Chiefs and Supervisors showing up on scenes

[nycemt728 49]

The all 3 chiefs to a mutual aid call discussion on the fire board got me thinking. How do your agencies handle supervisors responding to EMS scenes? Do they just show up or do they only come as requested? Are they there to help, or do they sit like lumps on a log and need to be prodded to do the least bit of work? Are they more of a hinderance than help? I have had both sides of this, I have found if they are just there b/c the job sounds cool, or they have nothing to do at night it sucks for the crew. What are protocols on this? Probably most importantly b/c many trainees have complained about this in the past, has it ever effected crew efficieny b/c of intimidation or interference?

[Guest]

I work at Rural/Metro in Rochester and we get supervisors on scene for one of two reasons. One is automatically sent on any shooting, stabbing, code, or MVA with a reported person pin. The city is very busy (72,000+ calls last year with an average of less than 30 crews per 24 hrs), so the supervisor is probably all of the back up that you are going to get. Other than that, they show up randomly to do field audits. I have never had a problem with this. As a general rule, they stay out of the way and let you do your job, don't mind carrying your extra gear back to the truck, and are more than willing to jump in if you ask for an extra hand. Maybe it helps that I work only overnights, so the supervisors I get tend to be less "corporate minded" and just focused on getting the job done.

[Guest]

Where I am, a Supervisor shows up for the following reasons.

1. Structure Fires

2. Serious MVA

3. MCI

4. Tech Rescue

5. Additional call where no ambulance is readily available

Reason being.......It's an extra medic on scene. To allocate addtional recources to the scene, and to cover additional calls. Provide EMS command.

[x129K 1,393]

I liked the fact that the Empress bosses would pick and choose the jobs they went to..... ya just never knew who would show up...keep you on your toes.

Oh how I miss the days of. "301 on the back...."

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

I liked the fact that the Empress bosses would pick and choose the jobs they went to..... ya just never knew who would show up...keep you on your toes.

Oh how I miss the days of. "301 on the back...."

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Wow I didn't think I would ever see on here "301 on the back". I will agree that way back when I was down in Yonkers you had no idea when a supervisor was going to show up a on a job. I did figure out though that if you were competent enough they left you alone.

I have to say "BUCK" aka B.V. was the best Supervisor I ever had.

[x129K 1,393]

Wow I didn't think I would ever see on here "301 on the back". I will agree that way back when I was down in Yonkers you had no idea when a supervisor was going to show up a on a job. I did figure out though that if you were competent enough they left you alone.

I have to say "BUCK" aka B.V. was the best Supervisor I ever had.

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HAHA!!!!!!!!!

The BEST is when he made a certain MEDIC go to 722 and turn in his ALS gear for a BOO-BOO BAg to do BLS Shucks.....

Buck ruled!

[fac911 33]

HAHA!!!!!!!!!

The BEST is when he made a certain MEDIC go to 722 and turn in his ALS gear for a BOO-BOO BAg to do BLS Shucks.....

Buck ruled!

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That person is now a ER nurse!!!!!!!

[x129K 1,393]

That person is now a ER nurse!!!!!!!

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HAHAHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

Typical..........

[Oswegowind 17]

Ah, reminiscing about our times at empress...301 was great and now they get to deal with a bonehead!

[efd1674 5]

Ride the rig, don't buff the scene.

(1) officer...

[Oswegowind 17]

In EMS that makes no sense...don't need a supervisor on every ambulance, to do what supervisor his partner...In the fire service that makes sense...but ambulance is handled much more like police...in most cities they are out in the ambulance all the time and a supervisor needs to be able to make the rounds...if they were in a specific unit they would leave an area uncovered!

[Guest]

Sups ive encountered have the ability to "buff" or show up (for a field eval) on any job he/she wants...but i most often encounter them on the more serious incidents or they can offer backup if they are the only unit avilable.

[helicopper 1,050]

Ride the rig, don't buff the scene.

(1) officer...

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If they're doing their job right they're not buffing! If a supervisor shows up it should be for one of a few reasons:

1. To assist a crew with a critical patient,

2. To evaluate the performance of his/her personnel,

3. To be a liaison to other agencies so the ambulance crew(s) can focus on patient care,

4. To establish an EMS Branch at a larger more complex incident or coordinate the activities of more than one EMS unit,

5. As an element of a QI/QA program (reading the PCR after the fact may not adequately convey the scene or patient).

"301" definitely understood this and I agree with all the other comments on here that he was an excellent leader and manager - in addition being a great medic!

When an ambulance can't get out the door with a complete crew, there is no reason for an officer/supervisor to show up with another vehicle but in real systems there is a definite role for a field supervisor. If the ambulance can't get a full crew the supervisor or officer should probably be doing interviews or working on recruitment and retention instead of "buffing" jobs!

[Oswegowind 17]

Very well said...No one should show up to a scene supervisor or not if they aren't going to be ready to jump into the ambulance and do their real job.

[WAS967 97]

Where is 301 nowadays? Did he go across the river with the rest of the Empress castaways? (I still remember how half the sup's there quit in a matter of what? 1 day? 2? Yay nepotism.)

Edited March 9, 2007 by WAS967