Red Cross Volunteer EMS

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zappa26

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I'm seventeen and I hope to go into EMS as a career. Right now I'm just finishing up my First Responder class through the Red Cross. Over the summer, before college, I'll keep my current job lifeguarding since I can't get my EMT or work for a "real" department. However, I'm considering joining the local Red Cross' volunteer service. They do standby at local sporting events (NHL, NCAA, etc.) and also provide all EMS / First Aid at the State Fair in August. They have liberal protocols and variances, I would be allowed to use a pulse ox, glucometer, assist with nitro, etc. I would be working with a wide variety of other personnel, including EMT-Bs, medics, RNs, etc. Besides the usual criticisms of volunteer service, does anyone have any comments or observations about this? Any experience with Red Cross EMS? Does it sound like it would provide good experience?
 
Sounds good to me.

Just don't go all "whacker" on us, ok?
 
I had heard that the Red+ stopped doing EMS in America. Guess I was misinformed.
 
I currently volunteer for the Red Cross in CA. I am on the DAT Team and Damage Assessment. I can say that the Volunteers of the Red Cross are some of the most giving and caring people I have come across in my lifetime. Every single person there is there because they want to give back to their community. We do not have First Aid stations anymore, but with everything else we do there is not really not much time and funding for that. I would recommend it as highly as I can, it is a job you will love,and you will find your self becoming more and more involved as time goes by. They do require that you commit time and not back out when your time to volunteer comes. The resources are very limited and they depend 100% on volunteers.
Working with Red Cross you will not be belittled, treated like you are stupid, or told that your opinions are worthless. You will be welcomed with open arms and will see what a group of people who truely care about what they do are all about. Volunteers also get all Red Cross training free of charge which is a big bonus, any course Red Cross offers once you volunteer will be available to you. Getting accepted into the Red Cross is not as easy as you may think, you will have to go through a background check, submit a copy of your driving record, and depending on your chapter you will have extensive training, hours and hours. It is harder to get on with the Red Cross than it is to get some jobs. But they want to make sure that you are of the highest character and are responsible. But the rewards are worth the effort to be a part of the Red Cross team.
Get ready to study, and prepare to dedicate a bit of time, they will use you if you volunteer. We respond to just about every fire here in our area, and most fires seem to happen after midnight. We also respond to multiple vehicle accidents, and just about any disaster man made or natural you can think of. I don't think whacker fits the description, but each to their own. We provide a service that many people count on. Victims of disater as well as fire personel love to see our truck or (ERV), they know that they will get a meal, comfort, or a cold drink on a hot day. We have prepared meals for firefighters, provided cold drinks, or hot coffee. If there is a big fire and a Red Cross truck, you will see tired and weary firefighters coming to our comfort station for something.
So yes volunteer, you will like many, work hard but love every minute of it.
 
Here in Canada we have St John Ambulance who do standby at various events. They are mostly in southern Canada.
 
I actually have to disagree with the post above.

I've volunteered with red cross for the past 3 fires up here in California... it is probably the most disorganized lot i've seen. though their intentions are great, their ICS is horrible. as far as EMS was related, it as horrible. No first responders were available at the shelters (only old old nurses). They had little to no supplies, and did not provide O2 or a AED... Even though they teach CPR and Defib... there was none present because they thought it was a liability...

...even though there were medical professionals (nurses) there.


I think they do a great job at helping out the community, but as far as the EMS, staffing, and ICS that I've seen here... they really really need to work on it.


note: this is the 3rd fire in a year, you think they would have figured it out.


Sorry to bag on them, but it just wasn't a great job.
 
Chimpie can go into greater detail here, but from what I see, each region/area has its own Red Cross Chapter... and their duties/services vary significantly from one to another. One in hurricane land may be awesome at shelter ops... another may need to pull out the manual to review for their yearly drill... because they don't usually need to provide that service
 
DV_EMT said:
I think they do a great job at helping out the community, but as far as the EMS, staffing, and ICS that I've seen here... they really really need to work on it.


note: this is the 3rd fire in a year, you think they would have figured it out.


Sorry to bag on them, but it just wasn't a great job.
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Unfortunately, the Red Cross does not as of now require the FEMA ICS training. Although many including myself have taken them, they are great courses and should be a requirement. Without enough EMS trained personnel it is hard to staff EMS or any medical providders in the shelters. Like was stated before they rely on volunteers and if they are not there, any type of medical intervention is hard to provide. There is and has been alot of mismanagement, and disorganization, but they do try and are mandated to respond whether they have the staff or not. But I think the point is that it is a worthy cause, and many thousands of people have relied on the Red Cross for food, clothing, everyday essentials, and shelter in a time of disaster. Our chapter like many others are strapped for cash and volunteers, and I think you would agree without those two, it can be rough.

I agree with you that things could be better, but we need the resources (volunteers, money) to make those happen. Remember that the Red Cross is msndated by congress to respond to a disaster and many volunteers agree to put their lives on hold and be away from their families for at least 3 weeks without pay, that is alot to ask, but many do, so that others may be taken of when a disater strikes. I don't really see much negative about that.
 
Thanks for all the replies so far guys,

I talked with my instructor and the work would be along the lines of one four to eight hour shift usually about twice a month, with a little more during the State Fair. It wouldn't mean that I would be responding to house fires or on call at all hours of the night, it's a well-organized thing where they only cover certain events and they schedule personnel well in advance. So, no disaster response, just standby and the occasional First Aid tent.

I'm trying not to become quite too much of a whacker yet, but I think some real-life experience would be helpful as, like I said above, I'm considering EMS as a career and thinking I'll probably be getting my bachelor's in EMS.
 
Best thing to do, is go and do it. I mean some areas maybe better than others, it is just on the people. Take what you learn for what it is worth. As far as FEMA ICS..that is a whole topic in itself that would make this post off topic. Just go for it, and get into an EMT class when you can.
 
Be aware of the cultural divide and competition between ARC & the rest of the world.

As you know from your indoctrination/intro to ARC, they have been around a long time and usually one of the forefront organizations. However, they also taken on some attributes of big business monopolies, especially as evidenced by the capers pulled by their then-president after the WTC attack (e.g., diverting donations earmarked and accepted as for that incident, but diverting them for general fund uses). Also, since "9/11", FEMA has moved to organize/rein in all responders to disasters, including the ARC which has enjoyed a special relationship with Congress for many decades.

If you pursue ICS and other FEMA classes (and you can do so online for free) you are aiming higher than being a line worker (good on you) but will be running crosswise to ARC unless they are getting serious about everyone getting on board NIMS/ICS.

I say learn what you can, and don't be afraid when you find your carer goes totally away from where you plan, that's how it works.
 
I too have had nothing but problems with anything associated with ARC. Personally, I would rather see another organization be associated and involved with disaster services and involvement.

I always make donations and recommend other volunteer services over their organization, as I have found it to be flawed from the chapter level to the well paid national level.

R/r 911
 
RidRyder... Is that Salavation Army active in your area for shelter ops?
 
It's a shame that some only see the negative side of things. No organization is perfect or with out its problems. I personally know many who have dedicated alot of time, energy, effort and money to the Red Cross. I have see the tears shed when someone has lost everything in a fire, and the joy of a gesture of comfort when they are given a place to stay, money for groceries, vouchers for clothing, and an undestanding shoulder to cry on. There are problems with the ARC and they are working on resolving them, but to put the entire organization in a negative light is not accurate. I know many who are honest and upstanding people, and have given their time to make a difference in anothers life. If that is not a good thing then I don't know what is.
 
Sorry, you have a point

ARC IS the #1 trainer in many aspects of basic level emergency care and their lifesaving, first aid and other courses are probably the gateway to "EMS" for most of us. Some chapters function better than others. Their volunteers are legion and selfless.
Oh, and about those "old nurses" someone was spouting about, if you get close enough to my wheelchair I'll whack you with my triceratops-horn cane! (Retired people have the time and Cold War or Vietnam War indoctrination to train and show up).
 
EDAC said:
It's a shame that some only see the negative side of things. No organization is perfect or with out its problems. I personally know many who have dedicated alot of time, energy, effort and money to the Red Cross. I have see the tears shed when someone has lost everything in a fire, and the joy of a gesture of comfort when they are given a place to stay, money for groceries, vouchers for clothing, and an undestanding shoulder to cry on. There are problems with the ARC and they are working on resolving them, but to put the entire organization in a negative light is not accurate. I know many who are honest and upstanding people, and have given their time to make a difference in anothers life. If that is not a good thing then I don't know what is.
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I will admit there is probably areas ARC serve well, I just remember coming out of bombed building and being handed a sandwich from Salvation Army and being charged for drinks to rescuers from ARC.

Yes, I am sure there is some good and and excellent work from all organizations. I just believe more investigation upon the funding and percentage that reaches the point or role would be more than is at this time.

R/r 911
 
There is much variability in so far as services offered and performance of local Red Cross Chapters, and as far as national disasters go, they are often dependent on who is assigned to the leadership team.

As far as first aid services, there are only about 25 Chapters nationwide that continue to provide this (out of 700+ chapters). I would say that the leaders as far as performance (by number of events, protocols, customer satisfaction, funding) are Seattle, Minneapolis, and Ann Arbor. I love my job managing first aid for the Red Cross - the people are the best. Every volunteer is there because they want to be there, and they all try to do the best thing for the patient. I can't speak to other Chapters, but we provide and require ICS training (100,200,700,800 and 300,400 for supervisors) for our first aid volunteers.

I highly suggest getting involved with the Minneapolis Red Cross's FAST program to get some patient care and EMS operations experience!

As far as disaster health services, the Red Cross is still really focused on Nurses and non-emergency services. We have never had good protocols for responding to incidents where the local health care system has been compromised. I think we're well prepared to do the things that we focus on: Those are public health and primary care concerns in shelters, and replacing medications and durable health equipment. However, as mentioned previously, the ARC paramedics and well-educated nurses are still fighting the powers-that-be in relation to getting oxygen, AEDs, OB-kits, and much more as far as emergency supplies and protocols for shelters and service centers. As a paramedic with 6 years of ARC disaster deployment experience, I am often managed by nurses with less nursing and less disaster experience -- and can't become a manager because I'm not a nurse.
 
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