More Responsible: Assigned or Random Rigs?

[MMiz]

When I first started working as an EMT, we'd come in, find out name on the big whiteboard, and find the unit that was assigned to us for the shift. It rarely was the same unit, and after a few weeks I knew the quirks of most of our BLS rigs.

More recently we switched to assigned rigs, meaning that I'd have the same rig every shift. The reasoning was that it meant that crews took personal responsibility for their rigs, though I found them to be even messier.

How do they do things where you are?

 

[Ridryder911]

We rotate the EMS units, alike medications and anything else. All of our units go to the garage for preventive maintenance every 3,000 miles and gets inspected, oil and fluids changed, etc.. Since we cover a large service area (>1200 square miles) with just 5 units the mileage can quickly add up. So we attempt to alternate the units to prevent undue or additional mileage as much as necessary.

So answer the question, the people are assigned to a EMS station and the units may vary. All dependent upon many factors, one is usually in one until for a shift, however; one may have to change units as necessary if there is trouble.

R/r 911

 

[KEVD18]

i prefer to have "my own" truck. if im the only person that uses it, then i know that its fully stocked, clean as a whistle, fueled and ready to go. all i need is 5 minutes to check the seals against my list to make sure nobody stole anything; check the o2 to make sure i didnt leave it on or it blew a gasket and check my defib. i can be in service with no worries in 5min or less.

with a constantly rotating arrangement, you have to check the rig from grill to taillights everyday. you usually have to clean up after another crew and fix their screw ups. also, if you have a different truck everyday, you have to learn the quirks of the truck every day. how it brakes, accelerates, corners. no two trucks are the same and those subtle differences matter.

no, i dont much care for rotating truck assignments at all.

 

[mikie]

We only had one transporting truck, but a few trucks that would go (depending on the call). On paper, yes, we did have 'assignments,' but that was more for training purposes. Otherwise it was just hop on the truck...first come first serve (unless someone pulls rank!).

Depending on the department/service, for accountability purposes, there should be some sort of assignment, but whether or not is followed is their discretion.

 

[mikeylikesit]

we have 5 rigs for 6 pairs of people so we mainly stick to our own rigs without too much switching, it helps to identify your call sign really easily all the time.

 

[MMiz]

I remember starting at my last service and thinking it was tiny with only 20 units. Those were the days... those were the days.

 

[mikie]

I remember starting at my last service and thinking it was tiny with only 20 units. Those were the days... those were the days.

how many units do you have now?! commercial/private?

 

[Grady_emt]

We are a 3rd Service, Hospital Based 911 ALS agency with 32 trucks in our possession. Although, 4 are currently down due to MVCs, 2 are off for remount, and several at the shop for various reasons leaves us with 24ish. During the day we typically have 21+ crews up, and 14-18 at night. Our trucks are assigned "first in, first out". Meaning that the first one to come off shift, is the first one to go out for the next shift. We "rollover" many units where a day shift crew gets off, a night shift crew hops on and the unit is never shut off.

That being said, partly due to the streets of ATL, and partly due to having a different crew every day, our trucks are run ragged. Having worked at a private service where we had the same truck every day, that's a much better way to go. No only do you know that everything is there when you come in in the morning, but you also know how the truck "feels" and "sounds" when you are driving it and notice maintanence issues sooner before they get worse.

 

[TransportJockey]

When I had a regular partner I got a truck on a regular basis. I love having just one truck because of like was said earlier, I don't have to do a complete check to go in service other than my first day on (that's null and void if for whatever reason a day crew takes my truck out).
Now that I'm waiting for a new partner, I rotate trucks sometimes, but still mainly get 3100 (my unit) cause it's my shift with other people filling in... although since I can't drive yet sometimes my fill-in partners preference wins out with mgmt.

 

[Jon]

I used to work private transport:

When I first started, I was on overnights... I didn't always have a set partner, but it was mostly the same group of people, and we often used one of 5 rigs... so we got to know the rigs we were normally in.

Then I switched to daywork on the hospital transport team's BLS side (same company) We had 10 trucks, and I would often be in the same one for several days straight (but I wasn't always the only person using the rig.

Then I went back to the transport company on daywork and ended up with a regular partner. They started to get new BLS rigs for the first time (BLS rigs were usually hand-me-down ALS rigs) and the new rigs were assigned to the most senior BLS crews for their use only... seemed to work.

Of course, me and my partner found an old beater in the back of the lot... without a Jersey sticker (which would mean that we didn't get shifted to Jersey all the time) and it was in decent shape... we came in on our own time one day and cleaned and restocked it... and the supervisor assigned it to us.

I think that assigning rigs is great... and it does keep it in good shape... because I care more about the rig if I'm going to be in it for a while. I'm going to restock it and leave it in good shape at the end of the day, because I'm back in the next day.

At the company I work for part time now, we have 1 crew that has our oldest rig... it is THEIR truck... and they keep on turning down new rigs because they like their old "triple 3". Of course, when I need to steal sheets for an event, because someone didn't restock the truck, I go to their rig, becasue they keep it well stocked.

 

[csly27]

I have a question about the ambulances. I start my emt classes this month, but what i was wondering is if you get dispatched how do you find the location? Do they have gps or do you use a real map, I was just curious, I dont want to start classes looking like a comlpeate bonehead. thanks

 

[KEVD18]

I have a question about the ambulances. I start my emt classes this month, but what i was wondering is if you get dispatched how do you find the location? Do they have gps or do you use a real map, I was just curious, I dont want to start classes looking like a comlpeate bonehead. thanks

that varies.

some companies provide gps devices and mandate their use.

some companies provide gps devices, but their use is optional.

some companies dont provide them, but use of your own personal device is allowed.

and finally, some companies dont provide them and strictly prohibit them.


bottom line, you have to be able to read a map. if you can do that, your covered.

gps is a great tool, but as with anything it isnt always dependable and if your reliant on it you'll be screwed when it lets you down.

example: when your gps loses its capture with the satellites, it takes a moment to get it back. downtown boston plays havoc with gps devices due to all the highrise buildings. if your on a response, you might only be on a certain street for a block or two(10-20sec). your gps might take thirty seconds to regain capture and by that time you've overshot your next turn and it has to recalculate. then you repeat this process.

after a while, if you work in one area consistently, you wont need a map or a gps. you'll know every street in your first due.

 

[Jon]

...
after a while, if you work in one area consistently, you wont need a map or a gps. you'll know every street in your first due.

Well... we can at least hope to.

Where I work full-time, the county has a GIS-programmed map built into the CAD program in our MDC's. We can see the exact location of the dispatched location with 1 button push. HOWEVER, we don't have a GPS linked to it, so no directions. That map helps me a lot now.. because I've been working in the same area long enough that I can often get where I need to go without using our GPS unit.

We do have a Garmin GPS unit mounted in the rig for our use whenever we need it... when I was new, I needed it all the time. As I got more comfortable with the territory, I started to use it less and less. Now I often DON'T use it.

 

[jazminestar]

we have the same......however, we do have a GPS system that gives us directions..... ^_^

but back to the original question on this thread, when you first get hired at my company, you're usually a 'float' and get assigned to random units, till we bid, our next shift bid is coming up mid-sept.....i was so stoked when i finally got a set shift on a box, mine is a 24 hour unit, i love my rig and take good care of it.....we have others that run spilt shifts, we have 5 day cars, day cars, night cars and what not, but everyone ends up bidding into shifts that have particular units assigned to that shift..........i definetly prefer 'assigned' units.......

 

[BossyCow]

I have a question about the ambulances. I start my emt classes this month, but what i was wondering is if you get dispatched how do you find the location? Do they have gps or do you use a real map, I was just curious, I dont want to start classes looking like a comlpeate bonehead. thanks

First of all accept your 'boneheadedness' it will happen. It will happen less and less but it will happen repeatedly.

Get yourself a map of your response area and familiarize yourself with it. Know the main drags and what streets go where. Understand the address numbering system. Do the numbers get larger or smaller to the east or to the west? Are the odd numbers on the north side or the south side of the street?
Most places have a rhyme or reason to the numbering and knowing what that is can help.

 

[Ridryder911]

Here is something I do not see very often or even discussed. We used to require orientation time.. yes, on your own time in your own vehicle. I know gasoline is expensive but; really it is part of your job.

At least learn the major cross streets, hundred blocks, and points of interest. This will get you a step ahead when reading the map book.

R/r 911

 

[firemedic7982]

We are all assigned to a station, each station has a truck. There are 4 shifts therefore 8 people regularly use that truck. However we have reserve units that are put into use when the truck goes in for pm, or other reasons.

For the frontline trucks thats 10 24 hr trucks, and 4 peak hour trucks for a total of 92 FT medics, thats not counting our 100+ volunteers, and 15+ part timers. So a lot of hands have the potential to touch your truck. Thats not counting admin staff, and field supervisors. FD climbing in your truck... I could go on and on.

Point being I know when I go to work for my shift Im going to have the same truck each time. I know Im going to relive the same people. But I still check off my truck every morning. The one morning I get complacent is the day I dont have something I need, or worse yet the state decides to do a pop inspection, and Im missing something and the service gets slapped with a huge fine, and I lose my patch.

Just because it's your regular truck and your on it every shift isnt an excuse for being lazy and not checking your truck off.