Schedule

Yes there is snow :( on the upside all of our ambulances are 4wheel drive. The last cardiac arrest I worked was in the snow. We had actually got probably about a foot of snow and it was pure ice underneath. It was such a great call. My partner was having an asthma attack and I ended up putting a king airway down my pt. I let my partner bag and I ended up doing CPR all the way to the hospital.
 
we got the dodge 4x4's.. great rigs.
my last cardo call was outside during a downpour last fall.. yes, we did move pt into bus when it arrived,, but i was the FR there with the company car.
 
Glad the weather worked out so well for you.lol
 
its not your responsability to work every weekend shift. if it goes up covered, thats that. the community needs to decide how important it is to have an ambulance staffed in your town. I agree that it may be nessissary to allow the crew to grab some rigs and take them home. you may want to look into incentives to working weekends, not you cooking dinner. maby your department could provide meals (at the local restaurant), small gas gift cards, weekend shift stipend.
 
This crew gets offered so much as it is. They just need to get off there butt and work a little. We have already missed calls in the past due to the lack of coverage. One person can't do it alone and I realize that.
 
It is not your job to work all the shifts or cook for anyone. Your captain or chief need to do their jobs. Leave the shifts uncovered, if no one will work. They need to bring in new memebers and get rid of the waste.

If the cheif cannot get anyone to cover shifts, then it may be time for the town to contract out the entire dept to a private service. Either that, or leave the town uncovered. Things will change when someone important drops dead.
 
I don't want to see any of that happen. That's why I'm working myself to death now. Somebodies got to try to change things because they sure are not working now.
 
You will not change anything by working all the shifts, except burn yourself out and you will quit.

No one will work shifts if they know you will cover them. It will take the town being left uncovered and someone dying, before anything changes. I have seen it a hundred times.

Do not think you are doing something new and it will make everyone take notice. It has been done before and burned out good providers. DO NOT take this load on yourself. You have a life and family. Never put this work before them!
 
Miss EMT said:
I don't want to see any of that happen. That's why I'm working myself to death now. Somebodies got to try to change things because they sure are not working now.
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Why would they change anything if they have it good? They don't have to work weekends because you are. They LIKE that set up and they're not going to change it for a little pasta. They're not going to change it until they're forced.

You're going to work yourself to death and burn a hole in your pocket if you're working like crazy AND feeding the station anytime someone decides to bless you with their presence on the weekend.

Take next weekend off. Even if everyone else does.
 
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How about the first person to sign up for a weekend shift gets first choice of shift during the week and so on?

Then you schedule people based on the last weekend they worked. So for example if one member never worked a weekend then he is the last to be put on the schedule. If there are any spots left at all.
 
In their defense it could very well be their only time with their families or they ma have job issues as well. I can not possibly volley at all right now. I have no way to afford childcare for my toddler during the day. I'm barely making ends meet now. I'm either working or on call with my paid IFT job all weekend. I work all night at my civilian job until 3:00 am or later. 7:00 put big kids on bus and be a mother. I get two hours after school to nag them to get their homework done after school before heading out the door again. I get a hello and goodbye with my husband.

I would LOVE to volley more. Sundays were my day to run. But right now I simply can't and refuse to be made to feel guilty about it right now. I won't keep these hours forever but for now there really is no time. I understand your dilemma. I also know not everyone in your unit is strapped like this as well. You need to figure out which ones can logistically be available and put the pressure on them. But don't underestimate the importance of family. Neither your family or theirs.
 
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