helicopper

My little guy just started Kindergarten today - seems like only yesterday that we were celebrating his first birthday so ENJOY enjoy every day! They go really fast! HAPPY Birthday to your little girl and congrats to you!

Well put 20Y2! This whole situation sounds like the absence of and adherence to written policies and procedures on how Tazed prisoners will be handled is the main issue. Nobody is "bashing" the VAC and the criticisms of the situation have, for the most part, been constructive overall so I don't think this thread should be closed. It is amazing how sensitive people are about criticism - ALSfirefighter said it best: As for where we're getting our information, we're all basing our comments and thoughts on the media coverage, the original post, and each other's comments on this forum. If someone has more information because of their affiliation with one of the agencies involved, then it is not public knowledge and should not be shared here. The suspect's family and/or attorney is not bound by HIPPA or any other privacy requirement so if they released the PCR to the media, that's their problem. It does point out how important it is to document patient contact VERY carefully! And with regard to issues (real or perceived) between EMS and the PD - does anyone else think that it shouldn't have been recorded on the PCR as it wasn't patient care related and should have been documented on an internal incident report of some sort? As for policies on having Tazed suspects medically evaluated - why does it need to be a paramedic that does the evaluation? As for removing the barbs - the cops put 'em in, the cops should be trained to take 'em out. No big deal at all and since EMS protocols prohibit the removal of an "impaled object" (even one such as this), why put EMS in the middle of it?! It is a superficial soft tissue injury, unless as ALS pointed out it strikes a more sensitive location, why are we making a big deal of it? If the suspect displays any other signs or symptoms of another medical condition - then treat that medical condition accordingly. That the media is sensationalizing the whole thing shouldn't come as a shock (pun intended) to anyone!

OK, how about 09/08/07 at 1356 hrs.

This article should be a must-read for all emergency vehicle operators.

I have a better idea - how about we post pictures of what we THINK others look like! I'm cutting and pasting my pictures of Oswego right now!!! Just kidding! X635, can you edit the pictures to put their member # under them like a mug shot???

You're so right, 213! Unfortunately, it is very unlikely that EMS crews will have the fortitude to stand up to the doctor for fear that their agency will not back them and in many cases they're right.

If she didn't have any pre-natal care and they're estimating her to be long past-due that would certainly explain the doctor's angst to have the patient removed and the need for a tertiary care facility. It would also explain how she got to be so far past due. Sounds like Mary must have cut health class!!! How did she ultimately make out???

I remember him too, didn't take the hood and other parts off the car as well???

Timely article on the subject from Calibre Press and PoliceOne...

That he makes some very critical observations of the fire service does not mean that he's not part of the "brotherhood" - quite the contrary, it is often those that are most critical who have the best intentions at heart. His goal is not to demonize the fire service but rather to question some of the tactics and traditions that may be resulting in injuries and deaths. His perception is coldly analytical and devoid of the emotion that may sometimes cloud our judgment. He raises some interesting questions that are probably worthy of consideration. Don't just dismiss his observations because you don't like what he has to say. Take a deep breath and consider whether or not he may have struck a nerve that can save your life!

Interesting article about the demolition company selected to do this job...

In other parts of the country where indoor marijuana grows are big business, narcotics investigators routinely used aviation thermal imaging to scan suspect locations to document indicators of the indoor grow operation - there are a great many ways heat vents from a structure during the grow season. These scans were used to bolster the case for a search warrant, now a search warrant is required to do the FLIR scan. The Supreme Court relied on flawed testimony that TIC could see through walls/windows in the Kyllo decision and that changed things dramatically for law enforcement. The fact is, as you state, that FLIR/TIC can't see through anything. I ask about the training because looking for a lost person or missing accident victim is not as straight forward as it seems. Without training, it is very likely an operator would not recognize a person or other object being sought if they were obscured by vegetation, other objects, etc.

The Village re-established their PD after learning that their "constable" plan wasn't going to work. As I understand it, the PD is staffed mainly by retired POs and they just had a recruit complete the Police Academy. Anyone know if there is a Chief or if the Village Board is running them?

Hey all... I received a reply from Legislator Morini while I was out of town last week and she stated that they (the legislature) had been seriously misinformed on several points and would be extending the ALS contract through the end of the year while alternatives were investigated. I have to commend her for admitting that they were misinformed. Now we just have to see what they actually do about it.

So we should all lobby for an amendment to the state law to change the law from "a municipality may provide for transportation of sick and injured" to a municipality must provide for BLS and ALS services within their community and conform to response time standards, minimimum training requirements, etc.

KYLLO v. UNITED STATES (No. 99-8508. Argued February 20, 2001--Decided June 11, 2001) established that scans of buildings with thermal imaging devices can not be performed without a warrant - this was mainly due to erroneous and factually inaccurate testimony before the court that left the court believing these devices "can see through walls" and "allow the operator to see what people are doing within their own homes". Canada saw the problems with the Kyllo decision and their equivalent of the Supreme Court ruled that there is no requirement for a warrant to do a thermal imaging scan of a building. So, the answer is in the US you need a warrant to scan a building but in Canada you do not. There was a thread on TIC a while back and I asked the same question I'll ask now: Who (if anyone) provides training to users of the handheld thermal imaging cameras? They are a great tool in the hands of a trained operator but like so many other devices - if you don't know what you're looking at you may miss something significant. Besides Yonkers, are any other PD's using night vision goggles or other night vision equipment?

Hey all, I put my letter to the Legislators in the mail this morning! What have YOU done about this problem? It's one thing to sit here and rant (as I so frequently do) but it is another to actually contact the legislators to let them know how you feel. Like the lottery, you've got to be in it to win it!

State Park Police have statewide jurisdiction and can right you on South Broadway in Yonkers not just some sections of the Taconic. Just an FYI...

What Goose said! The only thing that I'd change in what Goose was saying is that a countywide ALS program for Putnam was first proposed in the late 1980's. It didn't grow wings and start flying until the 90's. Strictly by statute, the municipality isn't even really obligated to provide EMS. They may provide EMS - pretty soft wording for something so important. NYS General Municipal Law As for a Westchester/Putnam comparison, they may share a common border but that is where the similarities end. Westchester and Putnam couldn't be more different. Westchester had many existing ALS programs long before Putnam even had ALS intercepts coming in from Westchester or Dutchess. Putnam is a small county, with a small population and even smaller tax base. To go town by town or EMS district by EMS district wouldn't support an ALS system so the County (and this is probably the ONLY time you'll ever hear me say this) went and did it right. Look at the demographics: 100,000 or so people 4-5,000 total calls for EMS 1822 ALS (in 2006) Divide that up by the 11 EMS agencies and there's just not enough volume to support a medic unit nor the money to fund one. Finally, Westchester has a patchwork of ALS programs that could be very well served by a more regional approach but - as evidenced by the Hackley thread - you'll never see that happen in Westchester County!

Carmel might be the only town in the County with the population and call volume to support an ALS system but where does that leave everyone else? Where will Carmel get mutual aid if they need it and there's nothing but a vacuum around them (at least in Putnam)? What if Carmel wants ABC and Mahopac wants XYZ - will they meet in the middle or will we wind up with two different programs in those two small districts? We have enough layers of government, emergency services, and overlapping this or that as it is. A countywide ALS system was (and still is) a good idea for Putnam County. Six towns or worse eleven EMS districts all doing their own thing will not advance a SYSTEM! Moreover, the remaining districts with one or two possible exceptions probably can't support an ALS unit on their own. Let's look at Rockland County as a good model to follow - lots of BLS agencies and ONE ALS provider.

Putnam's diversity is one of the things that makes a countywide solution so desirable. If the towns on the west side - Philipstown and Putnam Valley - decide they DO want ALS and band together they don't have the call volume to support an ALS system. Where will the medics get the calls to maintain proficiency in their skills? At least with a countywide system, the medics could be rotated periodically to insure that they are exposed to the most calls possible and even then with only 1822 ALS calls, there's a good chance a medic might not perform an intubation for months at a time. Skills maintenance is probably the one thing that a commercial service can offer. Look at Empress for example - a medic does shifts in Yonkers/Mt Vernon where the volume is and then does a shift in Yorktown (this is just illustrative, don't jump on me about Empress or any of the municipalities mentioned). Putnam County is just the right size for a countywide system to work successfully. The county can also spread the cost over the most people/businesses. An ALS system for the 10,000 people in Philipstown or the 10,000 people in Putnam Valley would be cost prohibitive. Let's hope someone can talk some sense in the Legislators because they simply don't get it! Merlin, you're absolutely right. The problem is will anyone step up to the plate?

I'd demand an explanation about what exactly cost $1000 and then argue with my insurance company to pay more of it to reduce my out of pocket expenses. As Orpi said, if they're charging for a whole box of gloves or ridiculous amounts for supplies those portions of the bill cna probably be challenged effectively. Hey, Mr. 1000 posts! Billing non-residents but not residents would be a discriminatory practice and prohibited by HCFA/Medicare regulations and other rules the way it's been explained to me. I think most EMS agencies are bound by the same rules as hospitals, doctors offices, etc. Medicare and others set the rates and that's pretty much the end of that. It is up to the agency to determine how aggressively they're going to pursue collection though. As for losing 501C3 status because of billing, I would check with a lawyer or accountant because I don't think that is necessarily the case. You can bill for services rendered and still be a charitable organization. The key point is where does the money go when it is received - if it goes back into the agency, you should be OK with the IRS.

They should have kept their domestic problems at home or at the therapists office!

See, that's the beauty of this country. We can disagree with each other, our government, or whomever! By example, I disagree with the assertion that we have a duty to support our President. He was elected to serve us and if we're unhappy with his actions or inactions it is our duty as his employer (we often forget this role and career politicians love that) to question him, challenge him, and express our concerns to him. On the other hand, protesting against the war all too often becomes a protest against our armed forces and they are only following the orders of their Commander in Chief. I recall the stories of protesters abusing soldiers returning from Vietnam calling them "baby killers", etc. That is the most horrible misdirected abuse! Soldiers don't wake up one morning and say let's go to Saigon, Kabul, or Tikrit. They follow orders that originate at the White House and Pentagon - if you don't like their decisions take it up with them! But don't blame the troops and don't automatically lump pro-troops in with pro-war. I'd just as soon have all our troops at home safeguarding the US border than trying to do what other countries have failed to do for themselves! On a related note, it is now our responsibility to inform the Putnam County legislators how misguided they are in choosing to cut ALS services as of October 1. They think they're acting on our behalf but in this case they're not even close! Sorry for my rant but I'm glad we CAN rant thanks to our troops!!!!

David Gurowsky should also get his facts straight! As West Nyack is an all-volunteer FD, there was nobody there on "taxpayers' time" and I'll gladly donate the $3.00 in diesel the "taxpayer-funded equipment" used to drive them there! What a blowhole! Technically isn't a volunteer fire department run as a private, not for profit corporation? Is the apparatus publicly owned or owned by the FD with whom a municipality contracts for fire protection? Maybe this is that fire department / fire district comparison and more appropriate for another thread but I'm curious about the answer.