the 100% directionless thread

[Jim37F]

What is the deal with your guys' paramedics being used on BLS cars? Also, are they still "back-up" ALS for the beach cities (assuming they're double paramedic staff when doing so per the county requirement)?

Yeah, as far as I'm aware our medic units still run back up for the Beach Cities. In fact, (I'm not 100% sure if we still do at the moment though, none of the medic cars are on the dispatch frequency my station uses so I don't hear their calls), one of the beach cities (HBFD) had some serious staffing issues to where one of their platoons they couldn't fully staff their engine and medic ambulance so for a while we were contracted to have an ALS ambulance at their station, on their tones and dispatch running their calls as their first in ALS rescue (and it was in a McCormick rig too, not theirs). Not sure if they've since fixed that.....but that city is also in serious talks to have LA County Fire take over their station.

Otherwise, last time I worked with one of our medics and asked he mentioned back up in Culver City, I imagine we're gonna be backup for Compton to here when we start BLS response but I wouldn't be surprised if they continue to use County Fire for that as they do currently.

As far as medics on BLS cars, we have 3 ALS rigs (sometimes a fourth that's staffed up for events and the like), and 36x 24 hour BLS rigs (and 7x 12hr and 12 11:30hr "day car" shifts (why not all 19 are an even 12 I have no clue), so if a medic wants to pick up OT and the ALS cars are filled they can pick up on a BLS unit. Also if their partner calls off and they can't get another medic to come in and work the ALS unit, then they'll try to assign a 1-and-1 trained EMT. They can't run back up 911s as an ALS rig, but can still get ALS IFTs. Otherwise, if no 1-and1's are available, they will literally pull the medic off the ALS rig and put them on a BLS unit (apparently the company has this policy, something about not trusting us EMTs with the ALS Narcs or whatever)

Gerbers no more. He's over at Mccormick.

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That's who I was referring to regarding their paramedics being back-up for the "beach cities" they cover. I can't remember Gerber having paramedics back up city fire departments. Maybe SMFD when they had that contract like AMR used to??

If I remember correctly Gerber had 1-2 dual medic ALS units staffed up at their headquarters that were't part of the same 911 rotation as the BLS rigs were. They were there for ALS IFT's, TFD, and other Beach City backup....I remember one or two times when I was on shift overhearing them on the radio they got dispatched to the Beach Cities and all of 1 time they responded for TFD backup...While I'm sure they had more calls than those I remeber hearing, they weren't exactly the busiest units lol

 

[VentMonkey]

If I remember correctly Gerber had 1-2 dual medic ALS units staffed up at their headquarters that were't part of the same 911 rotation as the BLS rigs were. They were there for ALS IFT's, TFD, and other Beach City backup....I remember one or two times when I was on shift overhearing them on the radio they got dispatched to the Beach Cities and all of 1 time they responded for TFD backup...While I'm sure they had more calls than those I remeber hearing, they weren't exactly the busiest units lol

I didn't even know, nor had I ever seen Gerber paramedic rigs. The only time I really saw Gerber at all was at Kaiser Harbor or Torrance Memorial, interesting system MC has though.

AMR's ALS back up for SMFD would sit in station quite a bit, but they swore they got their share of back ups in that city as well, I don't recall exactly. I was always curious though if any of the post-AMR Jeff companies that took over that city's contract put an ALS unit or two in that city, or if they even requested it as part of their contract.

 

[EpiEMS]

I think lack of education coupled with a sustained lack or sense of maturity given the fluctuations in age ranges demographically speaking is definitely a crippling, and hindering setback towards this sort of thing.

The average age really gives me pause: Average (paid) paramedic and EMT age was 35 years, versus nursing at 44 years, 38 for FFs, and 39 for cops.

so if a medic wants to pick up OT and the ALS cars are filled they can pick up on a BLS unit.

Ahh, the joys of California. So you can't run 911 calls EMT/Medic, period full stop?

 

[Jim37F]

Ahh, the joys of California. So you can't run 911 calls EMT/Medic, period full stop?

LA County rule, need to be dual medic to be the lead ALS unit. A 1-and-1 can still respond and transport but can't be the lead (unless the world is ending and there's no available dual medics). Long Beach Fire for a bit was running their ALS rescues with 1-and-1 Fire Medic and EMT AO but I heard that program got shut down (I've heard conflicting info on whether it was LA Co EMSA that didn't like it, or the FF union (I heard some medics loved it because then only half of them needed to be on the box vs engine lol)) but alas that program is no more from what I underatand.

 

[EpiEMS]

LA County rule

Fun fun fun...
I correct my prior statement: Ah, the joys of fire based EMS.

 

[VentMonkey]

Long Beach Fire for a bit was running their ALS rescues with 1-and-1 Fire Medic and EMT AO but I heard that program got shut down (I've heard conflicting info on whether it was LA Co EMSA that didn't like it, or the FF union (I heard some medics loved it because then only half of them needed to be on the box vs engine lol)) but alas that program is no more from what I underatand.

Who are they doling out their low acuity (alpha and omega) calls to now then?

 

[NysEms2117]

MISSION SUCCESSFUL! I AM NOW OFFICIALLY ENGAGED !!!!!!

 

[Seirende]

MISSION SUCCESSFUL! I AM NOW OFFICIALLY ENGAGED !!!!!!

Congrats!

 

[VentMonkey]

MISSION SUCCESSFUL! I AM NOW OFFICIALLY ENGAGED !!!!!!

 

[DesertMedic66]

MISSION SUCCESSFUL! I AM NOW OFFICIALLY ENGAGED !!!!!!

My condolences

 

[NysEms2117]

My condolences

mind= blown lol. you made me laugh irl. good on you

 

[VentMonkey]

@NysEms2117 was it every bit as nerve wracking? Also, now comes the onslaught of "when's the baby due" questions from extended family and friends.

Congrats though, bud, I'm happy fer ya'...

Mazel, mazel...

 

[TransportJockey]

MISSION SUCCESSFUL! I AM NOW OFFICIALLY ENGAGED !!!!!!

Congrats!

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[NysEms2117]

@NysEms2117 was it every bit as nerve wracking? Also, now comes the onslaught of "when's the baby due" questions from extended family and friends.

Congrats though, bud, I'm happy fer ya'...

Mazel, mazel...

yea, my vodka collection can stay undrank(not a word but w/e) now . It was my friend mike whos a city cop pulled her over, and her response was "holy **** mike im andrews girlfriend, you know that". He pulled her over for suspicion of drug trafficking, so she wasn't happy,but i snuck around le car all james bond like. Everything worked out.

The real story, he pulled her over she said that and i stayed behind the car and hopped a few times to get in sight. james bond like sounds cooler though.

 

[VentMonkey]

yea, my vodka collection can stay undrank(not a word but w/e) now . It was my friend mike whos a city cop pulled her over, and her response was "holy **** mike im andrews girlfriend, you know that". He pulled her over for suspicion of drug trafficking, so she wasn't happy,but i snuck around le car all james bond like. Everything worked out.

The real story, he pulled her over she said that and i stayed behind the car and hopped a few times to get in sight. james bond like sounds cooler though.

As does the drug trafficking part. My wife would not have found it funny in the least, making it that much funnier to me...

 

[NysEms2117]

As does the drug trafficking part. My wife would not have found it funny in the least, making it that much funnier to me...

We went to lunch after... I got a sangich that was supposed to be toasted, it came scorched. I sent it back and got yelled at for being a pain in the ***. she said "you would have eaten that if i made it".. I fired right back with "i'm not engaged to the chef" lol.

 

[VentMonkey]

I sent it back and got yelled at for being a pain in the ***. she said "you would have eaten that if i made it".. I fired right back with "i'm not engaged to the chef" lol.

Oh yeah, you're definitely in newlywed mode.
Me? I'm in "let's scare the living sh*t out of mom mode" with my two girls egging me on.

 

[Jim37F]

Who are they doling out their low acuity (alpha and omega) calls to now then?

Same thing they were doing before their "experiment" (experiment meaning what literally just about everyone else in CA except LA and OC already does lol)...they run a mix of dual fire medic ALS ambulances and dual EMT AO BLS units to the lower acuity stuff (similar to how LAFD runs except LAFD BLS ambulances are still firefighters not AOs)

MISSION SUCCESSFUL! I AM NOW OFFICIALLY ENGAGED !!!!!!

 

[VentMonkey]

Same thing they were doing before their "experiment" (experiment meaning what literally just about everyone else in CA except LA and OC already does lol)...they run a mix of dual fire medic ALS ambulances and dual EMT AO BLS units to the lower acuity stuff (similar to how LAFD runs except LAFD BLS ambulances are still firefighters not AOs)

Ah, so they still have their BLS AO program?

 

[Jim37F]

They sure do. Long Beach and Glendale probably have the biggest AO programs in the county, all the others I'm aware of locally (Culver City, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Downey) all only have like 1 or 2 AO units (Compton has an AO program but that is being shut down). Everyone else (except LAFD as previously mentioned) either uses dual FF/PM ambulances for all transports, or some sort of Squad/dual medic Engine with private BLS response.