Posts
After spending the last week working at the fire department, I spent the last two days at home with my family doing some yard work and landscaping. The weather was great and could not have asked for better days. My son, who is 18 months, is so much fun, he loves being outside and has started looking for birds!
Over the past few years the second leading cause of firefighter deaths continues to be apparatus crashes. I receive texts on a daily basis of firefighter news stories and the last couple days there were more apparatus crashes. One of them was in Illinois. As I look back over my fire and EMS career, both volunteer and paid, I remember myself being careless while responding to emergencies. I have never been involved in an apparatus crash while driving but have been as a passenger. Emergency responders tend to get excited and want to get to the scene as fast as they can. They want to be the first one there, got to be on the attack line making entry into the house that is on fire. All of these reasons are ones that I personally experienced. Responders tend to have tunnel vision and only think about getting there. We all need to be more cautious, we need to slow down, follow traffic laws and arrive safely. If you look online at any of the stories on apparatus crashes you will find that the main cause is speed. If you take into play the way the newer houses are built, we should not be making entry by the time we get on scene. The construction just does not hold up like it used to in the old days. So there is no need to drive crazy, slow down, the fire will still be there when you get there. How much time do we honestly save by driving fast and carelessly? If we drive careless while responding to emergencies we are not able to provide our services to those in need. I strongly encourage each and every one of you to slow down, make it to the scene safe and help those who call us.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
It is Sunday and is the start of a busy week for me. Overtime and overtime!! That is the word of the week!!! I am now on twitter, follow me in my daily adventures!!! www.twitter.com/darinkeith
Keep posted for updates on here, I am working on a great post and hope that it will get some comments from all of you!
Take care and stay safe this week!!
Darin
Keep posted for updates on here, I am working on a great post and hope that it will get some comments from all of you!
Take care and stay safe this week!!
Darin
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Yes another post! (2 in one week!)
Well, I have a few minutes so i decided to post on here.
The last post I talked about all the new "toys" in EMS. Well, I was working my part time job the other day and responded to a person having trouble breathing. As most of you know, this sounds like a routing diff. breathing call. So my partner and I make our way to the apartment that called 911. When we entered the room there was this person laying there working so hard to breath! This person was in pretty bad shape as he was BLUE!!! I kid you not, really blue! We looked at each other and in my head I said some choice words! We quickly moved him to the cot and out to the rig. The whole time all I could think was this is not good! So I pulled out the handy dandy C-PAP. I have only used this a couple times since it was placed in the rigs and have not had the best results. Others talk about how well it works and usually turns the patients right around. So I placed this on the patient and by the time we got to the hospital he was not quite so blue. Guess it worked.
Had we not had this new tool we probably would have had to assist this patient with the bvm and probably would of had to intubate the patient.
Today I received my confirmation that I am registered to take my National Paramedic Practical test on May 30th. I am not really looking forward to this but dont have much of a choice as my employer is making us become National Certified. Wish me luck!
The last post I talked about all the new "toys" in EMS. Well, I was working my part time job the other day and responded to a person having trouble breathing. As most of you know, this sounds like a routing diff. breathing call. So my partner and I make our way to the apartment that called 911. When we entered the room there was this person laying there working so hard to breath! This person was in pretty bad shape as he was BLUE!!! I kid you not, really blue! We looked at each other and in my head I said some choice words! We quickly moved him to the cot and out to the rig. The whole time all I could think was this is not good! So I pulled out the handy dandy C-PAP. I have only used this a couple times since it was placed in the rigs and have not had the best results. Others talk about how well it works and usually turns the patients right around. So I placed this on the patient and by the time we got to the hospital he was not quite so blue. Guess it worked.
Had we not had this new tool we probably would have had to assist this patient with the bvm and probably would of had to intubate the patient.
Today I received my confirmation that I am registered to take my National Paramedic Practical test on May 30th. I am not really looking forward to this but dont have much of a choice as my employer is making us become National Certified. Wish me luck!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Ok, so it has been a few months since I last posted on here. I promise you that I will start posting more often..... My goal is going to be weekly to start and then maybe even more than that.
Since the last time I posted on here a lot has happened in this world. Santa Clause visited our houses, we all celebrated the new year, some more than others, We voted a new President in. The funny thing with elections is that no matter who is elected no one is happy! I will admit that I did not utlize my right to vote. Had I voted I would have voted for Obama. Enough about that subject.
I traveled to Apache Junction AZ the first week in January. I was there to assess their fire department to see if we felt they met the requirments for Accredited status. This was a great visit as we did recommend them for Re-accreditation. I was very impressed with the dept and even stated that if I was looking for a job I would go there! Then in March I traveled to Orlando FL for an Accreditation Conference. Had a great time, learned a lot. As you can tell I am really enjoying the whole accrediation stuff, not only for our dept but also as a PEER Assessor and member of a technical working group for the Commision on Fire Accreditation International.
Well, enough about what I have been doing over the past months, time to get down to it.....
Each year someone comes up with a new piece of equipment that is better than the last. I have been in EMS for over 15 years now and still see something that I think, "we have to have that!" The bad part is that we have all these great "tools" but where do we put them? I do agree some of these newer tools are better than previous ones and replacing them is great but someone thinks that we have to have a back up incase the new one fails. Here is where I start to have a problem.... For example... the King LT airways, great airways that work. Most are replacing the Combi tube with these. But some think that you need to continue caring the combi tube as a back up! My question for them then is what is the back up for the combi tube? Tell me what you think? Soon we will have to carry in more bags than we do now to get the tools we may need by the patient.
Since the last time I posted on here a lot has happened in this world. Santa Clause visited our houses, we all celebrated the new year, some more than others, We voted a new President in. The funny thing with elections is that no matter who is elected no one is happy! I will admit that I did not utlize my right to vote. Had I voted I would have voted for Obama. Enough about that subject.
I traveled to Apache Junction AZ the first week in January. I was there to assess their fire department to see if we felt they met the requirments for Accredited status. This was a great visit as we did recommend them for Re-accreditation. I was very impressed with the dept and even stated that if I was looking for a job I would go there! Then in March I traveled to Orlando FL for an Accreditation Conference. Had a great time, learned a lot. As you can tell I am really enjoying the whole accrediation stuff, not only for our dept but also as a PEER Assessor and member of a technical working group for the Commision on Fire Accreditation International.
Well, enough about what I have been doing over the past months, time to get down to it.....
Each year someone comes up with a new piece of equipment that is better than the last. I have been in EMS for over 15 years now and still see something that I think, "we have to have that!" The bad part is that we have all these great "tools" but where do we put them? I do agree some of these newer tools are better than previous ones and replacing them is great but someone thinks that we have to have a back up incase the new one fails. Here is where I start to have a problem.... For example... the King LT airways, great airways that work. Most are replacing the Combi tube with these. But some think that you need to continue caring the combi tube as a back up! My question for them then is what is the back up for the combi tube? Tell me what you think? Soon we will have to carry in more bags than we do now to get the tools we may need by the patient.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
It has been a bit longer than I was wanting for me to post on here again. I have been pretty busy working and working and getting ready for Christmas. It is that time of year again for all of us to reflect back on 2008. The year for me has gone so fast, a lot of great things have happened for me and I am looking forward to the new year. Along with the new year we are also going to a new schedule at the fire dept. I am really looking forward to the new schedule as we will be going from working every other day to 48 hours on and 72 hours off. One may think we are crazy but if you really look at our previous schedule we are coming or going from the station each day! With the new schedule we will be home more days in a row.
Along with this time of year comes the snow and ice that we have been experiencing the last couple weeks. Luckily we have yet to fight a fire in this weather. We have had ems calls and fire alarms but that is about it so far.
I hope that every one will be safe and careful in this cold weather, use caution walking on the roads, sidewalks and driveways.
I hope everyone is able to spend some time with their loved ones, their families and friends during this holiday season. I for one am looking forward to being at home with my family.
Merry Christmas all and be safe!
Darin
Along with this time of year comes the snow and ice that we have been experiencing the last couple weeks. Luckily we have yet to fight a fire in this weather. We have had ems calls and fire alarms but that is about it so far.
I hope that every one will be safe and careful in this cold weather, use caution walking on the roads, sidewalks and driveways.
I hope everyone is able to spend some time with their loved ones, their families and friends during this holiday season. I for one am looking forward to being at home with my family.
Merry Christmas all and be safe!
Darin
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Traffic Safety Vests
I have read so many different posts online in regards to the new federal law for the traffic safety vests for emergency responders. The federal law had a deadline of Nov. 24th, 2008. I have thought often about this law and I personally like this law. This is for the safety of all emergency responders.
I started my EMS career volunteering with the Erie Ambulance Service when I turned 18. I then started my Fire service career volunteering with the Colona Fire Department for one year and then the Erie Fire Department. With all of these departments I responded to numerous calls on interstates and have seen several of my brothers and sisters almost get struck by drivers driving by the scene. I have watched cars during the winter months slide past and or into the ditch when they finally realize that the flashing lights they are looking at are fire trucks and ambulances. I have witnessed a county sheriff step out in front of cars to stop them to yell at them for driving so fast past an emergency scene. That was just insane!!
One may ask, are these vests really going to keep us from getting hit?" Unfortunately I feel this answer is no! I think what they are trying to do is make the responders more visible than what we are now. If you get the chance take a look at this short video on www.respondersafety.com and see the comparisons of the responders that do not have vests on and the ones that do. It is amazing how much they stand out. I have read several posts that people state, "if they can not see the flashing lights and big red trucks do you think they will see us with the vests on?" My response to that is, they DO see the flashing lights and big red trucks, they are to busy looking at what happened and not paying enough attention to their driving. Another post I read was one complaining that it would take to long to put the vest on once they arrive at the scene. That it would delay their care to the victims. Come on people, why not put the vest on before you get to the scene? Ok, your seat belted in and didn't get it on before the truck left. Put it on as you are walking up to the scene. Some people do not like change and this is change. It will become natural after some time.
I feel this will not completely eliminate responders from being struck, but will decrease the number of responders struck and killed and decrease the number of close calls.
Stay safe and wear the vests!
Darin
I started my EMS career volunteering with the Erie Ambulance Service when I turned 18. I then started my Fire service career volunteering with the Colona Fire Department for one year and then the Erie Fire Department. With all of these departments I responded to numerous calls on interstates and have seen several of my brothers and sisters almost get struck by drivers driving by the scene. I have watched cars during the winter months slide past and or into the ditch when they finally realize that the flashing lights they are looking at are fire trucks and ambulances. I have witnessed a county sheriff step out in front of cars to stop them to yell at them for driving so fast past an emergency scene. That was just insane!!
One may ask, are these vests really going to keep us from getting hit?" Unfortunately I feel this answer is no! I think what they are trying to do is make the responders more visible than what we are now. If you get the chance take a look at this short video on www.respondersafety.com and see the comparisons of the responders that do not have vests on and the ones that do. It is amazing how much they stand out. I have read several posts that people state, "if they can not see the flashing lights and big red trucks do you think they will see us with the vests on?" My response to that is, they DO see the flashing lights and big red trucks, they are to busy looking at what happened and not paying enough attention to their driving. Another post I read was one complaining that it would take to long to put the vest on once they arrive at the scene. That it would delay their care to the victims. Come on people, why not put the vest on before you get to the scene? Ok, your seat belted in and didn't get it on before the truck left. Put it on as you are walking up to the scene. Some people do not like change and this is change. It will become natural after some time.
I feel this will not completely eliminate responders from being struck, but will decrease the number of responders struck and killed and decrease the number of close calls.
Stay safe and wear the vests!
Darin
Introduction
Hello there,
I have decided to start bloging my thoughts about all types of things pertaining to the fire service and EMS service. What I blog here are my personal thoughts and are not directed towards any individual, company, department. The opions here are not the opinions or feeling of my department. I am using this as a means to share my thoughts and opinions and to bring some discussion from others in the fire and ems service. I will pick at least one subject per week to share my opionion on. Please feel free to share your thoughts. Everyone learns from others.
I have only been in the Fire service for 9 years and the EMS service for 15 years. I do not feel that this is a long time at all and am the first to tell you that I do not know everything. The day I start to think I know everything is the day I will step down from this great career!
I look forward to sharing my thoughts and gaining more knowledge from others involvment in my discussions.
Stay safe
Darin
I have decided to start bloging my thoughts about all types of things pertaining to the fire service and EMS service. What I blog here are my personal thoughts and are not directed towards any individual, company, department. The opions here are not the opinions or feeling of my department. I am using this as a means to share my thoughts and opinions and to bring some discussion from others in the fire and ems service. I will pick at least one subject per week to share my opionion on. Please feel free to share your thoughts. Everyone learns from others.
I have only been in the Fire service for 9 years and the EMS service for 15 years. I do not feel that this is a long time at all and am the first to tell you that I do not know everything. The day I start to think I know everything is the day I will step down from this great career!
I look forward to sharing my thoughts and gaining more knowledge from others involvment in my discussions.
Stay safe
Darin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)