How is equipment accounted for?

[MMiz]

Right now each unit is just equipped with standard equipment that we check off at the beginning of each shift.

Portable radios are picked out of the charger at random, and never officially assigned to a crew (That orange panic button doesn't seem so comforting). LifePaks, suctions, Jump Kits, drug boxes, and pretty much every other major item are just randomly taken as needed (though drug boxes are highly accounted for and guarded). Even rigs, though assigned, are assigned at random.

This seems so inefficient to me, and it seems as though this leaves people with no personal responsibility. I'm wondering how other people do it, and how it works out.

 

[emtbuff]

We have a rule in our ambulance squad that if you use it you restock it out of our supply closet. It work fairly well and we haven't had much trouble with anyone forgetting.

 

[Jon]

Originally posted by MMiz@Feb 12 2005, 04:46 AM
Right now each unit is just equipped with standard equipment that we check off at the beginning of each shift.

Portable radios are picked out of the charger at random, and never officially assigned to a crew (That orange panic button doesn't seem so comforting). LifePaks, suctions, Jump Kits, drug boxes, and pretty much every other major item are just randomly taken as needed (though drug boxes are highly accounted for and guarded). Even rigs, though assigned, are assigned at random.

This seems so inefficient to me, and it seems as though this leaves people with no personal responsibility. I'm wondering how other people do it, and how it works out.

At my one squad the carrer staff do a full rig check (down to counting the 4x4's) every morning. These are also daily fluid checks, and usually the back-line trucks are left running inside with the exahust system on so that they are known to start and stay running There some of the county portables are labled and kept with XX unit. the other ones are loose and assigned as portable 55a-X, as a "spare" portable from the station. Usually the night crews status with the MDT if you are out cruising the town, and also the dispatchers recognize that most of us are in the same truck all night long, carrying one of the "spare" portables and they are usually good about figuring out wheather or not the emergency alarm is from a crew at a call or somewhere else.

The volunteers do 15-minute rig checks - common disposibles are in ample quantities to last the night, the lights work, the 02 levels, etc. The par levels are lower for the vollies then the paid (as in vollies need 3 NRBM and paid need 5), and it is a shorter rig check, but it means the crews have the responsibility for their gear, and the trucks get stocked to the expected levels at least once a day.

In theroy, if you use something, you are expected to replace it immediatly. In reality, you take the nasals and non-rebreathers out of the cabinet to stock the bag at the ED, and then you restock when you remeber.

at the priviate Co's I've worked for, you do a rig check at the start of every shift - Fluids, O2, damage to vehicle, warning lights, disposibles, cabinets "sealed." At the end of the shift you are "supposed to" replace the O2 stuff you used, etc. - no one ever does. Even where I work security, I do a truck check every shift, damage, fluids, lights, jumper cables, insurance / registration, slim-jims, and my EMS bags. - takes 15 minutes usually.


Jon