I hurt someone's feelings. Facebook and work.

[MedicYeti 96]

I just got a call from my boss regarding a comment I made on Facebook. A friend of mine is a flight medic; he posted something about another aeromedical crash. I posted "If Cape May Fire calls stay on the ground those idiots call for a splinter, I'll call you if I need you". Someone read that and cried to my boss.

For those unfamiliar with Emergency Medical Services in NJ: local towns provide their own ambulance service, through paid, volunteer, third party or county based systems. The local ambulance is staffed by Emergency Medical Technician-Basic's (EMT-B). For potentially life threatening calls the local EMT's respond in the ambulance and Paramedics are sent as well. Paramedics are paid by a hospital system, use SUV's, Cars or ambulances (depending on the systems preference). Paramedics provide advanced care where EMT's provide a basic level of care. There are fewer paramedic units that cover a wider area when compared to the EMT's.

What this means: I (A Paramedic) get sent out to multiple calls and work along with multiple EMT's throughout all of Atlantic and Cape May Counties. I deal with EMT's who understand how to care for people and truely want to help. I also occasionally encounter a few that don't understand or are incapable of acting in the patients best interest.

Then there is Cape May Fire: a group of people intelligent enough to do a good job but they make it very clear that they wan to be firefighters and have referred to the ambulance as the "penalty box".

One time: with a patient who was having a large heart attack, the crew drove AWAY from me (the paramedic) and the LONGER way to te hospital. They did this so they could stop at the fire house and perform a shift change. Cape May Fire also loves watching the helicopter. They call for helicopters for every bump and bruise.

Aeromedical services are to be used to cut transport times for patients who require a specialty hospital, mostly Multi System Trauma and evolving Heart Attacks, occasionally Strokes. In these 3 cases, time means the difference between life and death, or recovery vs perminant disability. The State on NJ has very specific criteria for who gets these services. It's not a secret, in fact it's on a sticker in most ambulances. It does not need to be committed to memory, just look on the wall, use your smart phone or look at the little book the state sent to EVERY EMT/Paramedic in the state.

Cape May Fire feels it appropriate to disregard the criteria set forth by trauma surgeons. They call for aeromedical services for patients who are no where near the state criteria. This makes them the butt of jokes; "Cape May is calling for another helicopter, lets see how wrong they are". Often times Paramedics arrive, assess and cancel the helicopter because the patient does not need a trauma center. Lots of times the patient doesn't even need Paramedics. So a lot of times I arrive, assess, cancel the chopper, then send the patient on their way without my services (since they are not dying).

Cost: Paramedic services cost around $2500. Helicopter services cost around $25,000. Helicopters are more prone to have problems during take off and landing. Every time these Idiots in Cape May call for a chopper when it is clearly not needed they force a chopper into the air, expend fuel, take it out of service for someone who may actually need it and they put my friends at unnecessary risk.

I stand by my statement that the Idiots in Cape May City FD do call for aeromedical services when they are not needed, on a regular basis.

Now that I have posted a statement to this, I have hurt someone's feelings and they called my boss. I told him that if anything comes of this I'm suing.

We shall see what happens.

Rant over - almost.

Cape May City is a beautiful town and a great place to visit. If you are walking on the boardwalk and quickly turn your head to admire a. Scantaly clad woman, then feel a crack in your neck; don't call 911- they'll try to put you in a chopper. (True story).

[Melgamatic 66]

I never understand why our local area (Fanwood/Scotch Plains) calls for the helicopter. 

 

The time required to clear the landing field, wait for the copter to land, get the patient onto the copter, have the copter go back through their lengthy takeoff procedure and then leave is MUCH, much longer than the driver to a reasonably local, state trauma center or burn center.  Both trauma and burn hospitals are less than 15 minutes away when driving in a normal car obeying traffic laws.  I'm sure an ambulance could get their in 12 or even 10 minutes.  

 

There was a motorcycle accident last week at the Rt 22 intersection near Snuffys.  I could hear the helicopter from my house for probably 15 minutes between them circling, landing, idling, taking off, circling again, etc.  I could have driven to the accident, put the guy in my car and driven him to the trauma center faster.

 

I don't know why they do it.

[M4BGRINGO 139]

Lesson to be learned, don't post stuff on Facebook.

[Soju 153]

Welcome to the world where hurting someone's feelings can be worse than physically hurting someone. This is the type of thing where emailing him a 'hurt feelings report' or leaving one anonymously on his desk/in his file would be appropriate. 

 

If there is anything I have learned from similar situations, is that when people get butthurt over comments like that it usually means that the comment is pretty accurate, and it applies to that person or that persons friend/family/mistress/etc.

 

Oh yeah, and also, if that person happens to be your boss, they usually don't appreciate it!

[Plinkster5000 0]

WHAT you only have 1 FB page......silly wabbit

[NJKen 23]

Lesson to be learned, don't post stuff on Facebook.

My thought exactly.  Facebook is about worthless.  I used it for a while but its gone now.

Ken

[silverado427 10,729]

   

[OldCrow 1]

Lesson to be learned, don't post stuff on Facebook.

Call me a Neanderthal, but I've never had a Facebook page.  The folks in my family that do are always getting their knickers in a twist about something somebody posted.  If I want to "connect" with someone, I'll pick up the phone.  FB seems like a time-suck that causes more problems than it's worth.

[voyager9 3,434]

Call me a Neanderthal, but I've never had a Facebook page. The folks in my family that do are always getting their knickers in a twist about something somebody posted. If I want to "connect" with someone, I'll pick up the phone. FB seems like a time-suck that causes more problems than it's worth.

Then again, you just described this forum on some days...

 

To the OP, I sympathize with your position and can picture it perfectly being on the other side of the floor. Still, the Internet is public...got to expect that everything posted will be seen by just the person you don't want it to.

[cigarsnscotch 0]

In today's world, everything you put out on the web can be used against you. Facebook, twitter, njgunforums. I have never had FB and never will. Forums regarding my interests are about as "social" as I get and I don't post a lot on those either.

 

Hopefully you learned that lesson stated before.

[ryan_j 0]

I've been on Facebook since 2005. I've been on it often. I've also been interviewed by the company to work there. Twice. So yes I am a "Facebook person."

 

That said I DO NOT post anything about work on FB. Can of worms.

[Arbelest 29]

I understand your pain, I used to do EMS 15 mins from Cooper Hospital (currently in North Wildwood for a summer job).  Anyway we had a MVC with entrapment and my Captain wanted to fly the person to Cooper and had a chopper fly out.  Before he even had the cutters off the rescue truck I was pulling the passenger out because, yes the door opened without tools. By now he is trying to set up an LZ and I am waving bye as we drive off to Cooper hospital.  My town does not need to fly  helicopter ever because were to close to the hospital but some people will do as they please.

[Maksim 1,504]

Is there a liability issue if they don't call a helicopter? Whose responsibility is it to determine if it is needed? Any emt until a paramedic gets there or certain emts?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[MedicYeti 96]

Maks: the first on scene should determine if the helicopter is needed. This determination is done after the patient is assessed. The state (amazingly so) has a simple flow sheet that documents who needs a trauma center. The NJ guidelines mimic the Centers for Disease Control field triage guidelines. The CDC says if the transport time is greater then 30 minutes to consider a helicopter.

There is not a liability issue for not calling. If the EMT assesses a patient and deems that the patient does not meet trauma criteria then there is no need or obligation to call for the chopper.

Occasionally - also frowned upon and becoming more rare - a dispatcher or an EMT not yet on scene will call for a helicopter based upon reports. The standard practice is for an assessment to be performed first and need determined.

 

I have also delt with some people who enjoy calling for a helicopter when they could drive quicker. Years ago there was only one chopper in south jersey, that chopper sent out a letter to all the squads within a half hour drive to the hospital. The letter outlined The CDC guidelines and basically told the squads that they shouldn't call for the helicopter. It gave some exceptions but basically said to drive. When I worked for Cherry Hill my chief would have beat me if I called for a chopper instead of driving. I never did, but I'm sure she would have beat me.

 

I'm doing some research about my legal rights vs my employees legal rights on this issue. So far I'm finding some promising information.

I don't usually vent or post anything negative on FB for this reason. It figures that the one time I do, I get called on the carpet for it.

[W2MC 1,699]

Odd....when I was running with the fire service, it was the EMS responsibility to call for helicopter transport; not the FD. 

 

The FD supported the operation once the decision was made - but EMS made the call.

 

 

As for Facebook, I am very active there, but I do NOT identify my employer.  I follow a simple rule - if I wouldn't say it, or be proud to show it to my grandmother, I won't post it on Facebook.  Too many of the younger set don't realize the internet is FOREVER - stuff I posted on listnet/usenet back in the 1980's is still viewable 'on-line'. 

[MedicYeti 96]

Odd....when I was running with the fire service, it was the EMS responsibility to call for helicopter transport; not the FD. 

 

The FD supported the operation once the decision was made - but EMS made the call.

 

 

As for Facebook, I am very active there, but I do NOT identify my employer.  I follow a simple rule - if I wouldn't say it, or be proud to show it to my grandmother, I won't post it on Facebook.  Too many of the younger set don't realize the internet is FOREVER - stuff I posted on listnet/usenet back in the 1980's is still viewable 'on-line'. 

In Cape May's case, the FD also runs the EMS. 

[2 trip_nick 0]

MedicYeti, I had to take an emergency ambulance trip to Cape May hospital from the Villas last September, maybe you responded to the call?  If so, I never got to say thanks.  So, thanks!

[bignic83 0]

Same in Canden County. Accident on Route 42. Less than 8 miles from Cooper Trauma, Straight run up 42, Less than 8 minutes by ambulance. We see choppers all the time here. Some Medics call off the bird, but I have had quite a few complain about misusing the Helicopters.

[CAPTBIL3 10]

Between IA and all the BS that goes on at work I Dumped FACEBOOK awhile ago , You never know know who's looking at your page.

[CMJeepster 2,778]

As a summer resident of Cape May, I can tell you that it amazes me how often the sirens can be heard around town. They must notmget to use them in the off season...

[mikeyboyeee 66]

I admit I am a big FB guy, but only have 1 friend from work who I trust ( and have shot and fished with on many occasions )

And I don't post work related things either. However, I posted plenty abt my ex lol

 

Just need to be smart about it whm on there.

[ktd1597 10]

As someone who knows exactly what you are talking about I can say this:  You forgot to put a smiley  face after the statement.   I was only kidding?

[brocglock23 4]

Everything would have been okay if you started off with saying, "with all due respect, and remember I'm saying with all due respect"

 

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

 

[SJG 253]

I have no comment on the merits of this post or the merits of a suit. Just thought I would let the originator of the thread know that if you do file suit, everything you posted here as well as the original facebook post becomes discoverable in the civil case.

[plode 0]

As a former volunteer firefighter in Cape May County...I would say fire departments and rescue squads in Cape May County call for the helicopter much too often.

 

We've sat and waited for the chopper for like 15-20 minutes....and in that time an ambulance could have EASILY got the paitent to a hospital. 

 

I've done an LZ for an island town(north of Cape May) that drove 20 miles before they could get the chopper to land in our district(passing Cape Regional's helo-pad by 13 miles).  Due to construction equipment parked at the rest area, they sat parked for a good 10 minutes, and the State Police, obviously becoming irritated had us shut down the Parkway for them to land this chopper.  This was unheard of.  Pulled the truck across both lanes of traffic on a weekend summer night(right around 6pm).  Traffic was backed up for 4 miles due to us shutting down the road.  With the 10 minutes of waiting, and adding in flight times, they could have had that paitent to Atlantic City without tying up a scarce resource such as a helocopter. 

 

It seems like anytime the rescue squad in this county doesn't want to drive to the hospital they call for the helicopter. 

 

I've probably done 50+ LZ's for helicopters.  While I wasn't on the EMS side of things, I first hand got to see the amount of time we waited for the chopper to arrive, land, load the paitent, take back off.  All while I was scratching my head thinking...man, they could have got this guy to the trauma center in AC by land by now.   

[djg0770 481]

Sounds like government efficiency at its best.  I would be that NASWW is about 10 mins max from Cape May - why the heck would you shut down anything or try to "prep an LZ" when you have a former naval air station with full airport landing strip right nearby...

 

[plode 0]

Sounds like government efficiency at its best.  I would be that NASWW is about 10 mins max from Cape May - why the heck would you shut down anything or try to "prep an LZ" when you have a former naval air station with full airport landing strip right nearby...

 

 

I'm still trying to figure out why they stationed the helicopter at the Woodbine airport which doesn't even have jet fuel.  IMO it should be at the Cape May County airport(NASWW), which has Jet-A on site.  It's a bit more centrally located in the county as well.  Especially for Cape May's Fire Dept

[gunguy1960 2]

With all due respect, those who can play god on the internet do, and they dont tolerate anything that doesnt please them, really sad state of affairs.

[Soju 153]

I'm confused. Are you saying you don't tolerate the discussion in this thread and that discussing the efficiency (or inefficiency) of things is bad? I'm assuming I'm misreading your post because neither of those things make a lot of sense. 

[gunguy1960 2]

Confused and assuming? Well of course things arent going to make sense, but we are all here to learn, an exchange of ideas among adults.