spunky2268

Great shots for a pretty good worker! Thanks for posting. Any chance anyone is able to tell me about what the EMS crew is bringing in; specifically, what is in the yellow Pelican/Storm cases? I'd guess, from looking at their PPE and what I believe are Scott Packs in the bags on the cot, this is a Rescue Medic crew. Would it be typical for a Rescue Medic crew to be assigned to a working fire, over say a regular ALS unit?

Thanks, ny10570.

PEM03!!! Exactly what I was getting at with my MERV/MRTU "rant" and how it SHOULD be utilized! A great way to bring definitive care to a crisis with all the bells and whistles! So many of these "preparedness" companies would have us blow up a Zumro or assemble a Western Shelter and work out of one of those. And, a unit like this is under utilized (though at times appropriately so) as a rehab or "warming" unit. I guess I've derailed my own thread... My vision for this resource in our region is just as you describe. Thank you for posting. Speaking of derailing, but in a GREAT direction, thanks to Meat441 for your input. I love the NJ EMS TF setup. Ohio is behind the times on Ambulance Strike Teams and Medical Task Forces. Thanks for posting. As an aside, I got to work with some of the folks with the NJ US&R task force in 2002 when I went through my formal FEMA US&R training. Great group of people.

Thank you, ny10570. I understand your point of view. My comments weren't directed at your post. I saw some value in your post. All to often, people chime in with opinions like "that is useless" or "you won't need that" on forums and fail to answer the posters questions, or present any facts to back up their opinion. Or, completely derail the direction of the thread. Hence, my last post. I have no issue with a person's opinion, but simply want my question answered. More than likely, I will combine the tasks of what FDNY does with the RAC, with a modified inventory from the LSU. Seeing pictures and having stock lists helps me to visualize how to pack it all up and triggers me to think of things we might be missing. I don't want to duplicate either unit. I want to make our unit the best for our needs. You speak of tradition. Do you feel that the FDNY does not use the MERV or MRTU as they were intended? Was the MERV used differently back in the days of NYC EMS? As some posters suggest, are these units of little value to the EMS Bureau? I don't totally believe that, as I have a laundry list of missions that either unit could accomplish. Most likely, for our area, the MERV, as pictured in an earlier post, with locations for additional supine patients would accomplish both missions. Thank you for your help and stay safe, Spunky

10-75 - I REALLY appreciate the pictures. Those help a lot and I haven't been able to find them elsewhere on the internet. Others, although I appreciate your input, I'm not looking for opinions of how the FDNY uses their equipment and what is a waste. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but I need some focused help. I am also familiar with the basic mission and staffing for these units. What I want to do is to add to our list of rehab items and augment our local & regional mass casualty capability. I have my own list of items, but I'd like to see what FDNY uses since I have a similar sized unit I want to convert, either to a RAC, LSU or combination of those capabilities. For instance, in spending hours mining the internet for info, I found that the LSU carries an oxygen manifold to augment other apparatus on scene. I think that's a good idea and I'll add it to my inventory list. So, if you have access to the information of what is stocked on the LSU and RAC, or provide a picture of the interior of the LSU (10-75, thanks again for the interior pic of the RAC), I would appreciate it. Once I get my list together and determine a direction to go with my apparatus, I'll post a list of what I assembled in this thread. The MERV and MRTU are pipe dreams at this point. Before I went to nursing school, I worked as a respiratory therapist, so the MRTU concept really appeals to me. I have close contacts in DMAT, MMRS, US&R, MRC, and local health department, and can maybe get some $$$ together and support to develop one of these for our region. Oh, and I've looked (drooled) over the Sartin busses, too, but FDNY has had a MERV for a long time, so getting some tips about the MERV and MTRU inventories will help develop this capability here. Thanks to all for your help. Stay safe. Great foreman! Can't wait.

All, I've attempted to do an extensive search of Google, this site, Nycfire.net, among others and have used multiple search terms with no satisfaction. I even tried searching American Lafrance's and Blue Bird's websites for selected apparatus. I would like to increase my department's and region's abilities when providing firefighter rehab and care for patients at major medical events. I would like to duplicate the capabilities found on FDNY's RAC, logistics support units, the MERV and, in particular, the Mobile Respiratory Treatment Unit. There are plenty of exterior pictures of all of these units. What I would like, if any of you can provide, is a detailed (or reasonably so) list of the materials carried on the RAC's and LSU's Also, if you have any interior pictures of the MERV and MRTU and the inventories carried on those units, that would be appreciated. This will help me get additional ideas of what items to purchase and stock on apparatus in my neck of the woods. Thanks and stay safe, Spunky

Howdy all! I am a paramedic/RN. Been a paramedic for 24 years and a RN for 20. I've worked full time and part-time and volunteered as a paramedic all those years. Fought some fire, too, but my main interest in the fire service is rescue and caring for trapped patients. I'm currently with a small volunteer/part-paid agency in southwest Ohio. I work as a critical care nurse in central Ohio. Additional interest is in disaster medicine and preparedness. I am a Medical Specialist (on leave) with FEMA Ohio Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 1. I'm also a FEMA instructor for US&R medical topics. I've been with OH TF-1 since the summer of 2000. I've lurked here for some time, admiring how some of your departments do things. I hope to learn lots more and apply that to my practice, my department, and share that learning with my peers and students. Thank you for inviting me in and please stay safe so each and every one of you gets to come home with things are done.