Goose

I know in Poughkeepsie, IBM has what they call "emergency control." I think they fulfill a wide range of jobs from security, EMS and suppression.

As far as NYS DOH is concerned St. Francis is a Level II Area Trauma Center. http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/ems/trauma2.htm Can't speak to their numbers but they are definitely a trauma center. Also bro, from the link you provided - some reason why St. Francis and other NY hospitals (Westchester, Albany Med. and Jacobi at the least are trauma centers by any definition) do not appear on the list: "The designation of trauma facilities is a geopolitical process by which empowered entities, government or otherwise, are authorized to designate. The ACS does not designate trauma centers; instead, it verifies the presence of the resources listed in Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient. This is a voluntary process and only those trauma centers that have successfully completed a verification visit are listed below."

Sound Shore is a Level II as well, but Saints serves as a stabilization point for traumas heading down to Westchester from up north. Sound shore is nice if you don't need a Level 1 and are in the area, but if things are bad enough you might as well just go to Westchester or Jacobi.

Think thats bad? I once got dispatched for a female w/ abdominal pains and vaginal bleeding who was 30 months pregnant, i called dispatch to see if we were going to the aid of an elephant. Turns out he made a little typo...turns out she was 30 weeks pregnant.

Because its not recognized as the third emergency service it is and you have knucklehead politicians like that town supervisor in pawling who go around saying "oh we don't have to legally supply an ambulance." Couple that with any lack of real law that mandates municipalities to provide ambulance service, and the lack of small towns to effectively cooperate to provide a multi-jurisdictional service you've got yourself a boondoggle

Trust me, Alamo is not raking in the cash. For years it lost millions due to poor management and low-balled contracts. Right now the PV contracts barely covers fuel and equipment costs. What is so wrong with requesting a fair price for the services provided so that operating costs can be covered and monies can be re-invested in equipment, recruitment, wages, etc.

It's about the attitude. Just flip through the pages here and you'll see it. The comment about career people "stealing" equipment, the whiny attitudes and phone calls to supervisors because someone happened to grabbed a head block that said ABCVAC/ABCEMS. It's that general willingness to not work together is what i'm referring to. Fact is, you bring in 2 patients or were a first unit o/s and sent patients on other ambulances, your down on gear, and you've got a trauma holding, strolling over to the station isn't exactly an option. Especially so in smaller city's and areas, where there is a smaller pool of units to pull from. So who gives a crap if you grab joe shmo's board? That board is likely to end up back at the trauma center you just took it from or hospital before its EVER MISSED. It's not like im taking it home and throwing it up on eBay for personal profit, im using it to get people to the hospital as safely as possible. Thats the end game for all of us, i don't see why a few hundred dollar hunk of standardized plastic should get in the way of that.

While there are allot of productive threads here, there are a fare share that aren't productive. Talking about blue lights for the 4 trillionth time, or what light bar the State Troopers use don't do anything for me. Agency related issues are the same. If there is legitimate issues to discuss, we should discuss - and i think we do - but more often than not some interweb tough guy has to shoot it down. We all know and have talked about what Hatzolah does "wrong" and the fact they never seem to get in any trouble. Thats the way its been for years, nothing is likely to change. So rather then have something fester into a potential problem (i saw some things i could see ppl getting upset about in a previous hatzolah thread). I think the right move was made. People just have to think before they post

Honestly, who cares? If i'm hustling to clear for a job i'll take the first board i see in the closet. Besides, chances are it will be back in that hospital or a hospital utilized by whatever agency before its ever missed. If i have a spare minute during a tour i try to check and see if i can pick up agency boards, but when the going gets tough i'm not going to waste time sorting though 50 boards some of which are covered in clotted blood, hair and god knows what. If someone is that anal about a backboard and other trivial crap, i think they have over stayed their welcome in the EMS world. Essentially, those types are the very ones holding us so damn far back and keeping us behind progressing to the status Fire and PD enjoy.

Apparently...

Rest in peace, thank you for your dedication and sacrifice.

Rest in peace, thank you for your dedication and sacrifice.

Agreed 915, but at least then you can say we have a policy and procedure in place to try to weed people out, at that point it would be out of a department's ability to control.

Sound's like a real stand up individual. I hope they give him the royal treatment in DCJ and the next facility he ends up in. Like all child predators, i would love to see this guy get the chair. So, do any of these organizations even bother to do a background check w/ their local law enforcement agencies? I think its time to start finger printing members and running them against local and state databases. And why hasn't he been thrown out of MFVFD and PVAC by now?! This whole story makes me sick.

Keeping the citizens of a country at bay with threats of death and unspeakable torture doesn't constitute stability. Lets not fall into the media set trap people. Remember, the majority of Iraqi providences enjoy relative peace while the vast majority of violence is concentrated within Baghdad and the Sunni triangle. Let's not also overlook the religious and cultural differences at play here as well. As a side bar, Bush was the first US President to deem Darfu genocide. If you want to point fingers, i suggest you do so towards China and Russia who have stonewalled UN security council attempts to deal with Darfur. Why? Because they are likely supplying arms to the janjaweed militias. I hate to get into political discussions.

I suppose that 10 or so years ago a county wide system was proven to be most cost and resource effective. Most municipalities don't have the tax base nor the call volume to support their own fully loaded ALS system - remember most of Putnam is without any real industry/business infrastructure so it would fall on the shoulders of the residents to foot the bill. When your only doing 5,000 calls as a County yearly w/ 1,100 or so being true ALS emergencies i can't see how having in the area of 10+ medics is either appropriate or cost effective.

That's what happens when you waste money on horse farms, country clubs, and "historic" homes.

To sit for the practical and written the state does a criminal background check. If you have a misdemeanor or above on your record your going to get flagged. The state has typically been lenient, and i think they still are to an extent, but if your a repeat offender or have major infractions they'll deny you. It's also my understanding that they deal with things on a case by case basis - what exactly that process is i don't know.

Nope, just pay them the filing fee and just like that you have a shiny new card

I quit and won't ever go back to volunteering because of the bullsh*t. Too many wackers, too many people who think they have a clue but don't, too many in it for the wrong reason, all too often agencies pull the wool over the eyes of those they claim to service but have no problems taking their money. Granted, i deal with my fair share at work, but there people actually get an acceptable standard of care within an acceptable amount of time...and i get a paycheck.

Seth, My understanding is that OLM*EMS remains essentially the same, despite OLM's affiliation w/ Monti. Monti is still in contract w/ Transcare to my knowledge, but i was told that once that contract is up they want their own EMS. If that's combination w/ OLM i don't know. I still think they are running the same setup - a few BLS ( I think 15 Charlie, Eddie, and maybe 1 other?) and 1 ALS ( 15 Victor). This is all 3rd party, however.

So, Empire now has the GHCF contract?

I'm pretty sure the County only has about 5,000 or so EMS calls yearly. As another note, does anyone know if its now a requirement that a municipality provide ALS services?

I suppose it all depends on the type of facility we are talking about. If your talking about an interfacility transport from one hospital to another then i would say things should be pre-arranged with a commercial agency and the facilities involved. If the transport is ALS or BLS would be relayed to the transporting agency and they would send the appropriate unit. Nursing and assisted living facilities are a whole different ball game.

ALS services are still being provided, they will not terminate until October. Wether or not the county has a legal obligation to provide the service because of the fact it started a county system 10+ years ago is the thing i am most curious about. I would think that once a standard is adopted at a govt. level that you simply can't roll that back.