Friday, October 10, 2008

Volunteer Fire vs. Private EMS

So I just had a very interesting run in with the Volunteer Fire dept that handles my area where I live at. Let it be know that in my area there are 2 competing EMS companies. 1 of which I work for.
Im coming home from my parents house and notice a small collection of volunteer fire trucks up the road, I also notice a car way out in the feild. This is the road I have to go down to get to my place. I pull up and do not see a Squad there yet. Being that im an EMT-I and knowing that this department has nothing above an EMT-B I stop to help.
Grabbing my jump bag with a few gloves I approach 1 of the vehicles occupied twice. The other vehichle involved in the crash just happens to be a volunteer firefighter. Lets paint the picture for you. I assume that the other vehicles people are ok as they are up and walking around pretty much not wanting anyone to touch them. The other vehicle which is in the feild has severe front end damage, and deployed airbags and this is a 55mph zone. There are so many firefighters around this vehicle it is hard to see anything. I voice that I am an EMT-I and I am here to help. As I attempt to take control of the patients a firefighter quickly yells at me asking who I am. I once again state im an EMT-I, and say you want to see my cards? He quietly shutsup and I go back to work. One group of firefighters are working on the driver a female and all they are doing is putting on a vacuum splint to her arm. They are not taking C-spine precaution, she denies back or neck pain was restrained, only c/c is knee and arm pain. The passenger who im working on has neck, back and knee pain, he was restrained. The firefighters are actually holding cspine. I quickly as for a ccollar and continue working as the squad finally pulls up. It just happens to be the competing EMS squad. The whole time I am working I continually have firefighters asking who I am, and it is really getting annoying as I am asking my patient questions and trying to get information.

At this point I am getting very upset and decide to step back and talk to the EMTs from the squad. I quickly snap a few pictures of damage done to the car to give them to the ER. But just as soon as I do this, (I think he was some kind of Fire chief or whatnot) jumps down my throat yelling not to be taking pictures of his scene, who am I, what am I doing and on and on. Yells for my to leave his scene and asks for one of the sheriff deputies to come over. Ironically being one that I know. Technically by law im not allowed to leave, being abandonment and all. Of course he didnt want to hear this. So I calmly left and said no more.

Guess I forgot to mention that they never backboarded the driver and had only 1 squad there. This private company is really slipping in its health care.