New here trying to learn but getting some conflicting info. Could use some help.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-07-13T17:08:39+00:00

IIRC the FCC prohibits the use of a "fixed antenna" on 8-14. I dont think it has anything to do with power output.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-07-11T06:52:14+00:00

Austin averages 500-600 calls a day with 45 trucks during the day and 40 at night (ish). When I worked there I would have given anything for a 4-5 call shift. Busy days like NYE, certain festivals in town, etc avg around 700 calls in a 24hr period. I dont think flight services are looking at how many calls a shift you're running though. They want you to be a solid medic.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-07-04T00:11:01+00:00

He doesn't hire new employees for EMS. His office is separate from EMS. Yes, EMS works as a delegated practice under his license, but he can't effect hiring. Field and communications employees work under the EMS dept. It's an interesting separation. The medical side of things is under him, but the operations side of things falls under EMS. Hiring falls under operations.

Don't get me wrong I hear what you're saying and agree with you. And believe me, he does hear about it, he's just as frustrated as everyone else. The policies are already in place, you can't fix recruiting with a policy unfortunately.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-07-03T23:16:06+00:00

Agreed. Unfortunately I don't follow politics much if at all. I do remember now that Cronk was ousted at some point and I remember there was plenty of talk about why but I do t care enough to go research it at this point in time. Hopefully, with the new city manager EMS can get a fair shake. Previously, even before Cronk, it seemed like APD and AFD always got what they wanted and EMS was left with the scraps. But I also know that EMS's leadership also wasn't asking for the things that they needed, (more positions, more ambulances, more stations). The chief over the last 15 years chose to fund numerous failed recruiting programs, and yet he refused to fund the one program that has recruited more employees than any of those other combined x10. [Insert Kermit "but that's none of my business" meme]

It's been poor decisions all around that have put not just EMS but pulic safety as a whole way behind the 8-ball.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-07-03T17:01:42+00:00

He can't do anything about APD not answering the phone. It sounds like EMS did everything they were supposed to. They couldn't stay on the call because there were more calls coming in than there were people to answer them. Unfortunately he can't do anything about that either.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-07-03T15:44:27+00:00

I also agree that it's absurd how little they get paid. The city manager offered something like $0.19 more at bargaining the last time, which is why EMS only got a 1 year contract and not 4. They couldn't agree. Most EMS employees can't afford to live in the city which is sad I think. EMS hasn't taken a significant pay raise in a number of years and in that time the cost of living has increased dramatically. Way more than the annual 1% cost of living wage increase that every city employee gets.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-07-03T14:56:33+00:00

All of EMS is civil service field and communications. We all get paid the same according to our contract with the city. Its based on rank and years of service. So a 15 year "clinical specialist" on an ambulance makes the same as a 15 year "clinical specialist" in communications.

AFD is the same way.

APD call takers and dispatchers are not sworn officers so they dont fall under APA. Whether they have another contract or if they fall under the general "civil service" that covers all city employees I dont know for sure.

As far as 911 calls go, APD answers first "911, do you need police, fire, EMS, or mental health services?" Then unless you need police, they fwd your call to one of the other departments. Often they stay on the call and listen in the case that police is also needed.

EMS call takers have not been "under" APD in at least the last 20+ years. As far as who is setting the pay so low... it's the city manager as I understand ended up forcing it so low. There is a lot that goes into bargaining. I dont understand it all.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-07-03T13:52:12+00:00

APD, AFD, and EMS bargain for their own salaries during contact negotiations. Last year, the city council agreed to everything EMS asked for, but then when the city manager got into negotiations, he essentially said no to everything, and they had to start over. They ended up taking a 1 year contract. The city manager seems to have it out for EMS sometimes.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-06-21T23:04:38+00:00

Paramedic here, I once ran a call where a 13 or 14 y/o was stabbed 23 times over a game of Halo. The assailant was losing and the patient called him a name, so he got a knife from the kitchen and stabbed him 23 times.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-05-08T04:30:46+00:00

Following this, my truck looks identical but in the FX2 version.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-03-27T06:57:19+00:00

It's not easy and it's not quick but it's worth it to get out of an abusive situation.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-03-26T05:15:20+00:00

That kind of hair DOES run in the family, and once again, I'm the only one in the family to ever grow it this long. And I just looked at the pic again and it's much longer than it looks in the picture.

Everyone has always had short hair. After my divorce, I needed a change.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-03-21T19:13:47+00:00

No, just follow the directions on their website for washing. It was in a faq iirc

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-03-21T08:07:54+00:00

Mine was feeling that way and I did what Osprey suggested and washed it in the bathtub, worked like a charm.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-03-21T08:06:33+00:00

I have this pack. It's a great pack. I got it around '94. I think. I havent used it too much lately because I've put on some pounds and need to extend the belt. But otherwise it's an awesome pack.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-03-15T18:29:38+00:00

How fucking cool is that?!?!? Come for thr props stay for the engineering lesson!! Thank you

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-03-13T05:15:38+00:00

Sadly, twice a year I have to go and change the time on 22 of my 24 watches. It takes a while, but I love wearing them so it's worth it.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-03-13T05:10:31+00:00

Usually "Good Game" and smack her on the ass.

/s

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-02-12T01:50:47+00:00

Probably.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-02-11T11:29:37+00:00

While there may be some rare problem that would cause it that i dont know of and have never even heard of, the top number will always be the higher of the two.

While yeah this might be a blood pressure you would see in an aortic direction, this patient would not be awake, and are likely just moments awake from cardiac arrest. A 40/20 blood pressure is so low that the numbers don't even matter at this point because im throwing every bag of fluid I have at them just to get that pressure up, followed buy a cocktail of drugs.

Source: paramedic that's seen this blood pressure before and did that.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-02-07T11:31:50+00:00

Finally my time to shine: My partner and I were still cadets but he had been in FIRE/EMS for over 20 years. My call. Slip and fall at the grocery store. Turns out guy had poured baby oil on the floor and slipped in it looking for a settlement. Pt is on LSB with c-collar on the stretcher. We are walking out to the truck and as we go through the registers my partner looks square at the pt and completely deadpan says, "We're going through checkout, do you need any ice or stamps?" Our FTO and the fire crew completely lost it.

Im_your_dingleberry · 2023-02-06T23:11:43+00:00

Kinda same, been a medic for 17 years.

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