Law Enforcement as well.

http://www.firehouse.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1154025&postcount=46

The funny thing is Sunnyvale, Ca has already done that. We call 'em Public Safety Officers.

http://www.sunnyvaledps.com/recruiting.htm

Kind of neat I think. They wear police uniform and cruise in a police car, but they got everything they need in the trunk of their car to treat patients and fight fires.

 

[ofcemtwalker]

I love that! It's so true, they show up and try to run medical calls and try to put fires out. You don't see me in a foot pursuit!

my district automatically gives custody to law enforcement so on an mvc I'm treating their prisoner up until the point we leave the 'scene' then they become our patient. it can become a liability issue when you have to different agencies fighting for custody. Is it my patient, or their prisoner? Since law enforcement is responsible for everyone's safety when they are on scene if something were to happen it would be law enforcement who was held liable so they said law enforcement 'owns the scene, and all those in it'. I think there was a lawsuit a long time ago that made them make that rule but i can't recall. I've never had a problem with it though we show up and do our jobs, if something happens we document it and move on.

 

[NWParamedic]

Mr. Brown has a great idea. Let's let cops fight crime, FF's fight fires and let EMS personnel save lives.

Seems pretty straight forward. Most FF's don't like EMS anyway, lets let them have their wish.

 

[TransportJockey]

Part of the reason I don't like FD doing EMS is for a purely greedy reason. Namely that I couldn't do EMS if I had to pass an FD physical. It's not that I'm out of shape, it's that I can't run long distances due to a large amount of metal hardware in my left leg and ankle.

Hell, I'm in decent shape from swimming and biking, it's just the running bit that screws me over

 

[fortsmithman]

won't get out of the back when it's time to go.

If that happens on one of our calls the police member gets a ride to the hospital but that hasn't happened yet. My agency has an excellent working relationship with the local police.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

Fire and Ambulance are two seperate professions and should remain so.

I agree, but where would we be with out "Emergency"?

Also even single role fire based EMS gets way better pay and benefits vs private in my area. Its the dual role thing IMO when things get screwed up.

 

[Shishkabob]

I still don't get why people think fire is the best fit for EMS. We hold more in common with LE if you truly think about it.


As stated by Rob Tario

LE and EMS main jobs are interacting with people, every call.

Cops work independelty or with a partner, and so does EMS.

We generally work without much supervision in the field, same as LE.

We generally don't have a formal chain of command in the field on most calls, same as LE.

If the argument is to get medical treatment to those who need it faster, and we're going to force someone to do something they don't want to, why not police? Police almost always beats fire to the scene.