First responders of lemmy, do you ever find yourself hating the people you're saving when you're constantly dealing with easily-avoidable catastrophes?
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In New York City, they hand out Narcan for free. They also provide free training for people just in case you happen to see someone overdosing, which isn’t terrifically uncommon.
I work for a city, and we (try to) do the same. Our current issue is that the nasal spray keeps vanishing out of our kits. They’re kept with the AEDs, which are stored in publicly accessible areas in case anyone needs it. But someone keeps taking the narcan out of the cases. It seems like every week or two, it vanishes again. On the one hand, we hope they’re actually getting put to good use. But our local political demographics make us suspect that some asshole redneck is just stealing them to “teach the druggies a lesson” or something equally depraved.
wrote last edited by [email protected]Not unheard of nor even unusual.
You can start by trying to put the word out that you’re willing to deal with this person, reasonably. Try to help them get what they need in a way that works better for everyone.
Just an idea to start. I don’t really know much about your situation, so I’ll leave it there for now.
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I can't undo what happened, I've seen such shite before, but I was walking my teeny tiny dog and when I saw what was inevitably happening, I took my dog on my arms and turned around 180 degrees. Yeah, it was horrible what happened, I was close to the person getting hit, but not close enough. Even if I ran, not a snowball's chance in hell. Sometimes you can't do anything.
But yeah, I am okay. I've seen shite like that before, jumpers. My dog is sleeping on my chest now and didn't see / notice any of it.
EDIT: Also, thank you for being concerned, but I'm okay.
Do not worry about me.This is similar to what they train Swedish train drivers to do if they are about to run someone over.
They are taught to close their eyes hard, cover their ears and scream as loud as possible.
This to distances themselves from the impact as much as possible
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This is similar to what they train Swedish train drivers to do if they are about to run someone over.
They are taught to close their eyes hard, cover their ears and scream as loud as possible.
This to distances themselves from the impact as much as possible
Oh my gosh, that is so messed up, did not know that. But yeah, thinking about it now, it makes a lot of sense.
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The last time I saw him, day shift told me he came in, got hit with narcan twice, this was after EMTs had given him narcan as well. when he was steady enough, he left AMA(against medical advice). He came back 3 hrs later for another OD. Doctor came in and told him he's killing himself. this organ is damaged, this one has this, blah, blah, blah. He responded that he'd be fine if we would stop killing his high.
Situations like this are what make me occasionally go “society should be able to 5150 people for addiction, to keep them locked up long enough to detox and get clean.” But I know that:
A) forced rehab wouldn’t actually work, and they’d just go right back to using as soon as they got out
B) It would likely result in higher OD rates after detox, because addicts would lose their tolerance and then go right back to whatever dosage they were using last time
C) it would likely be rife with abuse, with cops using to hold people without formally charging them.
D) it would deter people from seeking help, out of fear of being locked up instead.Actually, instead of 5150-ing people the solution that works in other countries is to provide medical access to drugs. So basically allow someone to live a life with their illness after treatments have failed to cure them: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/canada-now-allows-prescription-heroin-in-severe-opioid-addiction-1.3753312
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Actually, instead of 5150-ing people the solution that works in other countries is to provide medical access to drugs. So basically allow someone to live a life with their illness after treatments have failed to cure them: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/canada-now-allows-prescription-heroin-in-severe-opioid-addiction-1.3753312
Yep, imagine how many people wouldn't have their life ruined by addiction if they could work their job and buy their drugs. The system we have now just turns functional addicts into homeless addicts.
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Oh my gosh, that is so messed up, did not know that. But yeah, thinking about it now, it makes a lot of sense.
Yeah, it is grim, but on the railroad, the question isn't IF you are going to kill someone, but rather, when.
So stuff like this is sadly needed.
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I work in 911 dispatch
Back when I was still in training I delivered my first baby, was damn glad to still have my trainer hanging out over my shoulder for that.
It was almost a perfectly by the book, no complications delivery
Except that they had their doula on another line giving competing instructions to me.
In general unless there are complications, our instructions are pretty much the classic birth position, woman on her back, knees bent, legs spread
And the doula had her on all fours, which is something we instruct for certain complications
But again, everything they were telling me was that there were no complications.
So eventually I basically had to say something like "our instructions are to have her on her back, I can't make you listen to me, but I have to give these instructions, so I'm going to proceed as if she's on her back"
Phrased maybe a bit more diplomatically
I have no idea what position she was actually in when the baby finally popped out, but he was healthy, so that's all that matters I suppose.
And they made me do a photo op with the parents and baby. I don't like babies. Not much of a fan of having my picture taken either. Not my favorite day at work. I'd rather take a call for a shooting. No one makes you take a picture with a shooting victim.
I've been privileged to be primary medic on 2 field deliveries. Text book. Happy shift afterward.
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That's... not what they're implying. They're implying that he died, and that's why he's not coming in
I'm certain that comment was dry humor, which I rather enjoy.
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My first job after school and job training was being a paramedic. I was never mad at suicidal people or folks OD'ing. They are in a shit situation in life. But easily avoidable deaths? Jaysus Christ on a bike and all his carpenter friends...
Train surfing morons (electricity fueled power lines and low hanging traffic signs!!!). People trying to walk through closed train barriers and getting hit. Car drivers speeding. People looking at their phones while crossing the street.
There's a reason why I quit that job after 2 years. Oh dear lord am I mad at those gobshites just thinking back.EDIT: Maybe because I'm mad as hell right now again: I live in a tiny village, so people would assume there's not much going on there, but we have two major train lines running through it. The tounge in cheeck joke here is: "The train barriers are always closed".
Yes, many times enough, you need to wait patiently in front of them before you can walk again, drive you car again, ride your bike again. A 19 year old girl was thinking otherwise just yesterday and got mown over by a train. While I was standing there.What did I do? Calling the firefighters, knowing that's a lost cause and they will have to spray that fucking 30 meters of blood away with their hoses. Also calling the firefighters here, they are deeply connected with paramedics - not that anyone needed them at that time anymore, but they have emergency psychologists on speed dial as well - for example for the train driver and any bystanders. Blergh. Fucking idiots... Ruining everyone's day. I didn't notify the cops around here because they are usually the first responders here at a very busy double highway with people speeding. I didn't want to fuck up their day as well. Eventually they turned up as well, but only after there was some cleaning and they just interviewed witnesses for the report.
EDIT 2: Before you ask: I arrived just a minute too late to pull her away from getting too close to the tracks.
Maybe the community should ask for a few bridges at town hall meeting. I bet everyone would be on board.
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Worked Fire and EMS all though college and still do some part time.
The people I will never ever understand are the ones that have multiple cats and do not clean up after them. I'm talking walking into a place and EVERYTHING smells like rotten cat piss.
Now its one thing if you're unable to care for them and I somewhat understand that (give them away to a good home!), but those who are able? Hate. They simply don't care enough about it to take care of their home or their animals and it shows what kind of person they are. I know its a bit off topic, but those are the ones I cant stand. Easily avoidable things are just part of humans being stupid. Only other one that makes me shake my head and feel no empathy for is drunk drivers hurting others.My great aunt is 90+ and keeps somehow getting a dog. She cannot even leave her house unassisted.
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Worked Fire and EMS all though college and still do some part time.
The people I will never ever understand are the ones that have multiple cats and do not clean up after them. I'm talking walking into a place and EVERYTHING smells like rotten cat piss.
Now its one thing if you're unable to care for them and I somewhat understand that (give them away to a good home!), but those who are able? Hate. They simply don't care enough about it to take care of their home or their animals and it shows what kind of person they are. I know its a bit off topic, but those are the ones I cant stand. Easily avoidable things are just part of humans being stupid. Only other one that makes me shake my head and feel no empathy for is drunk drivers hurting others.Toxoplasmosis G. Is one hell of a
drugworm -
P.S. Mentioning COVID-19 is considered cheating in this thread (just kidding, fire away).
I’ve never found myself hating people I’m helping. A lot of them are annoying as fuck (drunk people), rude, or mean. But that’s because they’re people.
More often I find things sad and I hate the systems that cause the problem: An 8:45am call to a banks ATM lobby because an unhoused person is sleeping there and the bank workers don’t feel safe checking to see if he’s just sleeping or dead. Fuck the bank, fuck the system, and I feel sad that the bank workers can’t see or handle (either because if policy or personal reasons) the humanity of the situation and just talk to the guy. Let alone feeling sad for the poor guy trying to get a dry nights sleep and no one caring enough to see if he’s okay.
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Maybe the community should ask for a few bridges at town hall meeting. I bet everyone would be on board.
wrote last edited by [email protected]I speculate a root cause is freight trains, and all the same abuses that prevent trains passenger rail from being useful. lack of infrastructure investment causing slowness, ever longer trains causing slowness, inadequate sidings causing blocked intersections, out of repair tracks causing slowness and signals cause long delays blocking intersections
Or at least I’ve never seen anyone do that nor know anyone who’d admit to it, but we only have commuter rail so there will be a train but the gates will be up in a minute. no reason to be impatient or do something stupid
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P.S. Mentioning COVID-19 is considered cheating in this thread (just kidding, fire away).
Not EMS but I’ll never forget FDNY ambulance pulling up to an obviously shitfaced collapsed homeless guy and the EMT gets out and is just like “Hi Carl” like the patience of a thousand saints, I could never do that job it’s unbelievably difficult.
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I’ve never found myself hating people I’m helping. A lot of them are annoying as fuck (drunk people), rude, or mean. But that’s because they’re people.
More often I find things sad and I hate the systems that cause the problem: An 8:45am call to a banks ATM lobby because an unhoused person is sleeping there and the bank workers don’t feel safe checking to see if he’s just sleeping or dead. Fuck the bank, fuck the system, and I feel sad that the bank workers can’t see or handle (either because if policy or personal reasons) the humanity of the situation and just talk to the guy. Let alone feeling sad for the poor guy trying to get a dry nights sleep and no one caring enough to see if he’s okay.
On the opposing side of this, and it may be my optimist rose tinted glasses and a will to see some good in everyone;
At least they cared enough to call. If he was dead, they could have left him there to decompose until it started to smell.
The call may have been from annoyance, but the call also to some extent comes from another life.
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P.S. Mentioning COVID-19 is considered cheating in this thread (just kidding, fire away).
Not a first responder per se but work in disaster management and emergency management
Some people are so... entitled. Ive seen people lose everything and talk to me like its a tuesday. And ive seen people lose a Gucci bag and demand that its a life or death situation.
These people, regrettably, deserve to be humbled.
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I work in 911 dispatch
Back when I was still in training I delivered my first baby, was damn glad to still have my trainer hanging out over my shoulder for that.
It was almost a perfectly by the book, no complications delivery
Except that they had their doula on another line giving competing instructions to me.
In general unless there are complications, our instructions are pretty much the classic birth position, woman on her back, knees bent, legs spread
And the doula had her on all fours, which is something we instruct for certain complications
But again, everything they were telling me was that there were no complications.
So eventually I basically had to say something like "our instructions are to have her on her back, I can't make you listen to me, but I have to give these instructions, so I'm going to proceed as if she's on her back"
Phrased maybe a bit more diplomatically
I have no idea what position she was actually in when the baby finally popped out, but he was healthy, so that's all that matters I suppose.
And they made me do a photo op with the parents and baby. I don't like babies. Not much of a fan of having my picture taken either. Not my favorite day at work. I'd rather take a call for a shooting. No one makes you take a picture with a shooting victim.
I thought down on all fours was the more natural and preferred position? Not sure it's practiced, my rug rate children came out with mom on her back.
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Worked Fire and EMS all though college and still do some part time.
The people I will never ever understand are the ones that have multiple cats and do not clean up after them. I'm talking walking into a place and EVERYTHING smells like rotten cat piss.
Now its one thing if you're unable to care for them and I somewhat understand that (give them away to a good home!), but those who are able? Hate. They simply don't care enough about it to take care of their home or their animals and it shows what kind of person they are. I know its a bit off topic, but those are the ones I cant stand. Easily avoidable things are just part of humans being stupid. Only other one that makes me shake my head and feel no empathy for is drunk drivers hurting others.Best friend and I got an internet install at a place like that. First guy had an asthma attack seconds after walking in there.
My bestie walks in, sizes up the install, "Alright. I'll get the ladder and punch this wall from the outside. Hang here and grab the wire when it comes through, BRB." LOL that fucking asshole!
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Actually, instead of 5150-ing people the solution that works in other countries is to provide medical access to drugs. So basically allow someone to live a life with their illness after treatments have failed to cure them: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/canada-now-allows-prescription-heroin-in-severe-opioid-addiction-1.3753312
My nibling got off opioids that way. They treated him with methadone for a couple of years until he completely dropped it.
Here's the kicker; Changed his personality (in a positive way) so much that him and my niece were no longer compatible. Divorced within a couple of months of him getting clean.
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Ngl, this is the first definition of "first responder" that came to my mind as well.
Also a bit drunk for what it's worth.
Well hell, I got a beer buzz on and still understood the assignment. Get on my level!
