helicopper

Completely absurd. If there's a crew there is NO reason to wait and only liability waiting if you do delay your response. I hope this is just misinformation. I've been criticized over the years for leaving with "just" an EMT and a driver and not waiting for a "full crew" but I stand by my position that two people is a full crew. If you respond with a medic, FD, or PD you'll always have extra hands on scene if you need them.

But you still have the issue of transportation. I gotta agree with NY and Goose - the need is an AMBULANCE! The fly-car will be a novelty that will eventually wear off and you'll wind up having trouble staffing that too! Or you'll have people buffing on the fly-car and never riding the ambulance. What'll happen in some areas - you'll get PD (BLS FR), FD (BLS FR), Medic Unit (ALS FR) and now a VAC "fly-car" (BLS FR) - four emergency vehicles and no means of transportation. That's no solution! How about rostering a crew in quarters using personnel from all the Zone 7 (keeping with this example) ambulance services and then taking calls for the entire area as opposed to single territories? I agree that we have to look at the big picture and stop limiting ourselves to this little town or village but unfortunately I don't think BLS fly-cars is the answer.

I hope she has a great pension and benefits from the Philharmonic because the EMS benefits are, shall we say, not a symphony!

Interesting decision by US Supreme Court - not that pursuit policies here in NY are ever going to change... (from another forum) And this is a great statement by the eight justices who wrote this decision (the ninth justice recommended Trident): "Second, we are loath to lay down a rule requiring the police to allow fleeing suspects to get away whenever they drive so recklessly that they put other people’s lives in danger. It is obvious the perverse incentives such a rule would create: Every fleeing motorist would know that escape is within his grasp, if only he accelerates to 90 miles per hour, crosses the double-yellow line a few times, and runs a few red lights. The Constitution assuredly does not impose this invitation to impunity-earned-by recklessness. Instead, we lay down a more sensible rule: A police officer’s attempt to terminate a dangerous high-speed car chase that threatens the lives of innocent bystanders does not violate the Fourth Amendment, even when it places the fleeing motorist at risk of serious injuryor death."

Yes, STEVENS dissent is an interesting read. Obviously he has some issues with emergency vehicle operations. As for the evidentiary value of videotape (or audio tape as the case may be), I know that many law enforcement agencies routinely make their videos available to the court as evidence. San Diego PD is probably one of the leaders as far as aviation video goes. They say that they've successfully used their videotapes from the helicopter to exonerate officers accused of excessive force or other wrongdoing in addition to supporting the charges against the defendant. As for civilian video or media footage, I don't know what the rules would be. Our videos are maintained as evidence and timestamped, etc. I don't know if other video would be admitted as easily. Interesting issues for the future as more and more cameras pop up! Chris

Accompanied by a department issued photo ID a badge may be valid but the # must match the ID and I wouldn't hang my hat on XYZ Ambulance service ID carrying any weight in NYC!

The problem in our business is that we often become numb by the repetitive nature of our work and over time complacency sets in. It takes a conscious effort to avoid complacency and not everyone does that. I don't disagree with ONTHEWHEEL that you can avoid complacency if you try but as ONEEYE and DOC22 point out - complacency is out there - EVERYWHERE!

Amen, brother!

Sorry, just an opinion but there shouldn't be any "bars" or alcohol in firehouses. The overwhelming majority of FF are responsible and wouldn't get on apparatus after drinking but there will always be those exceptions that give the entire industry a black eye. What happens when that jacka$$ jumps in a truck and gets in an accident and its determined he was drinking at the firehouse? Huge problems! The state liquor authority is probably involved because non-members of the FD were drinking in the bar making it a "regular bar" in their eyes and subject to their rules and regulations. They also don't have ESP so someone must have made a complaint to somebody!

Having been on both sides of the radio during requests for assistance, I've come to appreciate that the dispatcher really needs to know where you are. Whether it's a traffic stop, checking an unusual or suspicious condition, or a detective investigation, things can go from blah to OH $H/T in a heartbeat. One of my favorite's was a sudden and unidentified "10-13" (common term used - not my signal code) that I received in communications followed by "shots fired". We started polling cars and everyone was accounted for. Turned out a detective unit was executing a warrant and didn't tell anyone at all - nice, huh? As far as traffic stops, call in the location and plate if nothing else. That way you know where to go or send help if it goes sour. ONEEYE is definitely right - it's really easy to get complaceent when you make a lot of car stops.

Nope, the Community College is a separate property.

Point taken but how about a papa Taser that can stop a car???? No more pursuits in Westchester - just lots of cars with electrical problems.

Yup, I heard that too... Eminent domain so they can build Trump National Park and Airport!

They were preparing for the flyover at Shea. When you go 250 knots, you don't exactly turn on a dime!!!

In response to the mounting number of PM's about it. I categorically deny that the aircraft seen today were the newest edition to the County PD Aviation fleet and they are most certainly NOT armed with long-range TASERS!!! If you hear Air 4 and Air 5 on the radio, it is purely coincidental!!!

I have it from a well placed source in an official government agency that shall remain nameless that it was a military fly-over at Shea Stadium for military appreciation day.

Load this puppy up with those taser rounds!

The power that "fraternal organizations" can exert over a municipality never ceases to amaze me. Why don't the unions have this much clout - at least they represent ALL the members!

So they survive the trauma that brought them there, they're successfully treated in the ER/OR, then they die on the med surg unit???? That's not very encouraging!!! Maybe it is time for an alternative. The following is what I find interesting. Why the big secret? Isn't this stuff all a matter of public record? None of this makes them look very good!

Social members have to buy!

Ooooo, cool! Will it work from a helicopter? Can they increase the range and install a battery of them on our helicopter????? Now, THAT would be a cool toy!

That's freakin' hysterical!!! I hope it was the child that called and not an adult...

The Grasslands Reservation is several hundred acres and includes the County Jail and Pententiary, Westchester Medical Center, Behavioral Health Center, Taylor Care (Nursing Home), several research and clinical buildings housing doctors offices and clinics, etc., the New York Medical College, a juvenile detention facility, juvenile runaway shelter, hospice shelter, Westchester County Police Academy and DES Fire/EMS Training Center. There's probably more that I'm missing but that's the majority of it.

Without offering my two cents on Hatzolah... Based upon the article - it seems as though Sullivan County needs to deal with the two agencies involved. Mobilemedic is a county-wide response service that was probably dispatched. It is unclear if Hatzolah was dispatched or just showed up. But the bottom line is - decisions regarding the treatment and transportation of the PATIENT must be made by the highest trained medical provider on the scene which (again according to the article) was Mobilemedic. There shouldn't have been an argument on the scene especially not in front of the patient and that is the main issue I see here.

I thought this thread was a follow-up discussion to the MV promotions thread....