[242177P]

Originally Posted by Singleton

I managed to suppress laughing, and showed her where the air pump station was located and how to use it

Noticed my car was pulling ever so slightly to one side. Yep, low 20s. Looks like it's just a slow leak, no big deal. There's a gas station ahead, it has an inflator around the side. Some kid is messing with his bike. Whatever, it is a gorgeous afternoon, there's a light breeze, I'm in no hurry.

A song on the radio later, he's still messing with that tire. I should see if the kid needs a hand. Yikes, he is angry. Literally tells me that he is not stupid, better leave this one alone. Two minutes later, that tire let go. The blast was loud enough to get the mechanics to run over. Visibly shaken, but unharmed.

[sdbob]

When I was a young kid we use to play around at the Rolling Rock Brewery. They had a good size truck garage. One day I needed air in my bike tire. So I helped my self using one of those old type inflators with a crank and set the air inflation you want. So I set it, blew the tire up , bang! The inflator was set 'double' what gauge said for the big truck tires. Mechanic told me afterward. Live and learn.

[Sirrotica]

When I had my service station, we had a public air line as a courtesy, during the summer hardly a day went by that a kid blew up his bike tire. Yeah they make quit a loud bang when they blow up.

One time I had a parent come down, and bitch that his kid blew up his tire with my courtesy air line, and wanted me to pay for fixing his bike tire........

The next day the courtesy air line was gone, never to return. This was in the late 70s, early 80s, when everyone had free air lines out for the public, I wasn't very popular when I discontinued that free service. By having free air access people tend to keep refilling the tires that leak on their cars, rather than getting them fixed, so I was discouraging people from having me fix their tires, and costing me money to keep running the compressor, and replacing the stolen air lines that also cost me money.

[1969GPSJ]

My son is an EMT-A, on his way to being a paramedic. He had huge altruistic ideals about helping people. Working EMS almost destroyed him - his encounters with the average EMS call works something like this: Grandma (or grandpa, mom or dad - fill in the blank) hasn't been feeling well for a couple of weeks, there are 4 (working) cars in the driveway, 5 properly licensed drivers, and today the family calls for an ambulance because their family member is now feeling more woozy, or fell down, or, their toe hurts more, or, or, or.... Instead of doing the smart thing and making an appointment with their "family" doctor or driving them to the urgent care or ER themselves 10 days ago when the problems were first noticed. Or then there is the 585 lb chain smoking person fell out of bed and they want EMS to get them back into bed and hand them the TV remote (that's it!) . And while they are dealing with this type of call, there is a real emergency that has to wait, and the squad arrives too late to help them - and they die because all of the available EMS teams are busy with B.S. non-emergency calls. There are "frequent flyers" who in some cases call 300 times a year, tying up EMS teams on garbage, non-emergency calls - which make up 75% of their call and trip volume. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Thank the lord that you are doing anything else, and don't work in anything related to EMS. That does not even include their encounters with other drivers on the road that think that lights and sirens means speed up and pass the ambulance or stop and block an intersection. Oh boy.... I'm just scratching the surface.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 1969GPSJ

My son is an EMT-A, on his way to being a paramedic. He had huge altruistic ideals about helping people. Working EMS almost destroyed him - his encounters with the average EMS call works something like this: Grandma (or grandpa, mom or dad - fill in the blank) hasn't been feeling well for a couple of weeks, there are 4 (working) cars in the driveway, 5 properly licensed drivers, and today the family calls for an ambulance because their family member is now feeling more woozy, or fell down, or, their toe hurts more, or, or, or.... Instead of doing the smart thing and making an appointment with their "family" doctor or driving them to the urgent care or ER themselves 10 days ago when the problems were first noticed. Or then there is the 585 lb chain smoking person fell out of bed and they want EMS to get them back into bed and hand them the TV remote (that's it!) . And while they are dealing with this type of call, there is a real emergency that has to wait, and the squad arrives too late to help them - and they die because all of the available EMS teams are busy with B.S. non-emergency calls. There are "frequent flyers" who in some cases call 300 times a year, tying up EMS teams on garbage, non-emergency calls - which make up 75% of their call and trip volume. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Thank the lord that you are doing anything else, and don't work in anything related to EMS. That does not even include their encounters with other drivers on the road that think that lights and sirens means speed up and pass the ambulance or stop and block an intersection. Oh boy.... I'm just scratching the surface.

And for minimum wage. Or close to it.

My daughter was an EMT for several years.

She writes computer code now.

K

[sdbob]

Just talking to local fire chief. They have to help on occasion with heavy people. He said that a special lifting device is available(I didnt get particulars) for 500+ lb people. He said all the people cringe when a certain address comes up.

[jerry455]

Both of my kids are medics with a local company, Med Star, and they tell me stories like this all the time. She had to Narcan one particular woman 3 times in one week. Frequent fliers are very common. Then all of the family tries to jump in the ambulance with them for a ride to the hospital. My daughter, 15 years' experience, is getting burned out. She has been substitute teaching at the elementary school where her kids go. She is much happier doing that instead of being a medic.

[SRR]

Here in Kalifornia the air is "Free" but always out of service.