Does your company have a policy against this?

[ResTech]

I personally do not (okay, very rarely) give money to homeless people. Most of the homeless I see are standing at the entrances to Wal-Mart which is attached to a large strip mall with about 40 stores and 10 restaurants. If they are that hungry and need money, out of 50 businesses someone is sure to hire them.

Too many people are making a bigger deal out of this than it needs to be. Its not even a big deal what Sasha did. Vent, you make it out as if she committed some big offense because she gave some homeless person some food. I find it very noble honestly. I can say I prob wouldn't have done that.

Law or not, I would have a very hard time coming down on anyone who did a humanitarian act like Sasha did. That is what is wrong with the world. Everyone looks out for themselves and never wants to take a chance to do the right thing or to reach out a hand.

If a motorist is disabled or needs directions, do not offer any help... heaven forbid we stop our vehicle or roll down our window to offer help. We dont want to obstruct the traffic flow... how ridiculous.

 

[Sasha]

If they are that hungry and need money, out of 50 businesses someone is sure to hire them.

Would you honestly hire a homeless person? You can have 50 applicants with a home, who are likely to show up bathed, smelling pleasently with clean clothes as oppose to a homeless person who'se wearing the same shirt from two weeks ago and probably doesn't have the best dental hygeine. Probably has very few marketable skills. Also many people employ the idea that homeless people are all lazy and bad workers.

From a business point of view, hiring a homeless person isn't prudent.

 

[ResTech]

While you make some good points... I guess it all depends on who the manager is doing the hiring. Personally, if I were the manager and a homeless person came to me for a job and appeared to genuinely be interested in working, I would prob pick them because they are obviously in great need of money and a chance to get back on their feet.

From a business point of view, hiring a homeless person isn't prudent.

Everyone want's to whine and complain about the homeless as being lazy and not working, yet they show up with an application in hand for a job and you won't hire them? What's up with that?

But that's just me.

 

[VentMedic]

Its not even a big deal what Sasha did. Vent, you make it out as if she committed some big offense because she gave some homeless person some food. I find it very noble honestly. I can say I prob wouldn't have done that.

Just want to save her the embarrassment of a ticket or from being on the unemployment line herself.

This is an anonymous forum and you could probably care less about what crap advice you give her all in the sake of your own ill informed ideas about what you think of the law.

If a motorist is disabled or needs directions, do not offer any help... heaven forbid we stop our vehicle or roll down our window to offer help. We dont want to obstruct the traffic flow... how ridiculous.

Are you really that clueless about moving to a safe area for yourself and the person you are helping? When you stop your vehicle in a roadway with traffic still moving, you had better take precautions. It only takes a couple of seconds for you to become a disabled person yourself by lacking in good judgement.

 

[ResTech]

This is an anonymous forum and you could probably care less about what crap advice you give her all in the sake of your own ill informed ideas about what you think of the law.

I do think some laws are "crap" and personally dont care what you think of my advice. I think your advice is "crap" most of the time and think you like to micro analyze and micro manage based on your own high and almighty education, status, and experience.

Least I consider all views and can be totally objective and don't criticize EVERY single post and opinion someone makes.

 

[JesseM515]

No, just I don't believe in giving handouts to those who generally choose not to help themselves. It's one thing to reach out a hand to help someone up, but it's a completely separate one to do the social equivalent of bringing some lazy unemployed :censored::censored::censored::censored::censored::censored::censored: in a recliner a free beer so he doesn't have to get up and get it himself let alone work for it. I look at the homeless a lot like I do dogs: don't reinforce the behavior you don't want to encourage them to keep doing.

very well put. I couldn't have said this better myself. unless I included more expletives haha

I once had a "down on his luck homeless person" approach me when I lived in Vegas and ask me for money after giving me a "sob story". I pulled out my wallet and gave him $5 and he asked if I could give anymore!!!! I wanted to beat that guy's face in... I guess I'm a bad person for not supporting people that are "down on their luck" and can't support themselves!

 

[VentMedic]

I do think some laws are "crap" and personally dont care what you think of my advice. I think your advice is "crap" most of the time and think you like to micro analyze and micro manage based on your own high and almighty education, status, and experience.

Least I consider all views and can be totally objective.

As you get more education and come out of your teen years, you learn to think things through a little better.

Most of your advice is given with reckless regard for facts, even when they are handed to you, and of little concern for the consequences especially to others.

 

[ResTech]

Oh, okay Vent, all the information I post is wrong? Is that what your saying? Please, search my posts and point out my erroneous information and advice I have provided.

If it is not correct or I am not sure if it is correct, Im not gonna post it. I stand-by and can back up everything I have posted as being factual.

 

[Sasha]

Great googly moogly. Must everything be a fight? I am not fighting the posts anyone made, why is everyone else? I understand where Vent, Wu, Linuss and others are coming from. This is why I made the thread, so others could help me understand why it's a bad idea, and they have. I thank them for it.

Now can we STOP fighting? Pretty please?

I'm thinking the main reason you got yelled at was because you were responding to call. This situation has the potential to delay your response, possibly causing you to be negligent in your Duty to Act.

I also wanted to address this, we were responding to a scheduled pick up that we had over an hour left on, just wanted to move closer due to the fact it was approaching rush hour and traffic gets BAD. We had no duty to act.

 

[ResTech]

Sasha.. we dont always agree, but I think your heart was definitely in the right place and think you did not do anything worth getting disciplined for. As I'm sure you dont make it an everyday occurrence.

 

[VentMedic]

Oh, okay Vent, all the information I post is wrong? Is that what your saying? Please, search my posts and point out my erroneous information and advice I have provided.

If it is not correct or I am not sure if it is correct, Im not gonna post it. I stand-by and can back up everything I have posted as being factual.

Where to start...

Yes, you stand by it even when information is posted from the manufacturer's website that you are wrong.

 

[bstone]

Out of all the petty and ridiculous things to waste time on. The person who reported you (either a fellow EMT or civilian) needs to get their priorities checked.

Bravo on giving the homeless guy food.

 

[ResTech]

Your so full of facts and links so lets see it... what r u talking about? The classification of Atrovent as an emergency drug debate and the CONTEXT of "emergency"?

 

[VentMedic]

Your so full of facts and links so lets see it... what r u talking about? The classification of Atrovent as an emergency drug debate and the CONTEXT of "emergency"?

Again, read the insert. Even if it is also used along with albuterol, it is NEVER to be considered an emergency drug. Magnesium sulfate can also be used in an emergency situation for asthma but that does not make it an emergency or first line medication.

Read and try to understand. Better yet, take a pharmacology class so you will learn the differences and not just take one sentence out of context.

 

[ResTech]

1) I never insinuated it was a first line drug and never would insinuate such.

2) I said it COULD be constituted as an emergency drug when and ONLY WHEN combined with a beta-2 agonist given its additive effect to the albuterol and in the context of EMS discussion when Atrovent is commonly listed as an emergency drug in drug listings and many protocols. NO IT IS NOT A RESCUE MEDICATION AND NEVER SAID IT WAS...

Oh, and I already took a pharmacology course lest semester... passed it with an A... as did I pass the other pharmacology course with an "A" I took a few years ago.

I have a ways to go... believe me I know... but don't make broad accusations and make me out to be giving false information.

 

[Summit]

"You can't fight in here! This is the War Room!" -President Merkin Muffley (Dr. Strangelove)

"You can't show compassion here! This is EMS!" -Sasha's supervisor (Real Life)

 

[Melclin]

It actually illegal to give to beggars over there? What an odd country you have. You'll make it illegal to give some change to some poor idiot, but compulsory seatbelts? Well that's a civil rights violation. I tripped over and spilt coffee on myself? Well naturally that's McDonalds fault for making the coffee too hot, lets sue them. That assault rifle my son got for his birthday? That's just in case the King of England gets all up in his grill . You all need to take a leaf out of the Dutch's book and start having shop fronts where you buy food from little trapdoor vending machine heating trays, that'd solve everything. Seriously how much would that just solve all your problems: "I sure do feel like a roast dinner, I'll just go to the vending machine".

I sure did lol when I skipped a few pages reading this thread and came in at the end of an argument about atrovent. We really are good at getting off topic aren't we.

Sasha, I'd be pissed off too. Regardless of the fact you have cleeearly ripped apart the fabric of civilized society by giving that bloke a bite<_<, Good on ya for having a heart.

 

[VentMedic]

It actually illegal to give to beggars over there? What an odd country you have.

No, no, no! Panhandling is NOT illegal at this time in most public areas except:

law prohibits panhandlers from “intentionally or recklessly blocking or interfering with” vehicles or people. The law also bars beggars from soliciting near banks and ATMs or “in an aggressive manner.”

Sasha was in a vehicle coming off the interstate.

Sasha, I'd be pissed off too. Regardless of the fact you have cleeearly ripped apart the fabric of civilized society by giving that bloke a bite<_<, Good on ya for having a heart.

Now, let me explain a few more things about safety. Some panhandlers are not just doing it for a little money but they are also spotting to see what you've got in your wallet or where your purse is kept. This is one reason why if I do give something to a little elderly lady sitting in front of a department store, I won't be reaching for any wallet or coin purse out of my backpack. Even if that person is not involved, others may be watching. Few men in city areas carry their wallets in their back pocket and few women carry purses that can't be placed under their jackets out of sight.

In just 2 city blocks in either Miami or San Francisco, you may encouter at at least 5 panhandlers. Do you in all honesty have enough money to give away or buy food everyday just as you pass them to go to work?

As well, you become an easy mark for carjacking in your POV as you are distracted by the person on the street. Even that ambulance can be an easy target. I do know in many areas, one person must remain with the truck at all times while others go to the patient. Thus, being part of a FD with plenty of responding FFs does come in handy at times.

This has nothing to do with abusing the homeless or not having a heart but for the safety of everyone involved.

 

[RESQ_5_1]

I actually gave a "Domicile Challenged" individual $20 once. We were right in fornt of McDonald's. If I give him money, it's no longer mine to decide what he does with it. I'd rather give him the $20 than have him hold up some old lady cuz it was that much longer since his last fix. There was a Subway nearby, and he promptly took that $20 and went to get a footlong. I asked him why, and he said he can get more (and better) food at Subway with what I gave him.

I'm sure some Transients have less than noble uses for their money, but it's not my position to judge. Is it possible, since Sasha said she was at a red light, that she was in the lane nearest to the curb? Possible. Did the entire transaction occur and conclude before the light changed? Then possibly the flow of traffic was uninterruted.

I'm willing to look at all possible "good outcome" scenarios and say..."well done Sasha. What goes around comes around."

 

[Shishkabob]

I actually gave a "Domicile Challenged" individual $20 once. We were right in fornt of McDonald's. If I give him money, it's no longer mine to decide what he does with it. I'd rather give him the $20 than have him hold up some old lady cuz it was that much longer since his last fix.

Right, because advocating their problem, and helping them get more of it, is a good thing.

There was a Subway nearby, and he promptly took that $20 and went to get a footlong. I asked him why, and he said he can get more (and better) food at Subway with what I gave him.

Cool... what he do with the other $15?

I'm willing to look at all possible "good outcome" scenarios and say..."well done Sasha. What goes around comes around."

Don't get us wrong... it's not like we are saying don't help people. We're in EMS, remember? I've done my "fair share" at soup kitchens Christmas day in downtown Detroit. But giving money is not something I will do.