JJB531

I know I would wholeheartedly support getting rid of the audit requirements and doing medical control contact hours. IMHO, call audits are an asbolute waste of time. To sit for an hour and listen to the same nonsense over and over again, on my own time nonetheless, it just plain ridiculous. And now trying to find audits that coordinate with my work schedule is near impossible. I hope you're not teasing me WAS!!

Hudson Valley REMSCO Westchester REMSCO Which region are you looking for? Check out the local REMSCO websites for schedules.

Thanks for the welcome! I'm excited for the opportunity to help the staff and membership in any way I can. Most importantly, I'm just looking forward to continuing to learn from the knowledgeable and invaluable members who continualy contribute their knowledge to the site. Thanks again for the welcome and I am excited for this opportunity. Joe Bucchignano JJB531

Another great job by one of EMTBravo's own, Helicopper. Congrats on another great job well done. Lohud article

Thanks for the clarification

Briarcliff (Part Time - Transcare) Croton-on-Hudson (Part Time - Ossining) Eastchester (Part Time) Harrison (Full Time) Hawthorne (Part Time - Empress) Ossining (Full Time) Peekskill (Part Time - Hudson Valley I believe) Port Chester/Rye/Rye Brook (Full Time) Scarsdale (Part Time) Valhalla (Part Time - TransCare) Others (i.e. Larchmont/Mamaroneck) hire their own paid medics but still provide volunteer BLS coverage.

I researched the CFR level in Massachusetts, and so far it seems to me the "CFR" concept isn't really a certification, but a defining term for first responders such as police officers, firefighters, and other emergency responders (who do not play a primary role in EMS response) who have CPR and basic first aid training. Maybe Future Fireman can elaborate if that is correct.

I just looked at the Massachusetts Office of EMS website and the CFR level of training isn't even offered, just EMT Basic, Intermediate, and Paramedic.

I'm failing to see the problem. They were hired as probationary firefighters, and one of the terms of their employment that they had full knowledge of and agreed to was to become state certified EMT's , which they failed to properly complete, and in lieu of termination they were afforded an opportunity to resign and be rehired upon successful completion of passing the exam. If there are terms of employment that an employee must meet to remain employed, then they need to meet the minimum standards set forth by the employer, otherwise dismissal is appropriate. They knew they had to pass this exam to keep their job, and for whatever reason, they failed to do so. Sorry but maybe there are 7 others out there who are better suited for the position then.

First Response agencies definitely fit in, as do dispatchers, and anyone else who plays a part of the overall system.

I am in no way trying to turn this into a paid/volley discussion, so I hope you don't misinterpret my statements as an attempt to start one. I have no problem with volunteers, as long as they are dedicated, prodfessional, and competent as a provider. As a career provider, obviously my opinions and statements are going to reflect that.

There is no 70%, you either are a VAC or you are not. The definition of a VAC is open to individual interpretation; my personal interpretation is that once you start hiring employees, you are no longer a VAC. To attempt to make a mockery of my personal opinion by stating that I would prefer "70% of the time VAC" is with all due respect utterly ridiculous. Correct, many EMS agencies are primarily transport agencies, but each is certified by the state as an EMS Agency, held to the same standard as "true EMS" agencies, and each has the same capabilities to provide emergency medical care and transport to sick/injured parties, and most do respond to emergent calls for service at facilities that contract them for emergency response.. You have taken the name game to a new level, by the logic you have presented now, EMT's who work for transport agencies shouldn't be called EMT's, they should drop the "E" and just be called Medical Technicians, or everyone's favorite; Ambulance Drivers. This may be a long thread over words to you, but those of us who are involved in the field and actually give a damn about how we are perceived by not only the public, but other agencies as well, the words are more than just words.

This is not a discussion about your agency or my profession? You initiated a post about your agency, stating that your agency is proud to be a VAC that doesn't bill, and I commend your agency for being able to truly maintain a VAC, but am I not permitted to address conflicting information for clarification? I think my profession has every thing to do with the way this thread has manifested itself so far in terms of myself being a career medic who is employed by a "VAC". Other members have already posted about the same issues I addressed in my post, why does my post cause you to become defensive about what this thread is really about?

I'm slightly confused because in one post you state how your agency "proudly uses the word VAC", but then you go on to say you don't care if the vehicle "says Good Humor on it". Once you start hiring your own personnel, you are no longer a VAC, you are a combination department. Correct that patients or their families might not care what the pretty writing is on the side of the vehicle says in the time of an emergency, but what about the rest of the time? Are we misleading the general public by advertising ourselves, since the way we letter our vehicles is a means of advertisement, in a false manner to make the community believe we are something that we actually are not? Someone brought up Ossining as an example. Ossining is 90%, if not higher, paid at this point, with a full-time paid Chief, one newly graduated active volunteer paramedic, an extremely small handful of volunteer EMT's, 4 full time paramedics and full time EMT's staffing the primary ambulance which is funded through taxpayer money, and all paid paramedics staffing the Fly Car; yet the agency still calls itself a VAC, when it is the furthest thing from one. Personally I do care, because I am a career medic, not a volunteer, and I want to be represented as such

They still exist....

First, this simulator was purchased using proceeds from Grant money, not the Department's operating budget. Second, the County Police Academy does already have one of these simulators, but it is not always readily available. Third, Police Officers will be more apt to use this piece of equipment when it is readily available for their use at their Headquarters, instead of having to attempt to schedule availability for the Police Academy's FATS Simulator. The more Police Officers who utilize this training resource leads to a group of higher trained, higher skilled, combat conditioned Police Officers who possess a sharper set of "split-second" decision making capabilities then Police Officers who do not take advantage of this training resource that has been made available to them. Plus I applaud Tuckahoe Police Department for making this training tool available to the surrounding agencies, far from the fiefdom syndrome that you suggest in your post. If you ask me, grant money spent very wisely on an invaluable training tool. Approximate Manpower by Department(info obtained from internet searches): Tuckahoe: 24 Bronxville: 23 Eastchester: 51 Pelham: 28 Approximate total of 126 Officers

There's a whole section for training and educational opportunities

In the wake of the 10th Anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security has received a "specific, credible but unconfirmed" threat of a potential terrorist attack against either New York city or Washington D.C. that they are currently vigorously investigating. While this time of year does spawn an increase in potential terrorist attack "chatter", this threat has been deemed "credible" by the DHS. This story is being reported by numerous news outlets. For everyone in the EMTBravo and Emergency Service community, stay vigilant, stay alert, and stay safe. My link My link

Upon retirement I don't plan on living the slow life, I plan on living in reverse! Stay well...

IMHO, and with no disrespect intended, I think that shutting down the site is really not a prudent way to remember the events of 9/11. The EMTBravo community is made up of people from all "walks of emergency service life". There are Cops, Firemen, EMT's, Paramedics, Nurses, Enthusiasts, Career, Volunteer, Active Duty, Retired, Pursuing the Emergency Service field, Students, Instructors, those who were directly affected by the events of that day, and those who were 8 years old at the time who are now involved in the emergency service community in some way, wheteher it be fire or EMS or some other form of involvement. Much can still be learned from the events of 9/11... lessons of bravery, service, courage, and brotherhood that were exemplified by so many of the first responders that day; lessons that should be passed on to those who may just be getting involved with their local VFD or VAC, or those who are newly hired Police Officers or Firefighters. I say instead of shutting down the site to remember the events of that day, keep the site up so people can share their thoughts and memories from that day if they choose to. This site is not just a portal for information, snazzy photographs, and the occasional silliness that drives the moderators crazy! This site is a resource for so many, and the EMTBravo community is just that, a community of emergency service professionals, many of whom I have come to respect for their knowledge and professionalism, a community that serves as an avenue for those who have retired and moved on, to stay connected with their emergency service brothers and sisters back home in the NY Metro Area, a community of emergency service providers from all "walks of emergency service life" where we can be around our peers, and there may be that one person on Sunday, 9/11/11 who may turn to this site to remember and reflect on that day, or remember a friend or family member who was lost that day, and I personally think to deny anyone of that opportunity would be like turning our backs on one of our own.

Good to see you back Capt. I completely understand this is the world we live in. These "threats" are often nothing more then a routine reminder of the world we live in, especially around this time of year when the number of unsubstantiated threats and terrorist chatter, both domestically and overseas, peaks. For me, these threats serve as a reminder not to become too complacent because we all know complacency kills in our line of work. The potential for another terrorist attack is always there, and while we should not let such threats take over our lives, it is just a reminder that as first responders we need to remain vigilant. On a lighter note, if you have any good suggestions where to take my pension when my 20 is up, feel free to share!

New information indicates there are 3 persons of interest, one of whom is believed to be a US citizen, and all 3 are believed to have already entered the country. Preliminary information leads officials to believe the threat involves a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device. Updated CNN Article

Myself along with my coworkers are currently selling 9/11 10 year anniversary Memorial Tee Shirts that honor the 23 NYPD Police Officers killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center. The Tee Shirts are $15 each, and all money profited from the sale of the shirts will go directly to benefit other members of the service and their family members at various 10-13 parties and other memorial functions. None of the money that is generated from the sale of these shirts are going to be for the monetary gain of any individuals involved in the selling of these shirts. If you are interested in purchasing a shirt, please PM me with your contact info and shirt size and I'll arrange payment and delivery of the shirt to you. Thank you in advance, we appreciate it greatly. Joe Bucchignano

Lohud Article

#1 - DJ Henry was called a punk, scumbag kid because he ignored a lawful order from a uniformed police officer, chose to flee the police in a motor vehicle, and then attempted to run down another police officer with his vehicle... if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and sounds like a duck, then guess what.... it's a duck. #2 - Knowingly getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, then knowingly ignoring a lawful order from a uniformed police officer, then attempting to run over a second uniformed police officer while attempting to flee is not a damn mistake. You make it sound like this kid accidentally rear ended a patrol car in the parking lot cause he was busy sexting some piece of a** he got the night before. This kid is responsible for his own actions. It's his actions that started the chain of events that lead to his death, and one one elses. #3 - What differed that night is that this kid, while intoxicated, attempted to flee the police and could have killed a police officer with his vehicle had the officer not responded with deadly physical force to stop the threat to his own life. Not exactly a nightly occurrence at any bar, irregardless if there's underage drinking or not. #6 - Officers on either side of the vehicle? An officer approached the vehicle from the side, just as you wanted, and what did Henry do? He drove off in an attempt to flee the scene. Did you want the officers to run alongside his vehicle? Or how about we just let this intoxicated, irrational, and clearly dangerous individual drive out of the parking lot onto the public roadway, where he can kill some innocent person just driving home from work. Shoot someone to kill? Officer Hess discharged his firearm to stop the threat in compliance with the NYS Criminal Procedure Law. Officer Hess was presented with an individual using his vehicle as a weapon in an attempt to flee police, and in doing so posed an immediate threat of causing PO Hess serious physical injury and/or death, and PO Hess utilized the appropriate level of force to meet what DJ Henry brought to the table. You sit there and say, "I know its not like he had an eternity"... until you enter that fight or flight response, have had to make a split second, life or death decision, where you are reaching down to your most primal instincts to survive, you sir have no right to monday morning quarterback PO Hess's actions that night. #8 - You think that just because you watch COPS, CSI, Law and Order, and all of these other garbage shows on TV that you are some kind of police tactics expert? You're right, no one had to die that night, DJ Henry made that decision when instead of following the directions of multiple uniformed police officers he chose to get behind the wheel while intoxicated. He chose to drive off and flee a police officer. He chose to drive into, and attempt to run over, another uniformed police officer. You keep calling everyone elses actions that night inappropriate, and you call DJ Henry's actions "a mistake". Give us a damn break, will you. I mean really, how ridiculous does that sound? He precipitated every single thing that happened that night, but he's the good kid who made a mistake and every one else that night was just a bunch of trigger happy pigs. I can tell you one thing for sure; you stated that you don't know if you would have pulled the trigger that night; I can tell you if you were a cop faced with that same situation, I'd have the unpleasant experience of having to go to your funeral then, plain and simple, and police funerals are the one thing that no cop ever wants to go to. You also stated, "keep someone alive by not shooting them." Absolutely, but not if that individual is trying to kill me. If someone is actively trying to kill me, I'm going to shoot them to stop them from killing me, that's just the way it is. I'm going home at the end of the night to my family, period, and at that point I'm only concerned with surviving, not find a nice touchy feely way to end the threat on my life just so the perpetrator can live. Shoot the engine block? Are you aware that handgun ammunition will not pass through an engine block, so good luck with that one Seagal. The military uses .50 caliber rifles to disable engine blocks on vehicles, you think a handgun bullet is going to disable a vehicle? Oh that's right, Steven Seagal and Bruce Willis do it all the time in the movies, so it must be true. Do you know how many police officers are killed or seriously injured every year in vehicle pursuits? Yes, lets engage a highly intoxicated individual in a vehicle pursuit because that doesn't have a high probability of ending in disaster. I can't help but laugh how you have the audacity to sit there behind your little computer screen and talk about police tactics and how the incident should have been handled. I say until you vest up and get out there and do the job, leave the tactics discussions to those of us who are actually out there doing the work, because the fantasy land of how you believe being a cop is based on some junk you watched on TV last night is typical for arm chair experts who mother f**ks the cops any chance they get until the day the wolf comes knocking at your door.