FIRE and EMS problem.

cspinebrah

Forum Crew Member
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I work for a private company in LA County. one day my partner and I were coming back from a call when we came up on a pretty bad motorcycle TC. My partner and I both have fire experience as explorers so we both had a good idea of what to do. We go out grabbed the trauma bag, back board and gurney. As soon as we made contact with the PT. I held C-spine and began to ask the pt the usual questions. As my partner began to cut the pt cloths Fire came on scene. The medic on the squad told us to stop what we were doing and that we were cleared. He said they have their own private ambu. company coming that they have a contract with. So my partner and I pack our stuff and left. Both the captain and other FF thanked us for stoping and ask for out C collar.

-My point that I am trying to get at is, should I be mad about this? Do you think the medic calling us off like that was the right thing to do?
 

augustHorch

Forum Probie
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this happened fairly often in the previous county i worked at...

we would come accross an MVA and get the initial stuff out of the way...
when the crew showed up to handle the situation we would assist until they told us we are clear.


It OBVIOUSLY depends completely on the needs of the scene.

Did the person need rapid transport?

How many people were on scene?

How far out was the ambulance?

Did you guys really need to be put out of service to transport this patient... It all depends on who is in charge. And it sounds like the medic was probably looking at a bigger picture than you two were. (i could be completely wrong in this, just trying to picture the scene)

I can imagine you guys probably would have done fine on the call if you kept it yourself, but that wasnt the case. Nothing to be mad about.
 

Christopher

Forum Deputy Chief
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-My point that I am trying to get at is, should I be mad about this? Do you think the medic calling us off like that was the right thing to do?

(California EMS is so strange that I don't know if you should be mad, happy, sad, frustrated, relieved, calling some supervisor, or what...so I'll use Common Sense as a good benchmark)

Common sense would say that you're an Ambulance which (presumably) meets the licensed definition, carrying the appropriate equipment for your level. Provided that you were of equal or greater certification/licensure, this was your patient and scene. If not and the paramedic from the fire company was the most senior provider on scene, a formal hand-off should occur and they may then assume care of the patient.
 

RocketMedic

Californian, Lost in Texas
4,997
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Christopher, there are literally different levels of ambulance equipment involved, although "trauma bag" and "backboard" makes me think they may run deep backup 911 somewhere or IFT in an area that mandates those.

@ OP: Why do you credit your training to the fire explorers? (granted, its more relevant than your day job possibly, but ?)
 

Christopher

Forum Deputy Chief
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Christopher, there are literally different levels of ambulance equipment involved, although "trauma bag" and "backboard" makes me think they may run deep backup 911 somewhere or IFT in an area that mandates those.

I believe I covered that with "appropriate equipment for your level". I figured they were some sort of IFT, but that shouldn't matter for the general response.
 

djarmpit

Forum Lieutenant
157
1
18
I'd say the fire guys have any right to keep you or kick you out. It's probably nothing against you, they probably have EMTs/Medics on their contracted ambulance that they have more experience and trust with and would rather have them on scene.
 
OP
OP
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cspinebrah

Forum Crew Member
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We do back up fire with tour local city fire so we always carry a Truama bad and a BB.

And connected it to explorers beacuse boht my partner and I have rode out with fire on calls as explorers and got a lot of experince with TC's and other kinds of calls.
 

mcdonl

Forum Captain
468
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0
.......The medic on the squad told us to stop what we were doing and that we were cleared......

-My point that I am trying to get at is, should I be mad about this? Do you think the medic calling us off like that was the right thing to do?

No you shouldnt be mad, and yes the medic from the FD did the right thing.

He/she was dispatched to the call and had a duty to respond. You guys on the other hand, just stopped and did a good thing.

Sounds like they were thankful and there were no hard feelings.
 

Joe

Forum Captain
396
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My partner and I both have fire experience as explorers so we both had a good idea of what to do.

Wait, was the thing on fire? Wouldn't your job as an EMT give you better prep for this kind of scene. I am so happy I got out of that damn county.
 

46Young

Level 25 EMS Wizard
3,063
90
48
I work for a private company in LA County. one day my partner and I were coming back from a call when we came up on a pretty bad motorcycle TC. My partner and I both have fire experience as explorers so we both had a good idea of what to do. We go out grabbed the trauma bag, back board and gurney. As soon as we made contact with the PT. I held C-spine and began to ask the pt the usual questions. As my partner began to cut the pt cloths Fire came on scene. The medic on the squad told us to stop what we were doing and that we were cleared. He said they have their own private ambu. company coming that they have a contract with. So my partner and I pack our stuff and left. Both the captain and other FF thanked us for stoping and ask for out C collar.

-My point that I am trying to get at is, should I be mad about this? Do you think the medic calling us off like that was the right thing to do?

If I don't personally know and trust the first responders, let alone a good Samaritan or a crew from a random inter-facility service, I'm always going to thank them for their help, get the patient alone in the back of the ambulance (or otherwise excuse the responders from the scene), and begin my initial assessment as if I was the first one to make contact. It sounds to me that the fire people had a similar mindset. It's nothing personal, but if something was inaccurate or missed on your assessment, they're going to be liable.

I always thank the on-scene help, then do the assessment from the top inside the bus. To do it in front of the responders is rude, and can belittle them. This is probably why you were released from the scene so quickly.
 

abckidsmom

Dances with Patients
3,380
5
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If I don't personally know and trust the first responders, let alone a good Samaritan or a crew from a random inter-facility service, I'm always going to thank them for their help, get the patient alone in the back of the ambulance (or otherwise excuse the responders from the scene), and begin my initial assessment as if I was the first one to make contact. It sounds to me that the fire people had a similar mindset. It's nothing personal, but if something was inaccurate or missed on your assessment, they're going to be liable.

I always thank the on-scene help, then do the assessment from the top inside the bus. To do it in front of the responders is rude, and can belittle them. This is probably why you were released from the scene so quickly.

Ditto.

And really, no matter what I am going to start from the top when I get alone with the patient.
 

sweetpete

Forum Lieutenant
144
3
18
If I don't personally know and trust the first responders, let alone a good Samaritan or a crew from a random inter-facility service, I'm always going to thank them for their help, get the patient alone in the back of the ambulance (or otherwise excuse the responders from the scene), and begin my initial assessment as if I was the first one to make contact. It sounds to me that the fire people had a similar mindset. It's nothing personal, but if something was inaccurate or missed on your assessment, they're going to be liable.

I always thank the on-scene help, then do the assessment from the top inside the bus. To do it in front of the responders is rude, and can belittle them. This is probably why you were released from the scene so quickly.

This is a fantastic post. I agree 100%. Regardless if someone is a IFT EMT/Medic or a fellow FD EMT/Medic, we always thank whoever stops to help, gather the necessary info they've attained, respectfully say good-bye, and begin our assessment from the beginning.

Excellent post.
 

mcdonl

Forum Captain
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This is a fantastic post. I agree 100%. Regardless if someone is a IFT EMT/Medic or a fellow FD EMT/Medic, we always thank whoever stops to help, gather the necessary info they've attained, respectfully say good-bye, and begin our assessment from the beginning.

Excellent post.

Just like the MD's do in the Trauma Room.....
 
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