RNMedic08

My condolences and deepest sympathy is extended to his family and friends and also to the Roosevelt Fire Department on the loss of Captain Iaccino. May his family and friends be provided the love and support to help get thru this very difficult time. Rest in peace Captain.

You know it's all great to sing the high praises of the company that was awarded the contract however let's seriously look at things here. Transcare provided phenomenal service to the City of Poughkeepsie since they took over Alamo. The response times were between 4-6 minutes on an average. You had 2 Dedicated units that when they called out knew they were in the City! You had additional units at the drop of a hat and maybe just maybe when the city exploded a call was rolled over! You have an EMD dispatch and a well known station established in the heart of the City! The Dedicated City crews worked their butts off! I know contracts come and go and territory is lost and gained but something just does not add up here at all!!!! That is just my humble opinion and of course I too will be just singing a sour grape song to many on this board!!!

Yesterday evening I began my 12hr 7p-7a shift as an Alamo Medic. I think I may have had the last City call at 23:45 as Alamo Medic 7 with Engine 2. At 00:00 ON 9/19/09 I became a Transcare Medic and was the Transcare Medic 2 in the City of Poughkeepsie. It was bittersweet for me and to say when I removed my baby blue Alamo work shirt and put on my navy blue Transcare work shirt I became emotional and shed a tear. It was quite impressive to stand beside and have Transcare Administration in the building all night with us answering our last minute what if questions and making the transition almost seemless. I look forward to the days ( for me the nights) ahead and forgive me tonight and tomorrow night if I slip and begin my response as Ala......I mean Transcare Medic 2 or Transcare XXX responding to..... I will always be proud to have worn the Alamo patch first as an EMT and now as the Paramedic. I thank Alamo for giving me the opportunity to do the job I love and enjoy. I thank each and every Vollie agency I had the pleasure of responding to as the Medic and to the paid departments Fairview and City of Poughkeepsie thank you for all your support and assistance on the many calls I had the pleasure to work on as your Medic. I look forward to working with all of you in the future as your Paramedic!!! Thank you all and please be safe out there. Lisa D.... aka "Black Funnel Cloud Medic"

Our prayers for speedy recovery go out to two of our Alamo coworkers and to the patient being transported at the time of this incident. All that needs to be said is all survived. This type of incident was truly an accident and not anything that could have been anticpated or prevented. The driver remains hospitalized, the EMT-B is home and the patient is back at the nursing home.

Congrats and to the Ferguson family

The deal is still on, Alamo staff are finishing up paperwork and the usual stuff that needs to get done. The hold up is not with Transcare or Alamo but with Albany! Also if you don't know what's going on hold your negative responses. Alamo was not "kicked out" of the Fishkill station. It made business sense not to renew the rental contract for the station with the impending change, therefore the decision was made to turn the Alamo crews out of Middlebush where 2 ambulances are currently stationed one inside the bay and one outside. This has also helped the crews get to know each other better. Also neither staff have been driving each others rigs. Alamo crews man Alamo rigs, Transcare crews man Transcare rigs. Yes you do see Alamo and Transcare crews at hospitals talking and introducing themeselves to each other and trying to build a cohesive team. I suggest before you believe and post a rumor talk to an Alamo or a Transcare employee to get the facts first. Be safe

In my A job as an RN I am responsible for Safe Patient Handling Program. It's my job to do hazard risk assessments, recommend appropriate equipment such as ceiling lifts floor to stand lifts, and any other transfer devices. There are a few products that are starting to come out for EMS use, however we seem to be the last their are concerned about for injuries. Healthcare workers are by OSHA standards only allowed to lift 35lbs...so why is it that we in EMS are expected to be the pack mules and risk or backs, shoulders and any other body part? Even though we may use proper body mechanics it is the repetitive force and motion on our bones and muscles that over time create problems for us....and it doesn't have to be the bariatric patient that we get hurt from....

I was at SFH when the first victim came in, pretty banged up but didn't appear to have any life threatening injuries, 2nd victim was flown to WCMC, not sure the extent of his injuries......

I actually prefer the bag over the big clunky box that keeps slamming into my shin when I move. The bag for me is so much easier everything I need is in there along with my airway equipment. With the box I have to bring the monitor, and the airway bag......too much for my small hands to grab and carry.....the only problems I have with the bag is when the previous medic rearranges everything to their liking and i spend the first 10 minutes putting it back together and they are harder to secure in the back when working up the patient, the box is better to secure! Anyway everyone has their own preference. Oppie nice shots of the rig.....haven't been down at my old home Fishkill station in a few months since I grew a set of ba__s and work the weekend overnights in the City of Poughkeepsie...check and see if there is anything in my mailbox...lol Everyone please be safe out there is this rainy weather....

Thank you guys. As an Alamo Medic I appreciate you care and support, after all I believe we are here for the same reasons no matter what uniform or patch we wear. I am hoping for the best and believe that this will work out. As angry and as frustrated as I was yesterday walking into the meeting I felt better walking out. Things for the Alamo employees can only get better since we were living in a daily vortex of stress and uncertainity and we did what we were asked to do which was care for those that called us. I hope that I can continue to work in my service area and with the Poughkeepsie FD/ PD, PV, RFD and FFD who have been nothing but supportive when I had the opportunity to be their Medic.

At this point rumors are just rumors.......... At this time HQ is not selling Alamo...and in fact will be doing the transports out of another HQ affiliate hospital. As to firing or laying off Full timers that is not the case. I have heard that Transcare wants all of Dutchess county so that would mean they are going after not only Alamo but MLSS, and NDP!!! Just remember bigger doesn't always mean better. The more you have the greater the risk you have to make mistakes and make taxpayers and fire districts unhappy!!!

Fairview is hosting the CME. The topic I believe is Pediatric Trauma and Burns and the speaker is Dr. Jon Pangia from St. Francis Hospital ER. Starts at 7p-9p.

Congrats on the save !!!! Well my first CPR was actually at work. Patient had just been admitted to the Medical Unit from the ER.....in the process of transferring him out of the wheelchair and into the bed he took that ohh so horrible last gasp and then proceeded to collapse in the Er nurse's arms.....we quickly got him on the bed called a code got the crash cart and board under him, unfortunately I was at his left side so I began chest compressions and heard that POPPING sound.....anyway we started bagging him till the rest of the code team got there and I think because he was in our arms and CPR was started so quickly he survived...he was transferred to the ICU and said I don't remember anything but some Blonde RN pounding on my chest and she broke my rib.......The MD responded at least your here to complain about the broken rib she did her job.......... So now as an RN I must have had some huge brain fart and became an EMT-B, I am with my steady s**t magnet partner in Beekman and we had just picked up dinner ( he had chicken francese and I for some unknown reason chose Linguine with white clam sauce) and the Cheif of Beekman is in the station talking to us when we get a call 34-79 respond for a diabetic emergency...so off we go with the Cheif leading the way. We just hit Rte.55 and County updates CPR in progress...we look at each and say WTF???? We get on scene and guess what no one was doing CPR! So now here we are....I start compressions and the Cheif is bagging as my Medic attempts to intubate.....very difficult intubation and then suddenly pure red blood starts pouring out of his mouth....well it's about this time I turn 5 shades of white and almost puke....... we worked him all the way in from Beekman, dumped a whole lot of meds in him and in the Er they worked him another 20 minutes........ So now it's 2/14/09 and I am a paramedic and I get hit with a City 911 call for uncon/unresp get on scene and there is PFD working the guy, AED advises no shock continue CPR, the have an excellent BLS airway going and I'm thinking when the hell is the Medic going to get here! Oh crap I AM the Medic.....your right you just go into the zone and do what you are trained to do! I have to honestly say things would not have gone as smoothly if not for the efforts of Engine 2 who truly stepped up to the plate and backed this medic up......thank you seemed so inadequate so I formally drafted a letter and sent it to their Chief for recognition of a great job.... In my dual roles I have found that no matter how many times you are involved in a code you do what you are trained to do and then afterwards the adrenalin rush takes over as you shake and sweat.......but know this...as long as you do the best you can that is what counts sometimes we succeed but many times we don't and it is all in the hands of a greater being.

Thanks for clarifying that Dan. Initailly I took it differently than the way you just presented it. Working for a commercial agency I strive to give you accurate info when you are sending me all over the great City of Poughkeepsie on the Friday and Saturday overnights....LOL...and let me tell you these past few weekends have been quite busy and filled with interesting calls.

So Goose, Are you saying that Commercial agencies have sub par EMT's and Paramedic"s because I highly doubt that!!!!! Granted the equipment might not be cutting edge or the ambulances bright and shiny right out of the dealership but that doesn't make them any less competent then their counterparts in other counties in this area. Personally, I think the commercial agencies here in Dutchess County do a damn good job providing care to the residents in their call area. I, as a commercial agency Paramedic do the BEST I can providing pre hospital care to my patients and I do believe I am a Bright individual.

Well Dan the fact of the matter is you didn't convey that in your transmission you stayed calm and in control and that's what we as responders like to hear so that we remain calm..........duck on the water even though your feet may have been going a mile a minute all anyone heard on the surface was your professional calm competent voice.... Nothing gets me more nervous or shaken as when a dispatcher is stressed and panicked sending me on a call....makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end...... Again thank you to City and County 911 Dispatchers who are frequently not recognized for a job well done.

Apparently this started as a Police call first and then supposedly the perp barracked himself in the apartment and tried to set it on fire...that's why the FD was not called immediately.......2 officers apparently suffred from smoke inhalation and 1 was transported and is doing OK..........the city is sure getting crazy lately so all need to be careful and make scene safety and your safety a high priority...... To the 2 injured officers get well soon we need you guys.... To all Be Safe out there

Hope the MOS is ok and it isn't serious..........please guys be safe out there

I stopped by Saturday early evening and got mine.....anything else I can do to support the men in the "View" let me know, you guys are invaluable to the community and they should only know what a true asset this department is.......be safe guys and good luck.

Ok.......guys I suppose when Alamo does an E- job and the patient for some reason decides they want to go to St. Luke's or Cornwall OR based on the criticality of the patient and VBH /SFH in the Medic's opinion is just a little too far for comfort WE drop them off.....I guess every other Agency drops of patients in all ER's too.....I was of the thinking that I was transporting my patient........ Yes Alamo has a CON for Dutchess, Putnam, Orange and Ulster............

Thanks TDC........ knew your guys were Haz mat techs, however I wasn't sure but did know you were all trained in confined space, but I didn't think you were a collapse team........however I still believe you and your men are very under utilzed by the communities.......

A very under utilized department is right here in your backyard guys......VA HUDSON VALLEY FIRE DEPARTMENT Castle Point & Montrose Campus. These guys are trained in confined space and Hazmat and are all FF's and EMT's......and they are on duty 24/7........ If I am incorrect I am sure that TDC202, Beekman and or Fireman3484 could set me straight

Shawn and Rob.....nice job with the new truck.....I'll be down to visit and hopefully it won't be anywhere in service by Reilly and Rosell any time soon......... Good job with the fire yesterday although you lost the structure the important thing is all that fought the fire came back home safely........ Best of luck with the new apparatus

Actually since the failed merger with NDP occured HealthQuest has made Alamo a priority. There has been a concerted effort to make improvements. I think you will all see in the coming months that it will not be the same business as usual mentality.......we know that we have a lot of work to do to try and regain the trust and respect from various communities, and that being said were are dedicated to providing the best service to those we serve, yes I have my Pollyanna attitude on but I believe that Alamo will be a better and stronger EMS provider in the future...... I think if we all remember we are here to serve our communities and work together it really doesn't matter what color uniform or what pach is on your shoulder, underneath it all we are all the same and have the same goal....to provide exceptional, compassionate, competent care to those in need. May you all have a safe Friday the 13th and a safe and Happy St. Patrick's Day weekend.

I know Saturday night with the big fire in Pawling 54-79 was sitting there all night......I think Pawling requested Alamo to backfill because Transcare did not have any additional rigs to cover........however Alamo was not able to assist Pawling at that time.....hmmm don't think Alamo had any available units that they could spare to send down there because they were busy taking care of their contracts!