Firefighter Thread or (EMT/PD/LEO/Nurse/Paramedic) roll call!

10 year firefighter paramedic with 3 different departments on the gulf coast of Florida.

 

Career Firefighter/EMT here in Va. One of the best parts of this line of work is the people working side by side with us, from our own crews to the LEO's and receiving hospital staff/nurse/docs.

 

15 years Vollie FF in New York. 3rd generation.

 

Hey no shit. Cape coral here

 

haha yup one of the depts im with uses 2nd Lt's a lower rank. the first LT is in charge of the truck and the 2nd is his "help" it just makes two people accountable for each truck to help with maintenance and weekly checks.

 

@17TRDOR I know a buddy whos also one of richmonds finest.

 

Chesapeake has one LT on each engine or ladder. And One captain per station per shift (ABC shifts) Then we have 3 battalion chiefs per shift. Then division chiefs and then the head honchos

 

@Tacoridge ​

 

yea your way more organized that us... of the 3 depts i work in they basically all have a car 1 through car 7, then a truck LT for each piece, as for who is on duty and who shows up for call, its all about whos around when the tones drop, everyone comes from home and you just hope for coverage on a holiday or weekend when everyones out drinking.

 

you must have seen a lot of technology changes over the years.

tell me, do you feel your job is easier or harder since you originally started back in the 1930's?

 

Actually easier since I've only seen one new drug and the one's who make the big money and big decisions have decided we should give less drugs than before. Now we've suddenly decided that smaller trucks are the new thing since we can save $10k a truck but they will last fewer years than the big ones. Also for some reason the mechanic's here can't manage to work on the big trucks and send them out costing us $93k last year. Even though before they have always worked on them. Meh, I've got 5 years and 2.5 months to go. No fucks given.Early retirement FTMFW.

 

I'm gonna stir the pot a bit since we've got a broad group.

Have any of you had any interaction with the latest and greatest *** heroin epidemic? Carfentnyl laced?

If so, as far as PPE and SOP/SOG's go, what has your department implemented?

My Fire department and the squad I use to work for (ambulance to keep this easily translated across the boards) recently had its first exposure to it. I've been tasked with developing and implementing some kind of response standard and obtaining PPE for these types of calls. (QRS co-ordinator for the department). We sent 4 to the hospital, thankfully no fatalities.

I've done quite a bit of research the last two days but have come up empty handed.

 

its been reported in my area. we've received a few notices warning first responders of the risks of contact with the chemical. as far as actual guidelines its basically been use your PPE and don't touch the white powder if you see it. if its the same case i read about the one down by you they didnt realize they had gotten mixed up with it until it was too late. just be careful i guess, keep you eyes peeled, and look before you leap.

 

We get a couple calls a day involving it. It is absolutely rampant in this area

 

Liz you might try asking the medics in here. There's a bunch that have joined the thread and you can get access to depths all over the US and Canada.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ask-a-medic.160241/

 

Thanks Murph! Forgot about that thread.

Essentially everyone was "back home" when symptoms hit. It's possible it was my guy that you read about.

I've heard something about respirators being discussed but can't find what type of respiratory protection.

 

A quality N-95 rated respirator should do the job. make sure its one with a good face seal and not just a loose fit like a dust mask, we have some really nice ones with a foam seal that is pretty tight.

something like this https://www.grainger.com/product/1D...6477!&ef_id=WWqvEgAAAF-j9Hn1:20170725160805:s

 

May 2017 marked year one as a paramedic for me. Worked for Greenville County in South Carolina and now I'm with Pickens County.
As far as the Carfentanyl stuff, we just had a multiple ODs associated with it in Pickens and I ran one of the first calls related to it reported in Greenville County. Stuff is really gnarly. We now carry atomizers on the truck so the EMTs can administer Narcan if a medic goes down.

 

Just retired after a colorful 25 year EMS career. Combat medic, firefighter paramedic, flight paramedic, search and rescue medic. Good luck to all the new guys and gals in the profession.

 

Up my way everyone gets narcan. EMT's get narcan, Cops get narcan, Firefighters get narcan, and you get a narcan, and you get a narcan!