Wearing your state patch/NR patch to protest

[bigbaldguy]

I recently went to a public event where a group of emergency providers and various city employees were holding an informational picket. The protest/picketing was in response to cuts for certain services. I noticed a group of fire fighters who were wearing white uniform shirts with a state professional fire fighter patch on one sleeve and a small state flag or in a couple of cases a state medic patch on the other sleeve. Other than these patches there were no departmental patches. I'm assuming the department they are with wouldn't let them wear their actual uniform. It was obvious that by wearing these suedo uniforms they

So my question is do you think it acceptable to wear your state/national cert patches when at an event like this?

There will be a poll attached to this thread but please elaborate on your reasoning for and against.

 

[Veneficus]

I recently went to a public event where a group of emergency providers and various city employees were holding an informational picket. The protest/picketing was in response to cuts for certain services. I noticed a group of fire fighters who were wearing white uniform shirts with a state professional fire fighter patch on one sleeve and a small state flag or in a couple of cases a state medic patch on the other sleeve. Other than these patches there were no departmental patches. I'm assuming the department they are with wouldn't let them wear their actual uniform. It was obvious that by wearing these suedo uniforms they

So my question is do you think it acceptable to wear your state/national cert patches when at an event like this?

There will be a poll attached to this thread but please elaborate on your reasoning for and against.

I don't see anything wrong with it. It identifies you as a member of a group.

I can see that departments would not want to be represented as people might think that was the view of the agency and not the individual.

When doctors protest they wear white coats. Why should a firefighter or EMS worker not be able to wear something that denotes them as a group?

 

[Joe]

Oops i misread the poll. Non agency affiliated patches should be fine. I do see the problem with agency patches.

 

[bigbaldguy]

When doctors protest they wear white coats. Why should a firefighter or EMS worker not be able to wear something that denotes them as a group?

Interestingly there were 4 people in white coats as well as a few people in scrubs who were also in the group. People didn't really seem to pay much attention to the scrubs and coats but the FFs were a different story. It was interesting to note that the group they were with, most of whom were in plain clothes was receiving much more attention from passerby and press alike because of the FFs mock uniform. The public also seemed to respond very positively to the group because of their presence.

I mentioned this to a few of my fellow EMS peeps and they all said something along the lines of "I would go to the event but I wouldn't want people to know that I worked in EMS". We constantly complain about not being treated as professionals but are often afraid to even identify as EMS out of some weird fear that we might be labeled whackers.

 

[Veneficus]

I think part of this is complete lack of appreciation for the political process by EMS providers.

One of the former forum members once pointed out, and I think very insightfully and accurately, that during EMS conventions there is almost no attendance in the political action seminars.

The reason these firefighters have these shirts at all isn't to be a whacker, it is because they use it as a political tool. They cannot wear department uniforms so they have a substitute.

Doctors and nurses are very politically active, there is obvious benefit to it. They pass a doctor pay fix every year to avert automatic cuts from previous legislation. They don't do it out of kindness.

Firefighters take over EMS agencies with effective political action.

I think because of

1. the fragmented nature of EMS in the US, it has no group identity. Infact one of the reason I do not join NAEMT is because many of their local officers are also IAFF members and they will never support something good for EMS as an agency that is opposed to what is good for their firefighter member base. That is an abvious conflict of interest to belong to both of those groups.

2. EMS in the US is a behind the scenes group. I know of two agencies that actually do their best to hide their stations from public view. There is also a widespread misunderstanding about patient privacy. Look at all the posts here about privacy and HIPPA(sic on purpose) Even if they do manage to get HIPAA correct, there is really no understanding on what it regulates.

3. Most people don't even know what EMS does. How many people are shocked when EMS starts an IV or gives a medication in 2012? (soon to be 2013)

4. How much outreach does EMS really do? Effectively nothing. If it were up to me there would be a professional medic in every senior center, nursing home, Knights of Columbus, Veterens Club, FOE, and every other organization that has a large population of seniors telling them what EMS does and why they are important.

Along the same lines, look at what LE does with youth groups. What does EMS do? Visit school once a year?

5. How often have you heard an EMS provider say or write here they don't care what things cost? Where do they think that money comes from? Magic?

6. As long as EMS are not educated and are considered tradesmen or laborers by civic leaders, how do they ever expect to get a seat at the table when financial and political matters are discussed?

Yet these same people come to this very forum and claim they will not front money for education because they see no benefit for them. Then they are the first to complain when the local FD is about to take over and displace EMS workers.

I have volunteered hundreds if not thousands of hours over time to paid FDs I was with for public relations. I certainly didn't go above and beyond any of my peers doing it.

How many EMS providers not attatched to FDs do the same?

Firefighters fill the boot every year. They have charity collection on counters and collect cans for burned children. Doctors and nurses travel the globe, often at their own expense to provide charity care. Where are the EMS providers providing charity care on their time off? (granted they are probably working 3 jobs to mae ends meet)

Where is the national charity organization in the US to raise money to provide better EMS equipment or provide paid coverage to rural places?

Why has the rank and file not risen up against outdated protocols from absentee medical directors in a very public way for the betterment of their patients like every other non medical healthcare field?

Bottom line, EMS doesn't understand the value and they suffer for it.

 

[EpiEMS]

State or registry? Sure.
Agency? No way.

 

[mycrofft]

Just to be consistently off-message...

I think part of this is complete lack of appreciation for the political process by EMS providers.

One of the former forum members once pointed out, and I think very insightfully and accurately, that during EMS conventions there is almost no attendance in the political action seminars.

The reason these firefighters have these shirts at all isn't to be a whacker, it is because they use it as a political tool. They cannot wear department uniforms so they have a substitute.

Doctors and nurses are very politically active, there is obvious benefit to it. They pass a doctor pay fix every year to avert automatic cuts from previous legislation. They don't do it out of kindness.

Firefighters take over EMS agencies with effective political action.

I think because of

1. the fragmented nature of EMS in the US, it has no group identity. Infact one of the reason I do not join NAEMT is because many of their local officers are also IAFF members and they will never support something good for EMS as an agency that is opposed to what is good for their firefighter member base. That is an abvious conflict of interest to belong to both of those groups.

2. EMS in the US is a behind the scenes group. I know of two agencies that actually do their best to hide their stations from public view. There is also a widespread misunderstanding about patient privacy. Look at all the posts here about privacy and HIPPA(sic on purpose) Even if they do manage to get HIPAA correct, there is really no understanding on what it regulates.

3. Most people don't even know what EMS does. How many people are shocked when EMS starts an IV or gives a medication in 2012? (soon to be 2013)

4. How much outreach does EMS really do? Effectively nothing. If it were up to me there would be a professional medic in every senior center, nursing home, Knights of Columbus, Veterens Club, FOE, and every other organization that has a large population of seniors telling them what EMS does and why they are important.

Along the same lines, look at what LE does with youth groups. What does EMS do? Visit school once a year?

5. How often have you heard an EMS provider say or write here they don't care what things cost? Where do they think that money comes from? Magic?

6. As long as EMS are not educated and are considered tradesmen or laborers by civic leaders, how do they ever expect to get a seat at the table when financial and political matters are discussed?

Yet these same people come to this very forum and claim they will not front money for education because they see no benefit for them. Then they are the first to complain when the local FD is about to take over and displace EMS workers.

I have volunteered hundreds if not thousands of hours over time to paid FDs I was with for public relations. I certainly didn't go above and beyond any of my peers doing it.

How many EMS providers not attatched to FDs do the same?

Firefighters fill the boot every year. They have charity collection on counters and collect cans for burned children. Doctors and nurses travel the globe, often at their own expense to provide charity care. Where are the EMS providers providing charity care on their time off? (granted they are probably working 3 jobs to mae ends meet)

Where is the national charity organization in the US to raise money to provide better EMS equipment or provide paid coverage to rural places?

Why has the rank and file not risen up against outdated protocols from absentee medical directors in a very public way for the betterment of their patients like every other non medical healthcare field?

Bottom line, EMS doesn't understand the value and they suffer for it.

"Man the barricades! Chicks up front!". (Oh, that was Berkely/'68. Forget it).
Person the barricades! Paramedics up front!". (Better).

FD's and AFF are unionized and mostly full time due to civil service regs. Non-FD "EMS" is largely a "ragtag band of warriors" and not able economically, psychologically or logistically to organize. I said it once, I'll say it again: without control of your labor (strike) you cannot control your job.
As for the OP: since military isn't allowed to wear uniform to actions or interviews unless representing the service, they will wear a suit and some lapel pin or such. What if PEMS techs wore either a suit or scrubs and a lab coat then tasteful patches reflecting their personal acheivments but no company or department affixations. Just a band o' bros and sisters.

 

[CritterNurse]

When the public sees you with your department patches, you are seen as being the department, and what you do or not do reflects on the department. So I would say don't wear the patches to potentially controversial events without checking with the officers to make sure they're good with it.

Now if the officers ask for your support at an event and to wear your 'colors', that's another story. I've gone to town meetings with other department volunteers wearing our colors to show solidarity with the department. One time it was to a town meeting where they would be voting on something that would affect the department that we didn't agree with. Another time it was to go to a selectmen's meeting (which was televised) to counter-act the rumor that the department was desolving (it wasn't).

 

[bigbaldguy]

When the public sees you with your department patches, you are seen as being the department, and what you do or not do reflects on the department. So I would say don't wear the patches to potentially controversial events without checking with the officers to make sure they're good with it.

Now if the officers ask for your support at an event and to wear your 'colors', that's another story. I've gone to town meetings with other department volunteers wearing our colors to show solidarity with the department. One time it was to a town meeting where they would be voting on something that would affect the department that we didn't agree with. Another time it was to go to a selectmen's meeting (which was televised) to counter-act the rumor that the department was desolving (it wasn't).

What about non departmental certification patches? NREMT/state?

 

[CANDawg]

There's a difference between identifying yourself as being part of a particular, regulated profession, and identifying your employer in these sorts of situations. If you're issued a patch for registering as an EMT, medic, etc., then yes. Go ahead and wear it. However, I don't believe it is appropriate to clearly identify your employer, even if they gave permission. There's a professional line.

I wish we got patches where I live for registering!

 

[mycrofft]

There's a difference between identifying yourself as being part of a particular, regulated profession, and identifying your employer in these sorts of situations. If you're issued a patch for registering as an EMT, medic, etc., then yes. Go ahead and wear it. However, I don't believe it is appropriate to clearly identify your employer, even if they gave permission. There's a professional line.

I wish we got patches where I live for registering!

Like (s)he said.

 

[CritterNurse]

What about non departmental certification patches? NREMT/state?

Eep. I need to read things a bit more closely.

Well, I think the same guideline applies to me. I don't wear my national registry patch, but even if I did, I wouldn't wear it anyplace that would/could reflect badly on EMTs.

Plus in class we were told that if you did display the star of life or wear your patch, you may end up with people flagging you down in public for assistance, and if you weren't able to aid them, it would look very bad if it got out in the media.