3/30/20 65-2 Message EMS Fall Back Step 3

Signal73 · Mar 30, 2020

All Units be advised Due to Higher EMS Call Volume

If a C.F.R Company is assigned on a cardiac call a BLS Unit will not be assigned.

However it will be an ALS Unit.

Companies might be on scene longer than usual & waiting longer for an available unit.

Units shall be prepared to help with continued care in the back of the ambulance while en route to the hospital.

Implemented immediately and will be enforced until further notice

memory master · Mar 30, 2020

As I understand it, late today NYSDOH stated that an ALS unit can be in service with ONE Paramedic and one EMT. This ought to be good.

nfd2004 · Mar 30, 2020

Maybe guys like "memory master" or "lebby" can help me here, but "I don't ever remember anything like this happening". Anybody remember if something like this happened before ?

On Thursday 3/26 it was reported that FDNY/EMS had responded to 7,111 calls with 4,000 being normal citywide (5,000 during the summer months).

It has also been mentioned that 250 mutual aid ambulances have been assigned to cover the city from as far away as Vermont. "Lebby" had also reported that on one of the busier days the city was handling 1 call every 13 seconds. He reported that members of the FDNY/EMS are being required to work Three -14 hour tours with 1 Day Off. That alone is certainly overwhelming.

The U.S. Navy Medical Ship, "The Comfort" has been deployed to NYC.

The Army National Guard has sent up Five Medical Hospitals, one in each boro. In addition to the Javits Center. I think another one too in Queens (?).

The Life Savors throughout the city are those FDNY/EMS members, NYPD, FDNY, and of course the nurses and doctors who report they have never seen anything like this.

Lebby · Mar 30, 2020

"nfd2004", you are correct this is indeed unprecedented Firefighters driving buses. While, this order only reads as driving the bus from scene to the hospital REMAC has released a new protocol advisory, 2020-07 which would allow buses to be staffed by just an EMT and a Firefighter/CFR. I do not know what is coming next, but the Job will never be the same. Some are hypothesizing that this is only the start, perhaps resulting in a new era of Firefighter/EMTs. All well above my pay grade.

Len90 · Mar 30, 2020

Lebby said:
"nfd2004", you are correct this is indeed unprecedented Firefighters driving buses. While, this order only reads as driving the bus from scene to the hospital REMAC has released a new protocol advisory, 2020-07 which would allow buses to be staffed by just an EMT and a Firefighter/CFR. I do not know what is coming next, but the Job will never be the same. Some are hypothesizing that this is only the start, perhaps resulting in a new era of Firefighter/EMTs. All well above my pay grade.

Wow that's really stretching it thin. Hopefully this is only temporary for the "surge" mode. The entire health care system from Ambulance to hospital will forever be changed

manhattan · Mar 31, 2020

It's all the result of not having enough personnel in FD or EMS slots and extraordinarily or criminally poor planning for disaster preparedness and response issues. The politicians - the supposed "leaders" - have cut things so far back that even a disaster half the size of this would cause havoc and result in more death than any society should consider acceptable.

We - or they - learned nothing from 9/11, Katrina, Sandy or any of the numerous blackouts, blizzards and other events.

Anyone remember the song "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" - "When will they ever learn, Oh When will they ever learn?"

Apparently not any time soon.

And why does the public put up with it? Because they're more concerned with the Bachelorette, the Real Housewives and the Kardashians than with their own well-being and survival.

memory master · Mar 31, 2020

Lebby said:
"nfd2004", you are correct this is indeed unprecedented Firefighters driving buses. While, this order only reads as driving the bus from scene to the hospital REMAC has released a new protocol advisory, 2020-07 which would allow buses to be staffed by just an EMT and a Firefighter/CFR. I do not know what is coming next, but the Job will never be the same. Some are hypothesizing that this is only the start, perhaps resulting in a new era of Firefighter/EMTs. All well above my pay grade.

Lebby, the position you are in now and the position I was formerly in means that everyone was above our paygrade.

memory master · Mar 31, 2020

I can recall NYC blizzards where we had National Guard Troops with trucks transporting patients and assisting snowbound EMS rigs as well, then there were the hurricanes and last but not least at all, 9/11. I am sorry if I sound bitter but throughout all these instances and more, the EMS personnel have always come through, did their best and were never shown gratitude as a whole. It's almost like the City thinks of them as a dispensable commodity. "Use 'em until we lose 'em" and then hire somebody else. Again, I apologize but sometimes what I hear, what I see and what I read just makes me sick and I have to vent to folks who would understand.

kidfrmqns · Apr 1, 2020

memory master said:
I can recall NYC blizzards where we had National Guard Troops with trucks transporting patients and assisting snowbound EMS rigs as well, then there were the hurricanes and last but not least at all, 9/11. I am sorry if I sound bitter but throughout all these instances and more, the EMS personnel have always come through, did their best and were never shown gratitude as a whole. It's almost like the City thinks of them as a dispensable commodity. "Use 'em until we lose 'em" and then hire somebody else. Again, I apologize but sometimes what I hear, what I see and what I read just makes me sick and I have to vent to folks who would understand.

I couldn't agree more. EMS has always gotten the "shit end of the stick" and has always made due and got the job done. When/If life every gains some sense of normalcy I pray that people will see EMS for the true medical professionals they have always been and PAY them as such.

IRISH · Apr 1, 2020

memory master said:
I can recall NYC blizzards where we had National Guard Troops with trucks transporting patients and assisting snowbound EMS rigs as well, then there were the hurricanes and last but not least at all, 9/11. I am sorry if I sound bitter but throughout all these instances and more, the EMS personnel have always come through, did their best and were never shown gratitude as a whole. It's almost like the City thinks of them as a dispensable commodity. "Use 'em until we lose 'em" and then hire somebody else. Again, I apologize but sometimes what I hear, what I see and what I read just makes me sick and I have to vent to folks who would understand.

I think its fair to say that those of us with an interest in the Emergency Services and those who work / worked in that field will definitely appreciate what EMS do. Also you could add members of the public who in their daily lives have had to call upon EMS will definitely appreciate them also

Joeyengine · Apr 1, 2020

Hey fellas just to clarify...EMS will no longer be sending a bls Ambulance kn CARDIAC ARRESTS..not cardiacs as mentioned above....what this means ...the response for an arrest is not 1 ALS ...1 CFRD Engine and 1 Ems supervisor..this is to free up an extra bus for the call volume..so no the engine will do more pt care and drive tje bus to the hospital.

Joeyengine · Apr 1, 2020

sorry meant response is now 1 als and 1 engine

Lebby · Apr 6, 2020

BLS are still being dispatched to cardiac arrests if ALS is extended, which isn't that uncommon right now. I personally had three reported arrests last week, none of which ALS made patient contact.

STAjo · Apr 7, 2020

Upon Listening; It Sounds to me that CPR's, 10-37 (1, 10-37 (2 are kinda' Off-The Charts !?!

Signal73 · Apr 7, 2020

ummmm Yeahhh

nfd2004 · Apr 7, 2020

Lebby said:
BLS are still being dispatched to cardiac arrests if ALS is extended, which isn't that uncommon right now. I personally had three reported arrests last week, none of which ALS made patient contact.

Phil, "Lebby", as a member of the FDNY/EMS, we certainly appreciate the overwhelming job that you guys are doing for us. You guys have ALWAYS been Life Savors during busy times, but nothing like this. I compare it to the very busy FDNY War Years of the 1970s. I also have a good friend who recently started with the FDNY/EMS working in the Bronx. It is John Bendicks grandson. A real good guy who had a tough, busy, life saving job before, but has become much more dangerous and risk in only a matter of weeks.

"Lebby", let me also THANK YOU for keeping us all advised of the kinds of situations that people like yourself are facing these days.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE and THANK YOU.

Thank you to the other members here as well who have also kept us updated.

STAjo · Apr 7, 2020

' "Lebby", let me also THANK YOU for keeping us all advised of the kinds of situations that people like yourself are facing these
days.'

"PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE and THANK YOU." Amen.

baileyjeff · Apr 7, 2020

As of now that scanner is currently offline.

Len90 · Apr 7, 2020

Spoke to a crew from Illinois today who were helping perform hospital shuffling. ALS crew with one medic and one EMT. Staged out of the Bronx zoo and responding throughout Bronx, queens, and into Long Island.

Inside the hospital walls is just as busy. The stories you have heard and read about constant codes etc. it?s tiring and scary.

Lebby: you guys still okay with PPE? Face shields are the scarcest item for us

STAjo · Apr 8, 2020

Signal73 said:
ummmm Yeahhh

There's this - I didn't think Gov. Cuomo's Numbers reflected what we've all been hearing:

https://thechiefleader.com/news/news_of_the_week/ems-unions-states-death-plateau-from-virus-may-be-a-mirage/article_16ee610e-790d-11ea-aacc-3bd5632b0fda.html