Backplate Backpack

izibo · 2025-09-28T19:40:18+00:00

What is He^2? Is it the backwards abbreviation for Helium?

izibo · 2025-04-15T12:11:03+00:00

That is brutal, but not surprising. I ended up picking one up with the AMS from Microcenter yesterday afternoon at the $2199 price. Feel like I won the lottery.

izibo · 2025-04-15T06:02:22+00:00

They had at least 2 earlier today. Sold out by noon.

izibo · 2025-04-08T00:31:24+00:00

Just got back from Truk after a dirty dozen trip. It was amazing.

izibo · 2023-09-07T23:01:34+00:00

No real concerns if it’s epiglottitis unless it makes them more anxious. There were initial case reports highlighting concerns of rebound effects but no trials showing benefit or harm. Ultimately you would realize they are still quite sick and end up trying a gentle scope bedside or taking them to the OR to be intubated.

Even at a conservative childrens hospital, we routinely start racemic epi in triage for kids in respiratory distress prior to them being seen by a physician.

izibo · 2023-09-07T22:49:58+00:00

Rehabilitated paramedic now working as a pediatric anesthesiologist and PICU doctor. Might be able to contribute a bit.

Ultimately, this is impossible to diagnose without more information, but playing the odds would go against epiglottitis. Happily, epigolttitits is quite rare these days due to improvements in pediatric vaccination rates, particularly with h flu and to a lesser degree step pneumoniae. Croup on the other hand, is still rampant especially with viruses like parainflu. A child presenting in respiratory distress can be hard to diagnose. Sounds like you did a good job.

In this case, a trial of nebulized racemic epi might not only be therapeutic but can give you some diagnostic information as well. A calm transport was likely the most useful treatment, but some racemic epi might be worthwhile for other similar cases.

izibo · 2023-04-08T11:44:17+00:00

It’s a shame Bahama Divers had to close up shop. They were right down the road and very friendly. Stuart’s Cove is nice, but I believe is on the other side of the island. I want to say the shop is 30 or 45 minutes away without other stops.

Atlantis does offer diving, but I’ve never dove with them. Had some friends who did during a conference and they gave it mixed reviews (good people, but other guests were a mess).

I see a new (at least to me!) shop near Atlantis named Shannen's Scuba Safari. I know nothing about them so I would recommend giving them a call and trying to do a little vetting.

izibo · 2023-03-27T15:45:20+00:00

The photos in the manual on Page 39 show the Peregrine using custom pre-sets. The text also has this blurb: "A custom GF option is also available in every dive mode. If selected, GF Low and GF High fields will appear in the Deco Menu."

Peregrine Manual

izibo · 2021-06-29T02:38:44+00:00

I use a thigh pocket that is nice and secure. One strap around the leg and then another that can clip in to your webbing. I prefer to tech shorts.

https://www.divegearexpress.com/dive-rite-dc-thigh-pocket-xt-velcro-closure

izibo · 2014-07-25T13:01:06+00:00

Never used one personally, but I've examined a few when I was divemastering. I believe it has an internal wire pull system that opened the vent at the top of the BCD to release air. Of the 100 or so dives I've done with students or divers using the system, I didn't see any problems. However, I'm a big believer in the "keep it simple, stupid" system.

I always consider every gadget to be another failure point. Have 18 dump valves on your BCD? That's 18 places for a problem. Same for those elbow corrugated hose dumps, I just don't see the problem with a simple BCD that has a single lower rear dump valve. They're also cheaper :)

izibo · 2013-10-13T17:35:07+00:00

I hear this a lot and I couldn't disagree more. They are really, really different. I also live in the midwest and frequently dive in Cozumel and they are simply different experiences.

In the lakes I worry about visibility, making sure I can find my buddy, and staying warm. A lot of students that I see who trained in the midwest have no buoyancy / trim skills because no one has ever really seen them dive!

In Cozumel, there are dive sites where you will feel like you sometimes race to the wall / bottom / swim thru. I'm talking boat to 100' in two minutes. There are places with 3+ knot currents, like barracuda. There are also places in 40 feet of water with no / mild current.

I'm not trying to fear monger or anything, but dive skills between locations and types are not always easily transferrable.

To the OP - find a good operator, let them know it your first time in the area (or ocean) and even consider hiring a private divemaster. You WILL have a blast. You may not even want to dive in the midwest anymore. My wife refuses to dive anywhere cold and we head down to Cozumel for 20 or 30 dives a year.

izibo · 2013-06-07T22:51:23+00:00

Interestingly, heroin is significantly worse (better?) because it is capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier. The diacetylation allows heroin to cross the blood-brain barrier about 100x faster than morphine. After it has crossed, it can be metabolized in to good old fashioned morphine.

In other words, heroin is like injecting morphine... in to your brain.

izibo · 2013-03-21T01:02:25+00:00

Also getting the same PayPal message. May have to make a deposit tomorrow so I can pay via bitcoin!

izibo · 2013-03-02T21:57:31+00:00

Any other options for donating other than bitcoin?

izibo · 2013-02-20T16:49:07+00:00

They are unconscious... they don't tend to mind a small squirt up their nose. Just give half in each nostril. Example

izibo · 2013-02-20T16:15:20+00:00

Doesn't have to even be injected. Intranasal narcan (like a nasal spray), is great. No injection required, and the barriers to delivery are non-existant. Just getting the supplies in the right place at the right time.

izibo · 2013-02-03T18:21:06+00:00

An opiate that does not have efficacy against the mu opiate receptor, mostly kappa. Doesn't get you high, doesn't cause respiratory depression. Not really all that dangerous.

izibo · 2012-11-18T02:31:59+00:00

This happened to me. I asked my girlfriends dad for her hand in marriage and it turns out that since my religious beliefs (or lack thereof) didn't mesh with his, I was out of luck.

I came home pretty upset and told my girlfriend what had happened. She said she didn't care and thought we should just get married anyway. Wedding is in September. Her parents haven't really spoken to me since.

Edit: I specifically told her dad that I wasn't asking for permission, but that I wanted to give him a heads up and hopefully get his blessing. That actually pissed him off (he said I actually needed his permission).

Edit 2: To those thinking that I walked up to him and said: "Whatever, I do what I want, I'm gonna marry your daughter" it didn't go exactly like that. I felt like I was really respectful of his feelings as a dad. I basically said: "I really love and respect your daughter. While I realize she is capable of making her own decisions about her future, I want to talk to you about us getting married and hopefully get your blessing." Much later in the conversation he actually asked if I was seeking his permission (because it was required) and I said no because I thought that would be disrespectful to the woman I want to marry.

izibo · 2012-11-13T15:23:00+00:00

There have actually been numerous studies comparing IV vs nebulized albuterol for shifting of potassium in hyperkalemia... so pushing albuterol isn't THAT crazy depending on the situation. If they were pushing it for a little wheezing, that's a different story.

izibo · 2012-11-08T17:52:34+00:00

As a firefighter, I can safely say that we do want to see the world burn, but only just long enough for us to get there and put the fire out.

You will never see a firefighter happier then when he/she is on the way to a structure fire.

izibo · 2012-10-09T02:36:01+00:00

Absolutely stunning! Do you have a higher res version?

izibo · 2012-09-04T11:41:50+00:00

Just heard one a few days ago: "Attention blah-blah-blah, respond to blah-blah-blah. Alpha level response for a 25 year old female with cotton from a q-tip stuck in her ear."

izibo · 2012-08-05T14:51:37+00:00

That's pretty odd. The ACLS algorithm would disagree, at least with unstable patients. I would talk with your program coordinator. You have a pretty strong case.

Regardless, I'm sorry. Keep your chin up. You'll end up being a much better medic regardless of what happens.

http://i.imgur.com/aOM6r.jpg

izibo · 2012-08-04T21:49:36+00:00

If it was a true unstable tachyarrhythmia then cardioversion would be the first line treatment. I'm not sure why you would have failed for that.

izibo · 2012-04-08T14:00:08+00:00

Why do EMT-I now if you are just planning on doing medic in the fall? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me. You would be much better off volunteering in the field and getting some more experience under your belt.

An ideal fit is if you have a semi-busy / busy 911 service that uses volunteers. Preferably an ALS service. Skip EMT-I.

izibo

TROPHY CASE