RescueKujo

It'll be interesting to see how well these go over with ambulance providers. But it does look like Ford does have some competition. Now, who'll throw their hat into the Type II arena???

So, Mr Politician, explain to me how this is going to make us safer?? As was said, if the terrorist is going to do something, they're going to do it and have the information/photos needed for intel. As I told someone when stationed in Korea after being told not to take photos, "So, the Russians have stopped flying their satellites over the country??" Where there's a will, there's a way.

1 thing that should be regulated is the denial by insurance companies of ambulance trips to the ER and those visits. The way things are now, an insurance can deny payments if THEY determine the illness/injury to be non life threatening. That puts the onus on the patient to make decisions as a healthcare provider would. But the patient doesn't have the knowledge to make an informed decision. It should be taken as a "good faith" decision.

There definitely need to be changes in our healthcare system. When it appears that only the affluent can get the best of care in this country, and the working class has to go into debt for any lengthy injury or illness, it's not right. But on the other hand, how many of us are to blame for our own health woes? How many are overweight, smoke or just are seditary? Now, as for Oswego's questions... 1) Social Security was originally started as an adjunct to retirement. But with many companies phasing out pensions, there has to be a better way. I agree with a "retirement account" with the person not being able to draw from it untill at least 62. 2) I remember in the past seeing a study that if everyone across the board paid something like 15% taxes (no more loopholes) that it would handle the costs of running the country. So, let's expand that a little (5% more??) and include a national healthcare initiative. Now, to just get some of us elected so we could do it (don't look at me, though. I know I have too many skeletons in my closets)

The US Marine Corps has announced the death of Sgt Shawn P. Martin in action in Iraq. Sgt Martin was killed by a roadside bomb during combat operations in the city of Saqlawiyah while assigned as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician with the Combat Logistics Battalion 13. His hometown was Delmar, New York. Before joining the Marines in 2000, Sgt Martin was a member of the Fire Department in Elsmere, N.Y., following in the footsteps of his father, who was a longtime member of the department. Prayers and condolences go to Sgt Martin's family, the Firefighters at the Elsmere Fire Department and his fellow Marines both at Camp Pendleton and Iraq.

It is my understanding that a lot of public safety vehicles in Europe are designed to handle the historic small streets in most of their cities. To us, who are used to our Type 2s and Type 3s, it seems like a waste. I remember when Ford went to the smaller designed vans thinking it wasn't going to work. But, as we all did, I adapted.

Guys-thanks for taking to time to post and keeping it civil. There were some great posts in the thread. This is something everyone will have to discuss, and maybe a new train of thought will need to be put into place.

Out here, while our medics do have a long list of standing orders, they still have "base stations" to contact for reports and some higher level orders (certain meds, physician direction, pronouncement in the field etc.) and that is when they are notified. On a separate note, 9 ERs have closed since I started in 1989 in San Diego County EMS. Things are tougher, and at 1 point County EMS created a policy that if all the ERs in a regional area were on "bypass" they started accepting patients in rotation. Now, that has changed that the ER should accept the patient if their primary care is at that hospital. And while doctors and others don't believe it, EMTs are governed by the same policy.

As CCR sang it best...And I wonder, still I wonder, who'll stop the train

It has always been my belief that the best person for the job should get it, regardless on ethnicity, gender, etc, etc. That said, I have seen too many people believe that due to their particular circumstances whatever they are attempting to achieve should be handed to them on the perverbial silver platter. It goes back to military EOD school, listening to a minority spouting off that the classes are slanted to caucasians, due to all the reading required. I am tired of someone who doesn't get promoted pulled out "the card" and claiming discrimination due to whatever reason they pick. While I agree there has been discrimination in the past, I have seen a steady decline in the will of people to work for further gain. Again, they want it on a silver platter. That's my take. as for furthering our profession among the masses, with the lack of service being felt by people anymore, I don't know. We all know, you don't make a whole lot of money doing these types of jobs, and that's what the incoming workforce wants. I'm at a loss and glad I'm not in Human Resources.

I need to apologize for the rambling of the initial post. Some understood it, some did not. I should not post immediately after arriving at work when the brain hasn't started functioning. What I meant to ask, was Why is the Fire Service still doing interior attack on nonoccupied buildings? After the initial search, an all clear, the building is well involved and the insurance company is going to have to bulldoze it anyway. Is it really worth someone's life for something like this? I guess I'm jumping the gun, I should wait until the report comes out. But it just floored me that 9 could be taken just like that in one moment. The video I saw looked like the building was a total loss, but I don't know at what point of the incident the video was shot. Thank you for your patience and sharing your thoughts. I just wanted to get everyone's thought process going on this again. Duane

Two off-duty Pasadena firefighters were killed in a private plane crash in Mexico, department officials announced Friday. Kenneth Soltis, 47, from La Verne, and Agua Dulce resident John Kiesow, 49, who was piloting the aircraft, were killed Thursday afternoon, said Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian. The plane went down near a small town in Mexico, she said, but could not be more specific about the location or other details of the crash. Prayers and condolences to the family, friends and the Pasadena Fire Department family.

Monty, there are many nice areas of LA County. Just where this hospital is (Central LA) is where you need to stay away from.

This article and others like it are really starting to piss me off. It only shows the caller's perspective that 9-1-1 failed the patient. Here are a few facts... 1) Izzy has it correct. It is a Federal Cobra violation to transport a patient from one hospital to another without proper coordination, discharge and acceptance by the receiving hospital. So for any provider (9-1-1 or private, and in LA County most private companies are the transport agency, as LA County only has non transport squads) to remove this patient would set them up for a large fine. 2) If in LA County and you are ill or injured, and you want to survive, DO NOT allow yourself or your family to be transported to USC/Drew Med Center or Martin Luther King, Jr/Harbor. There have been major patient care issues at both, with both having been threatened with closure due to those facts. In fact, on TV tonight, one LA County Board of Supervisors member stated he had seen the hospital security tape, and how the hospital handled this patient verges on criminal. 3) The 2nd dispatcher on the tape (you can listen at KTLA.com) should be punished. No matter what they say to you, you do not get rude. The dispatchers/calltakers are getting the blame for this, and the Media isn't researching the issue thoroughly (shock ). Take a look at the regulations we must follow, then maybe they'll see the reasons why the decisions were made and the actions taken or not.

On Sunday, June 10th, CHP Officer Robert F. Dickey of the Winterhaven's CHP office was killed when his patrol car rolled while driving on westbound I8 west of Winterhaven. It appears that a tire on the car's left side blew, causing the rollover. Officer Dickey was conscious and speaking at the scene. After being extricated, he was flown to Yuma Regional Medical Center, where he later died. Here is a link to the story from The Yuma Sun. As you can see in the photo accompanying the article, the officer's patrol car is basically unrecognizable. Yuma Sun Article Thoughts and prayers go out to his family, his fellow officers, and the CHP.

Did these people not learn from the Baltimore training death?? And just think, people will think all firefighters act like this due to this video.

maybe this is what the industry needs to replace the Fords, or to get Ford and International to get there ducks in a row.

Wow!! I like diversity in paint schemes, but when I have to put on my sunglasses to look at my computer screen...I'd say it's kind of bright.

Thanks for the responses, guys. Fire and EMS here in San Diego County use clear text, so I was just wondering about the codes. Duane

I have a question for you, Jimmy. I am having to take an online ICS course for NIMS (National Incident Management System), and it talks about using clear text vs. 10 codes for interoperability. Is FDNY still using 10 codes or are they addressing this? Sorry if this has been asked before.-Duane

I'll only discuss our dispatches for Medics, as we dispatch both ALS and BLS. 1st part is the prealert.... (3 tone alert-Medic 414, if a stage for police state the fact, chief complaint, then the address, repeat the medic unit, give the engine company then the radio channels (dispatch and the units monitor the fire radio). When the unit comes up on radio, we acknowledge them responding, then repeat the info, this time giving the cross streets, map page and any particulars that they may need to know, which is a medic to medic thing. We have just gone to MDTs, we're feeling them out and still working out the bugs. We are about to change the radio policy as to what radio traffic there needs to be once everyone is confident that the MDTs are consistently working. I wince when some of our dispatchers, who have not one ounce of field time, read every single thing in the notes. makes us sound real intelligent

From the Left Coast, where Wildland (Brush) Season has become a 365 day/year operation.... Older apparatus Escondido Fire Department Reserve Brush Rig September 1992 Escondido Fire Department Brush 1362-July 1991 San Diego Fire Department Brush 10-December 1991 San Diego Fire Department Brush 41-December 1991

That's great!! I'm taking it to a couple of other boards I'm on for the post whores. Maybe they'll see themselves in the mirror

Gee Andy, that sounds like me a couple weeks ago (watch for drool from JBE and EMTBravo as they read this)...Fire Service Recognition Day in LA County, how many different departments could I stop at with demos and pancake breakfasts?? I made 4, and got some good photos.

Level 1's must have an onsite thorasic surgeon and a CT Scanner. That plus other onsite requirements are what cause the associated costs to be so high.