Garage Tech?

[MMiz]

When I first started working in EMS we would simply hop in an ambulance and start the shift. When we were done we'd drop it off. A garage tech would wash, inventory, and stock the ambulance.

Then our garage techs quit, and we would do the work. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't uncommon to see an ambulance grossly overstocked. Our supply room access wasn't restricted, so our rigs were often way over-stocked.

Now everything is locked away. At the beginning of a shift we pick up a radio, jump kit, defib, PulseOx, suction, EpiPen, and ResQ kit. Everything is assigned to us, and if at the end of a shift we need something, we have to sign it out.

This system makes us far more accountable, but I can't help but think a supply tech would be nice again.

What do you think? What do you do at your service?

 

[Ridryder911]

Be responsible...if most the medics would stock that way, I am sure you would not have to be so accountable. Personally, hate for someone to stock my unit... I should be repsonsible for that.

Be safe,
R/R 911

 

[Jon]

I used to work for the busiest, biggest priviate transport co. in the area. They hired somone to work from 2p-10p to be the "yard superivsor" his job was to make sure trucks got re-stocked, o2 got changed, and rigs got washed at the end of shifts... you had to get signed off by him before you could leave. Actually a good idea (given the company).

At work, supplies are all locked up. I'm with most of the field personel in that WE should have access to SOME disposable supplies (4x4's, kling, O2 disposables, bandaids, tape, cold/hot packs, etc). It ticks me off when I check my equipment and I can't restock what I need.

Also... our Event gear is "sealed" when it is re-stocked... if the seal is broken, it must be re-checked, otherwise it is good to go.... I like this.

At the VFD, we have seals on our cabinets... same reason... our full-time EMT checks the truck every morning. He seals and initials the tags. He knows if someone has been in a compartment, otherwise, he dosen't have to check it. Works out well for all of us.

 

[Wingnut]

We pretty much have the same system as Jon, the team that shows up in the morning washes the truck (usually the EMT) then checks inventory. Our "bags" trauma, airway, etc are sealed and if the seal is broken then we have to check it. The medic checks the drug box and if we need anything then we take a ride to supply to pick it up. We have a sheet every morning to check off takes about an hour or so.

 

[rescue25]

We're responsible for our own units at my volley agency. I prefer it that way but I've never had it any other way, so who knows. The only thing that's sketchy sometimes is that we don't mark down a truck while we're checking it out. So if a call comes in right at the beginning of the shift, you might not have had time to finishing checking the truck. I usually do a quick survey first to make sure I'm not missing anything critical.

 

[natrab]

I've never been a fan of having someone else stock the rig. Maybe that's because I don't think I could trust some random person to do it. If you end up on a call and your BVM is missing or something, you're going to get blamed. So even if my stuff comes sealed, I break the seal to make sure everything is there. My company tried it for a short while and figured they might as well let the crews stock their own ambulances.

 

[Jon]

Checking the rig is different than stocking the rig.

If YOU use it, it should be replaced that shift.

As you said... the seal is only as good as the sealer...



I like the idea when done right. A transport truck, or a well-set-up 911 truck shouldn't need every cabinet except for backups, spares, bad traumas, and childbirth.

Jon

 

[natrab]

The problem for me is that I work the night car, and at night the restock is locked up in the cage. When my system is busy we can blow through our supplies like that. I usually make sure we are stocked for about 10 ALS calls. If it gets really bad we can always wake up the supervisor to come unlock the cage.

 

[KEVD18]

i prefer the garage tech type of position. if there is a guy on the payroll whos only job is washing and stocking the rigs, the rigs are going to be washed and stocked per protocol. but if left up to someone who has other duties, such as emts and medics) things will get missed.

case in point: on our rigs, we carry 12 4x4's in the jump bag. if i use one of those on a call, i might remember to replace it. its a little less likely if thats the only thing i use and its my only run of the day and its at 3am. so if i forget(i know, shame on me) the jump bag is down one 4x4. the oncoming crew might cout the 4x4's, or they might just look to see if there "enough" and check the box. the same goes for the rest of the gear on the rig. now, imagine someone whos sole function in the enterprise is to count and replenish every item on every truck every day. seems to me youd never have to worry about that missing 4x, or anything else.

 

[JJR512]

...now, imagine someone whos sole function in the enterprise is to count and replenish every item on every truck every day. seems to me youd never have to worry about that missing 4x, or anything else.

When I imagine someone whose sole function is to count every single thing on every single truck, I imagine someone who doesn't actually count every single 4x4 but just looks to see if it looks "about right" and signs off on it. Much like what you say the oncoming crew might do after you use just one.

That said, personally I think the "garage tech" is a great idea, as long as it's coupled with the unit crew doing a checklist to make sure the garage tech did his job.