Sometimes karma is a real bitch...

[101lifts2]

Originally Posted by Smittie61984

I'm in an EMT-I class and we talked about this the first day (not the shooting). Apparently the guy was a dispatcher (not a practicing EMT). Also he could have been an EMT-B and limited to Basic Life Support and not Advanced Life Support. I think taking care of seizures is something only a paramedic (not EMT-B or I) can do in most states.

He's probably a sorry ass union worker who only took EMT just to get hired/payraise but I don't think he deserved to get shot in the face because it was probably the "smarter" decision to do nothing but call 911 when a woman had a seizure.

This...

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by Smittie61984

I'm in an EMT-I class and we talked about this the first day (not the shooting). Apparently the guy was a dispatcher (not a practicing EMT). Also he could have been an EMT-B and limited to Basic Life Support and not Advanced Life Support. I think taking care of seizures is something only a paramedic (not EMT-B or I) can do in most states.

He's probably a sorry ass union worker who only took EMT just to get hired/payraise but I don't think he deserved to get shot in the face because it was probably the "smarter" decision to do nothing but call 911 when a woman had a seizure.

He had to know someone or have some sort of skills, getting a paid gig for FDNY as an EMt or paramedic is not easy. I know a few guys who wanted to go that route and spent years on a volunteer service just hoping to get it.

Worst thing was the womans brother, is in the army and was home visiting when this happened and they were all over him at first as a suspect but cleared him prety quickly.

[Smittie61984]

Originally Posted by tommymac

He had to know someone or have some sort of skills, getting a paid gig for FDNY as an EMt or paramedic is not easy. I know a few guys who wanted to go that route and spent years on a volunteer service just hoping to get it.

Worst thing was the womans brother, is in the army and was home visiting when this happened and they were all over him at first as a suspect but cleared him prety quickly.

Well one thing is he was not an EMT for NY. He didn't ride around in an ambulance or even act as a 1st responsder in a a firetruck. He was just certified and worked as a dispatcher. Do we even know if him being an EMT has anything to do with his job?

I'm still trying to figure out the ins and outs of the legal side of EMS but if he tried to do something for that woman and used EMS skills without being under a medical director then he'd be operating outside of his scope of practice and can be sued and woudl not be protected under the good samaritin laws. I'd be like you seeing a person with an obstructed airway and doing an emergency tracheotomy without being in a hospital. You could be the best but if something goes wrong (or right), you are getting sued.

We haven't covered seizures yet so I don't know what an EMT on duty could do, but I'm really doubtful an EMT-B/I who doesn't practice EMT-B/I skills or have any ALS/BLS equipment on hand could do anything. I myself don't plan on carrying a BVM and OPA with high flow oxygen on me wherever I go (which I"m guessing is what I'd have to do for a seizure patient). Depending on the seizure I guess they could have put her in the recovery position BUT if she had a seizure and fell then you'd have to do C-spine immoblization and keep her supine. If they put her in recovery and she broke her back on the way down then they'd be sued

But if people are upset I guess we can only blame ourselves. We've sued our medical proffesionals so much that they are scared to take risks for someone and now we are paying for it with our lives.

[KSGregman]

Originally Posted by Smittie61984

Well one thing is he was not an EMT for NY. He didn't ride around in an ambulance or even act as a 1st responsder in a a firetruck. He was just certified and worked as a dispatcher. Do we even know if him being an EMT has anything to do with his job?

I'm still trying to figure out the ins and outs of the legal side of EMS but if he tried to do something for that woman and used EMS skills without being under a medical director then he'd be operating outside of his scope of practice and can be sued and woudl not be protected under the good samaritin laws. I'd be like you seeing a person with an obstructed airway and doing an emergency tracheotomy without being in a hospital. You could be the best but if something goes wrong (or right), you are getting sued.

We haven't covered seizures yet so I don't know what an EMT on duty could do, but I'm really doubtful an EMT-B/I who doesn't practice EMT-B/I skills or have any ALS/BLS equipment on hand could do anything. I myself don't plan on carrying a BVM and OPA with high flow oxygen on me wherever I go (which I"m guessing is what I'd have to do for a seizure patient). Depending on the seizure I guess they could have put her in the recovery position BUT if she had a seizure and fell then you'd have to do C-spine immoblization and keep her supine. If they put her in recovery and she broke her back on the way down then they'd be sued

But if people are upset I guess we can only blame ourselves. We've sued our medical professionals so much that they are scared to take risks for someone and now we are paying for it with our lives.

Very interesting take...I hadn't thought about it like this.

[jtemple]

Originally Posted by wildchild

sounds like the guy was an all around real winner. car was trying to park where he and his friend were standing. instead of moving he wants to fight with the driver. he lost.
i would hope it was unrelated to his previous bit of notoriety. it gives the Karma thing a little more weight.
of course the fact that he seems to have a history of acting like an ass, may have played into his death as well. sooner or later someone will take you down a few notches, sometimes all the way to zero.

My momma always said; doesn't matter how much of a badass you are, there's always someone tougher. I guess he found that someone

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by Smittie61984

Well one thing is he was not an EMT for NY. He didn't ride around in an ambulance or even act as a 1st responsder in a a firetruck. He was just certified and worked as a dispatcher. Do we even know if him being an EMT has anything to do with his job?

I'm still trying to figure out the ins and outs of the legal side of EMS but if he tried to do something for that woman and used EMS skills without being under a medical director then he'd be operating outside of his scope of practice and can be sued and woudl not be protected under the good samaritin laws. I'd be like you seeing a person with an obstructed airway and doing an emergency tracheotomy without being in a hospital. You could be the best but if something goes wrong (or right), you are getting sued.

We haven't covered seizures yet so I don't know what an EMT on duty could do, but I'm really doubtful an EMT-B/I who doesn't practice EMT-B/I skills or have any ALS/BLS equipment on hand could do anything. I myself don't plan on carrying a BVM and OPA with high flow oxygen on me wherever I go (which I"m guessing is what I'd have to do for a seizure patient). Depending on the seizure I guess they could have put her in the recovery position BUT if she had a seizure and fell then you'd have to do C-spine immoblization and keep her supine. If they put her in recovery and she broke her back on the way down then they'd be sued

But if people are upset I guess we can only blame ourselves. We've sued our medical proffesionals so much that they are scared to take risks for someone and now we are paying for it with our lives.

he was employed by the city of new york though, which is still a tough thing to do. I believe the lady had a severe asthma attack and not a seizure. Should he have done more to help, absolutley, but medically that may have been all he was able to do legally anyway.