Rest time between shifts

[OoO 24]

For one of the agencies that I ride with, I have begun to notice EMTs leaving a 16 hour shift at one agency to do another 12 hours at another. I think this is dangerous in terms of fatigue and I'd like to look into implementing a policy requiring a minimum amount of rest time between shifts.

Does anyone have a similar policy in place or have any suggestions/opinions on this issue?

[nfd2004 750]

Its very sad that life savors in the EMS field must first work a double shift in one place, then go to another place to work another 12 hours on top of that. Maybe if they were paid more for saving lives they wouldn't have to do that. Rents, car payments, food etc, etc all add up.

I completely agree that our EMTs and Paramedics should NOT be allowed to work those hours. Wall St exectives make millions. While these people that save lives daily, have to work for a salary not even enough to feed their families. I have to guess that Nobody wants to work 28 hours straight. But people sometimes have to do what they gotta do.

[Bnechis 3,961]

Its very sad that life savors in the EMS field must first work a double shift in one place, then go to another place to work another 12 hours on top of that. Maybe if they were paid more for saving lives they wouldn't have to do that. Rents, car payments, food etc, etc all add up.

Unfortunatly, one of the reasons that the pay is so low is that most agencies hire on a perdiem basis and there are many potential employees. In other parts of the country it is civil service and they make enough so this is not needed.

[orangEMT246 6]

Most of the EMS in the Hudson Valley is run by "for profit, private companies". Another factor is as long as EMT's and paramedics are willing to work for the low wages, nothing will change. I work for a private company and happy there, as well as a hospital based system. Other factors for low pay and needing to work long hours are (guessing here): insurance reimbursement, lack of insurance or way to pay for the ambulance ride, etc... That is an entirely different discussion.

[Mike L 1]

The ems agencies I have experience with, all of which are volunteer agencies which hire per-diem employees to fill in holes left by unavailable volunteers, enforce a maximum of 16 consecutive hours. I am not exactly sure how you would regulate that inter-agency though. If I remember correctly, there might be a NY Dept of Labor or OSHA regulation pertaining to this.

[ny10570 745]

The only laws I know of protect employees from being forced to work more than 16. We're allowed to abuse ourselves as much as we want. As far as your agency implementing said rules you have little recourse to track their hours worked outside. All you're doing is forcing your employees to lie about their hours worked and how tired they are.

[Goose 188]

The only laws I know of protect employees from being forced to work more than 16. We're allowed to abuse ourselves as much as we want. As far as your agency implementing said rules you have little recourse to track their hours worked outside. All you're doing is forcing your employees to lie about their hours worked and how tired they are.

Bingo. You can only enforce/ensure hours worked at you're respective agency. Every agency i've worked for have had said policies in place, but i've never seen any or heard of any agency busting chops over consecutive hours on duty at multiple agencies.

It's just the sad nature of EMS in this area but the bills have to get paid.

[WAS967 97]

The problem comes down to personal liability. If you crash and ambulance and the investigation discovers that you are on the tail end of a 28 hour stretch with little rest, and one company has a policy against working more than X hours straight, then you could find yourself up against a well. The company insurance might disallow the claim leaving you out in the rain holding a broken umbrella.

[nfd2004 750]

The problem comes down to personal liability. If you crash and ambulance and the investigation discovers that you are on the tail end of a 28 hour stretch with little rest, and one company has a policy against working more than X hours straight, then you could find yourself up against a well. The company insurance might disallow the claim leaving you out in the rain holding a broken umbrella.

That's a very good point there "was...". Something that anybody moonlighting all those extra hours should probadly give some thought to. Let alone the fact that you can kill or injure an innocent person.

Edited October 15, 2010 by nfd2004

[WAS967 97]

On the topic: http://www.jems.com/article/news/report-paramedic-fell-asleep-g

[efdcapt115 1,511]

That's why they have racks in the VACs. Use them!

[NWFDMedic 58]

That's why they have racks in the VACs. Use them!

That idea is all well and good, until you end up at the structure fire, or hazmat incident, or MCI with the VAC that leaves you out doing work for a good percentage of your shift. Yeah, it may only happen once in a while, but it only takes one time to fall asleep at the wheel and kill someone.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

That idea is all well and good, until you end up at the structure fire, or hazmat incident, or MCI with the VAC that leaves you out doing work for a good percentage of your shift. Yeah, it may only happen once in a while, but it only takes one time to fall asleep at the wheel and kill someone.

Good point. Accountability of the commanding officers then to ensure they aren't working the members beyond acceptable, reasonable levels?