How to buff calls in NYC?

adamNYC

Forum Lieutenant
225
20
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Buffing = Scanning PD/EMS radio and trying to get on scene before 911 ambulance does

NYC EMS guys who buff at volunteer ambulances: I desperately need help on how to buff better. Sure I get tips from guys at the volly but I want to know everything I can about buffing to increase my chances. I am frustrated at not getting calls on some of my volly tours. Here are some of what I picked up. Anyone else that can add to this please do so.

Please, this is not a place to debate about if buffing is the right thing to do or not. Bottom line, most vollys in NYC buff. Period. If you wanna have a debate about it please visit my other thread "Buffing @ Private NYC Ambulances"

1. Never buff house jobs. Wait for PD/EMS to arrive and offer assistance if they need it. Or roll by to see if anyone flags you down
2. Learn PD radio 10-codes. 53s and 54s are great. Are the "calls for help" any good?
3. EMS dispatch is a ***** because of the intersections, has a high failure rate, unless its a street job.
4. PD dispatch is awesome since they give exact addresses
5. Respond with Lights and sirens for a job 5-10 minutes away. Anything more than that you prob won't get there in time.
6. Radios that dual channel monitor are great. I monitor both PD & EMS at the same time. I swear by the BaoFeng UV5R ($27 amazon)
7. Even if EMS is on scene I ask if they need help with anything, in case they have multiple patients, etc.
 

Chewy20

Forum Deputy Chief
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686
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1. I constantly keep the ambulance in motion so I am one second ahead. Even if I have to drive in circles in a parking lot.
2. I walk around in the grocery store asking if people want to be evaluated. You never know.
3. If the on scene 911 crew has one pt. I say, "Move over, I got this."
4. I bring the cops donuts so they send me a text about a call that is about to drop.
5. Always get mad at my dispatch and tell them to get the address right so I can be there first and make a difference.
6. 11 minutes away? Pffht let the suckers take that one.
7. Use tshirt cannons to handout tourniquets while driving to another call, never know when someone will cut their leg off walking Sparky.
8. Every Sunday morning I will go out to the driveway and test my POVs lights and sirens. I will not be that guy with malfunctioning lights! Who says you have to go to church to be religious about something?!
9. Air drop thousands of flyers saying "Keeping the reaper at bay" with your number on it. Works wonders.
10. See therapist for how crazy I am. Or am I?
11. Rinse, repeat.
 
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Tigger

Dodges Pucks
Community Leader
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Step 1: Get hired at a service that provides legitimate 911 services to NYC.

Step 2: Go to work.

Step 3: Attempt to forget about this stage in your career/life and move forward as a professional provider.
 
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adamNYC

adamNYC

Forum Lieutenant
225
20
18
Ive got a couple more months till i get my 6mos txp experience down along with volly experience before i start applying at 911 hospitals. The FDNY EMS civil service test is in september as well. Until then, buffing is the way I get 911 experience.

It is common practice for volunteer ambulances in NYC. I was actually expecting more constructive feedback and advice from other volly buffers.

Chewy20: Love that comedy writing genius :)
 

ERDoc

Forum Asst. Chief
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You have gotten constructive feedback, it is just not what you wanted to hear.
 
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adamNYC

adamNYC

Forum Lieutenant
225
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18
I need better results. A tour without a single successful call resulting in a pt txp to ER is a bad tour.
 

ERDoc

Forum Asst. Chief
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So what. It's the nature of the beast. It's good to know that you want your fellow humans to get hurt or sick.
 

Chewy20

Forum Deputy Chief
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686
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I need better results. A tour without a single successful call resulting in a pt txp to ER is a bad tour.

Ugh. A bad "tour"? First of all its a shift, not a tour. Quit trying to be tacticool. Second of all, most of us do 911 on here and I think I speak for everyone and say a shift without a transport or call is the best freakin' thing in the world. You'll get a partner that will put things in reality for you one day, but until then, tone it down a notch or ten.
 

NomadicMedic

I know a guy who knows a guy.
12,097
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Ugh. A bad "tour"? First of all its a shift, not a tour. Quit trying to be tacticool. Second of all, most of us do 911 on here and I think I speak for everyone and say a shift without a transport or call is the best freakin' thing in the world. You'll get a partner that will put things in reality for you one day, but until then, tone it down a notch or ten.

Actually, in NYC, its not a shift, it's a tour. The truck is a bus. A call is a job. The guy is a volly-whacker, but the terminology is NYC appropriate.
 

phideux

Forum Captain
432
44
28
Buffing = Scanning PD/EMS radio and trying to get on scene before 911 ambulance does

NYC EMS guys who buff at volunteer ambulances: I desperately need help on how to buff better. Sure I get tips from guys at the volly but I want to know everything I can about buffing to increase my chances. I am frustrated at not getting calls on some of my volly tours. Here are some of what I picked up. Anyone else that can add to this please do so.

Please, this is not a place to debate about if buffing is the right thing to do or not. Bottom line, most vollys in NYC buff. Period. If you wanna have a debate about it please visit my other thread "Buffing @ Private NYC Ambulances"

1. Never buff house jobs. Wait for PD/EMS to arrive and offer assistance if they need it. Or roll by to see if anyone flags you down
2. Learn PD radio 10-codes. 53s and 54s are great. Are the "calls for help" any good?
3. EMS dispatch is a ***** because of the intersections, has a high failure rate, unless its a street job.
4. PD dispatch is awesome since they give exact addresses
5. Respond with Lights and sirens for a job 5-10 minutes away. Anything more than that you prob won't get there in time.
6. Radios that dual channel monitor are great. I monitor both PD & EMS at the same time. I swear by the BaoFeng UV5R ($27 amazon)
7. Even if EMS is on scene I ask if they need help with anything, in case they have multiple patients, etc.


5. How do you legally respond "lights, and sirens" on a call you are not assigned to?????
 
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adamNYC

adamNYC

Forum Lieutenant
225
20
18
Just gotta love all the different EMS slang/lingo that varies around the USA.

Maybe you want to sit around doing nothing, but I didn't get into EMS to sit on my ***. I need action!
 

ERDoc

Forum Asst. Chief
546
616
93
Yankees was bad enough.

Hey, easy there.

Just gotta love all the different EMS slang/lingo that varies around the USA.

Maybe you want to sit around doing nothing, but I didn't get into EMS to sit on my ***. I need action!

No, you need to stop and come back when you are mature enough. Once you see your pts as people and not as awesome calls to gloat about, then you will be ready for EMS, until then, please stop.
 
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