You might work for a private if.....

ArcticKat said:
It's required learning in my company. Everyone knows how to change a tire and is capable of doing it on the side of the road. We even practice it.
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that's kinda cool, I don't know of any company that does that, let alone practices doing it.
Sasha said:
We aren't allowed to change the tire. Our tow truck drivers used to change them but for some reason they stopped allowing that too.
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many places have this requirement for the same reason they outsource all their maintenance work. it becomes a liability if a fix is down in house, and the fix isn't done properly, and when the fix gets undone, and hurts someone, the agency is on the hook. have a tow truck or mechanic do it all, and if something goes wrong, it all falls on that repair shop, not the agency.

having the skills or tools to do the job isn't what matter, nor is it about getting dirty. it is all about liability.
 
ArcticKat said:
That's why we have inservices on changing tires. That way, you do know how. :)

To be honest, I leave it up to my staff. They have the choice of taking 15 minutes to change a tire or they can call for a tow truck and another ambulance to take the patient if they have one, wait anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour for that other ambulance to show up....and well over an hour for the tow truck....and pay the bill when it arrives. :)

JK the last part.

As to the unit check discovering the tire problem in the first place, not everyone has a well lit garage in which to do the oncoming shift checks. I consider myself lucky.
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At least in CA the crew is required to determine if the ambulance is safe for operation. If it's raining and night, then bust out a poncho and a flashlight and check those tires! All the more reason to check the wear if it's raining!!
 
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All our newest vehicles have a nice big "spare tire compartment" on the exterior, but no spare tire. The service would rather have the vehicle towed and the repair done by one of our contracted shops or the Vehicle Techs at HQ. Still, makes a great place to toss my bedding on nights or any miscellaneous gear.
 
When a unit that recently came back from being "repaired" after a front end collision has a dysfunctional hood latch release (read: falling off).

After asking for help and pulling on the hood while someone pulls the latch you confirm it has oil. Then after starting it up it sounds like crap and the check engine light is on.

Ops manager has a code reader but just the sound of the engine scares him and we're off to a different unit. Said other unit is the one you have to keep running so the battery won't drain.

Ugh.
 
I was PT at a 911 service and FT for a Private (IFT). I actually liked the IFT I learned more about medical emergencies, medications and what they are used for and chronic medical problems than I ever did with FD.
It comes in handy; especially when you can calm down patient by talking to them about their problem and what the ED/Doctor is going to do for them.
 
Everett said:
If the company day room has bed bugs in its couches ... :excl:
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That's many 911 services too... I'm currently in an old storage closet off the bay in the firehouse. God only knows what bugs are crawling around in here. :unsure:
 
True for a certain private service in South Africa

"You know you work for X when you are TIRED of sleeping!"

:rofl:

I can't say it's name... :P
 
No changing tires here but part of our employee orientation was learning how to put chains on the unit and practice doing it. It doesn't happen all the time but every now and again you have to.
 
NVRob said:
No changing tires here but part of our employee orientation was learning how to put chains on the unit and practice doing it. It doesn't happen all the time but every now and again you have to.
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Same here. We are required to carry chains on all ambulances.... And I work in the desert.... Where it never snows
 
IFT...

- If you're taking a SNF patient to an ER and wait 1.5 hours in the ER before a bed or nurse is available to take report...... and an ALS 911 rolls in with a patient (no more critical than yours) and promply gets a bed and is back in service before you.

- If your dispatcher has a russian accent

- If you drop off a patient at dialysis ... your dispatcher tells you to take a SNF to ER 45 minutes away from your post, and then they send you back down to the same post to pick up the dialysis call..... all within an hour of your shift ending.
 
usalsfyre said:
Alternately, any day with less than 10 BLS trips is an "easy" day for the basic.
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or they send you to an IFT going from the floor to a SNF, an hour south of the city, 1.5 hours from your station, 30 minutes before you get off shift >.>
 
Nervegas said:
or they send you to an IFT going from the floor to a SNF, an hour south of the city, 1.5 hours from your station, 30 minutes before you get off shift >.>
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So Orange does that too? I don't think I've gotten off on time ever if I'm working in a day truck that day...
 
usalsfyre said:
So Orange does that too? I don't think I've gotten off on time ever if I'm working in a day truck that day...
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Oh yes, and I haven't been off on time in nearly 2 months. Day or night truck makes no difference.
 
What about dropping off in Plano and getting sent to DeSoto :eek: for a pick up in 20 minutes?
 
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