EMS Response to Crime Scenes

I simply cannot believe that this is still going on! I shook my head when I read the first story, but now this has just gone into the realm of the unbelievable. (See story at the bottom of this post.)

Who in their right mind, with any common sense whatsoever, thinks it's an intelligent idea to send an untrained, unprotected, and unarmed person into a violent crime scene?

People who choose public safety as a career generally have the same personality type and often participate in more than one area. I know many people who choose EMS, fire, or law enforcement as a career and do one or both of the others either part-time or as a volunteer.

However, there are just as many people who choose one segment of public safety as a career and have absolutely zero interest in being involved in any other area.

EMS, firefighting, and law enforcement serve three very distinct and separate functions in public safety and someone who chooses to devote themselves to one should not be EXPECTED to cross over into another.

Even though it occasionally happens when they arrive on scene first, we don't EXPECT law enforcement officers to go into burning buildings and rescue people without training, turnout gear, and respiratory protection. EXPECTING an EMS person to enter a violent crime scene without training, body armor, and weapons is no different.

There aren't very many of them around, but if Mr. Stokes REALLY expects people to serve in dual or even triple roles, he should visit the Ashwaubenon Department of Public Safety in Wisconsin.

http://www.ashpublicsafety.com/Home/tabid/244/Default.aspx

Public Safety Officer

Position Description:A Public Safety Officer performs the following duties of law enforcement, emergency medical services, and fire fighting during a 24-hour shift. Officers are State certified law enforcement officers, certified Fire Fighter II, and either an EMT or Paramedic. Each workday is a 24-hour shift beginning at 7:00 a.m., during which they are assigned an 8 hour police patrol shift with the other 16 hours being assigned as primary fire or EMS response.  Career advancement is available with such special assignments as: Investigations, Police/School Liaison, Fire or Crime Prevention, Arson Investigator, DAAT/Firearms Instructor, DARE Officer, and others. The Ashwaubenon Department of Public Safety is a full-service agency and the only such agency in the State of Wisconsin. A Public Safety Officer I starts out as a Night Shift Officer for a maximum of three calendar years or until they have basic police, fire, and rescue certifications obtained and there is an opening on a 24-hour shift.  The salary range for year 2009 is starting Public Safety Officer I, $48,131 to top Public Safety Officer III (Paramedic) $67,029.

However, does Mr. Stokes have any idea how much it would cost to train people to this level? And even his "If you're concerned about safety, put on a bullet-proof vest," comment would be an extremely expensive option! Just looking at Gall.com for a reference, good body armor is around $529.99.

Hopefully, the citizens of Jackson, MI will be intelligent enough to vote Mr. Stokes out of office next time! I vote we send HIM out to take care of these violent situations since he obviously knows more than the rest of us that have been doing it for years!

WOW! I just looked this guy up and he has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice! That makes it even less understandable! Opinions anyone?

http://www.jacksonms.gov/government/ward3

Battle Over EMS Response to Crime Scenes in Miss.

Posted: October 29th, 2010 09:31 AM EDT

Story by wapt.com

JACKSON, Miss. --

There's a debate raging in Jackson about the role paramedics and emergency responders play in responding to a crime scene.

City Councilman Kenneth Stokes has threatened to reverse the contract American Medical Response has to serve in the area if the company doesn't send its workers into violent crime scenes, even before police arrive.

On any given night, police will respond to a crime scene and an AMR ambulance will be found nearby -- waiting for an all-clear to respond and provide medical attention. It is a practice and a policy that has irked some city of Jackson leaders who now argue that AMR shouldn't wait for anything.

Ken Walters is an AMR paramedic who said he's seen enough dangerous situations, just waiting to go into them in Jackson. He provided 16 WAPT News with an example.

"We're just standing there. Two guys came up and robbed us at gunpoint and shot at us. One of the bullets hit right here," Walters said.

"Isn't there implied risk as an EMT that you are supposed to assume some forms of risk?" WAPT's Scott Simmons asked Walters.

"Yes, but not where your life is in danger, because we are there to provide aid, comfort and aid, and take someone to the hospital. You know, this isn't the military," Walters said.

Stokes has been the loudest critic. He said if AMR is going to take taxpayer money to provide service, that service should not come with restraints.

"If you are concerned about safety, put on a bullet proof vest," Stokes said. "I think the contract is what we're going to get because you can't sit up here in the capital city of Jackson, Miss. and say, 'We're going to let people die.'"

Stokes may have a problem with AMR, but there is little city leaders can do about its contract for service in this area. That is something the city of Jackson gave up to Hinds County in 1990.

AMR spokesman Jim Pollard defended the company's policy. "We have letters from two national organizations," Pollard said. Nowhere does it say that paramedics are supposed to go into crime scenes before police do, Pollard said.

"In the national standard material, it says very simply, regarding violent scenes, scenes should always been secured by law enforcement before EMTs provide patient care," Pollard said.

"We're there as part of the solution," Walters said. "We go in there and we get hurt, we get injured, then we become part of the problem."

Stokes said the argument is not over.

"I think we have got a fight. That is just round one of a heavyweight bout," Stokes said. Walters and others at AMR are hoping they can continue the policy of letting police go into a violent crime scene before they do.

My Favorite Chiropractor!

Our chiropractor has a new website and I don't mind promoting him - he's not one of those guys that wants you to come back 3 times a week for the next 6 months. He fixes you and then tells you to come back when you need him. And he'll tell you if he can't fix it! So, if you've never tried a chiropractor or need a new one - give him a call!



http://www.hoffmanchiro.net/index.htm



Internet Explorer vs. Google Chrome

Just a short post this morning. I find it interesting that although Blogger is a Google product, none of my advertising or recommendations show up in Google Chrome, but they do in Internet Explorer. Your Amazon Associates information doesn't even show up in the Blogger dashboard in Chrome!

Blogger in Internet Explorer:

Blogger in Chrome:

Droid 2

Well, maybe now I'll use my Blogger account too! Finally having a 'smart phone' makes my life a LOT easier. There are so many apps for things I used to keep (or try to keep) track of on paper!

Well, it's time to go see if I can get rid of some more paper that has piled up, so a longer post will have to wait until later!

And there are so many things that just take a second, but don't seem worth taking the time to put on the computer, even if you have a laptop. Or you forget about by the time you get home.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.5.9

Madison County Republican Party of Indiana » Political Correctness in the Armed Forces

Madison County Republican Party of Indiana » Political Correctness in the Armed Forces

My reply:

We have no qualms about arresting & trying people who threaten, plot, attempt, or actually murder someone as a criminal act until you attach the word religion to the equation. What makes this any different?

However, it is time for people wake up and realize this IS a religious war. One-sided, but still a religious war. It is not a war of Christians vs. Muslims, it's a war of radical, Islamic, jihadists vs. anyone and everyone (including athiests & agnostics) who doesn't believe and worship as they do.

If we called Nidal Malik Hasan (I can't bring myself to continue using the same title my father achieved in the USAF as a fighter pilot in WWII) a Nazi, a skinhead, a Satanist, or a cold-war era Russian spy would that have made a difference? Would we allow people from those groups to infiltrate our military? Would the FBI still have to worry about being politically correct?

Some things are just plain wrong, no matter what name you attach to them. Anyone can espouse some ridiculous ideology and call it a religion, but those people should not be exempt from prosecution because they choose to hide their evil behind the name of a legitimate religion.

Let's say I called myself a (take your pick ~ Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran), found a few verses in the Bible that I could twist around to fit my warped version of the truth, went to my local Walmart today and started shooting employees because I believe that Walmart is "The Great Satan," would there really be anyone who would worry about being "politically correct" about the nut-job who shot up the Walmart?

It doesn't matter what you call Hasan. He brutally murdered 13 of our soldiers in cold blood and deserves to die. I believe in innocent until proven guilty, but hasn't video become a standard in proof? And how many eyewitnesses do you need before you can just conclude that he is guilty?

This wasn’t some intricate financial scam that stretched out over years, it wasn’t a drug dealer operating in the shadows, it was a violent, brutal, massacre in a public building with hundreds of witnesses. He wasn’t a fugitive who fled the scene where there might be some question later about his identity; he was gunned down at the scene by a brave police officer. There really isn’t any question about his guilt, now we just have to play the legal game.

What does matter is that we cannot let this happen again. Both Mr. Alexander & Mr. Baldrige are correct in saying that we must put aside our political correctness and realize that we have enemies that we cannot and will never be able to negotiate a peaceful settlement with.

One of my favorite ways of explaining why people choose to become soldiers, police officers, firefighters, or other professions that confront evil is using a letter by Charles Grennel titled “Sheep, Wolves, & Sheepdogs.”

(http://www.conservativerepublican.us/CR_Sheep.htm)

I don’t think the sheep realize how close the wolf is. It is time to let our sheepdogs loose to do what they do best.

Thieves & Technology

I didn't write this, but it does make sense. I guess unless you think like a criminal you leave yourself open to stuff like this.

**********************

This gives us something to think about with all of our new electronic technology:

GPS

A couple of weeks ago a friend told me that someone she knew had their car broken into while they were at a football game. Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard.

When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen.

The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then used the garage remote control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house. The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents.

Something to consider if you have a GPS - don't put your home address in it. Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you can still find your way home if you need to, but no one else would know where you live if your GPS were stolen.

MOBILE PHONES

I never thought of this.......

This lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her mobile phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet, etc., was stolen.

Twenty minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, hubby says 'I received your text asking about our PIN number and I've replied a little while ago.'

When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text 'hubby' in the contact list and got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.

Moral of the lesson:

Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list.

Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc....

And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, CONFIRM by calling back.

Also, when you're being text by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet 'family and friends' who text you.

~~~~~~ PLEASE PASS THIS ON! ~~~~~~

Imagination is more important than intelligence" - - Albert Einstein

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” -- Aristotle

“The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it.” -- Pearl S. Buck

Search resumes in rubble of collapsed parking garage | thestarpress.com | The Star Press

Search resumes in rubble of collapsed parking garage thestarpress.com The Star Press

While Danielle was in the hospital having Logan, Jeff & I would go out to the parking garage by his truck to smoke. While I was standing out there thinking random thoughts I was wondering about the tons of cement it takes to make a parking garage and wondering what would happen if one collapsed. I pretty much had myself convinced that contractors all know what they are doing and that it wouldn't fall unless there was an earthquake or something, and then, I see this story on TV!

ATLANTA — Emergency workers were searching the rubble of a collapsed parking garage on Tuesday to see if anyone was trapped inside, but there were still no reports of injuries or missing people.

The search through the wreckage of Monday's collapse was stalled during the night when the building shifted. It took fire crews several hours to shore up the rest of the building to continue the search. At least 35 cars were caught in the collapse.

Rescuers from several Atlanta-area fire departments resumed working their way down through the four pancaked floors early Tuesday, using thermal cameras, listening devices and search dogs.

"Overnight, I would say we have made very good progress," said Atlanta Fire Battalion Chief Steven Woodworth said.

The deck collapsed from the fourth floor to the first level around lunchtime Monday in the busy commercial district of Midtown. More than 50 firefighters rushed to the scene and the bottom level was a "huge mess of vehicles and concrete," Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran said.

Shaun Dodson was eating lunch in his truck at the far side of the building when he felt the ground shake and heard a sound like a building "being demolished."

"I ran around, saw a hole and thought the building was collapsing," Dodson said. "I'm eating lunch from now on in my office."

What caused the 7-year-old structure to collapse was not immediately known. Atlanta-based Hardin Construction, the general contractor on the deck, was one of three companies that was working at the Atlanta Botanical Garden when a pedestrian bridge collapsed in December, killing one worker and injuring 18.

Hardin Construction spokeswoman Barkley Russell confirmed the company was the general contractor on the deck and surrounding office complex. She said the majority of the deck work was done by subcontractor Metromont Corp., based in Greenville, S.C.

There are 1,415 spaces and about 35 were affected, Russell said in a statement.

"We are just thankful at this point there are no reports of injuries," Russell said.

Russell directed questions about how the deck was designed to Metromont Corp., which did not immediately return a call for comment.

Earlier this month, Hardin was fined $6,300 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the Botanical Garden bridge collapse. The agency's report concluded Hardin and another company placed two support towers too far apart, which may have caused the collapse. The company is appealing.

The parking deck was last inspected at the time it was built and cleared for occupancy in 2002, said Catherine Woodling, spokeswoman for Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. It has not had any code violations since, Woodling said.

Latino Firefighter Ben Vargas Physically Assaulted But No Press Coverage?

Latino Firefighter Ben Vargas Physically Assaulted But No Press Coverage?

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/06/25/news/new_haven/a1_--_unity.txt

The city screwed up. They need to give these guys the promotions they earned and THEN argue over future tests. Ben is a really great guy and doesn't deserve to be pulled from both sides.

ME's Zoo owners call it quits | thestarpress.com | The Star Press

This is really sad for me! I was looking forward to taking the new grandbaby to visit all of the animals, especially at Christmas! I thought Jerry would have fun taking his new nephew to the place we took him almost every Christmas. Wish I could win the lottery and buy the whole place!

ME's Zoo owners call it quits thestarpress.com The Star Press

June 24, 2009

ME's Zoo owners call it quits

Owners of popular attraction cite tough economy for closingBy JOHN CARLSONjcarlson@muncie.gannett.com

PARKER CITY -- It was 1988 when Max and Eileen Oren's longtime dream came true with the opening of ME's Zoo, their family-friendly attraction that eventually featured more than 200 animals on 55 acres of rolling country south of here.

Tuesday, in the harsh glare of economic reality, its owners awoke to that dream's end.

ME's Zoo will close its gates on Sept. 27.

"We've been looking at it the last five years," said an emotional Eileen, her voice breaking and a tissue clutched tightly in her right hand. "It's gone down.

Max died of leukemia in 1993, and Eileen married architect Bob Taylor in 2003.

"It was our decision to close it," said a downhearted Taylor, looking over the zoo as visitors gazed into bear cages and watched monkeys cavort. "Essentially, obligations and expenses exceeded revenue."

He blamed the present crunch on the flagging economy, a late wet spring which kept visitors away, plus what he called a "sad" lack of interest among many East Central Indiana residents for matters involving animals and the environment.

"It's pretty distant from the minds of most," he said. "Inquisitiveness is desperately lacking. ... It's a sad set of circumstances."

Waning school funds for field trips to the little zoo, which featured up-close viewing of the animals, was also a factor. Lately, 600 to 700 students might visit in a week, figures which were low by comparison to better days.

"We had weeks when we were running 1,800," Taylor noted.

Eileen knew the importance of the bottom line. She talked about mounting veterinary bills, mowing bills and insurance bills, the last of which they lowered by cutting some coverage, a move that also required limiting use of volunteer workers.

Then there were feed bills, as detailed on a long list she removed from a wall rack. Feeding a pair of Capuchin monkeys, for example, totaled $1,440 a year.

Recently, she said, they had sold some of their "hoof stock" to bring down feed bills.

But money matters notwithstanding, it is now the animals that are Eileen's primary concern, "my animals" being two words that dominated her speech Tuesday.

"My animals aren't just animals," she said, with a stricken look. "They're like children. My animals have had a lot of attention and a lot of love. I couldn't live here without my animals."

Given that, Eileen's first preference is that she and Taylor find a buyer to purchase the entire operation, animals, grounds, buildings and all. Such a sale would include the grand old house that has become a dazzling Christmas attraction, decorated with more than 200,000 white lights.

Given the economic climate, however, that appears to be a long shot.

What she is absolutely committed to, is seeing that her animals wind up in good hands.

"I'll make sure my animals go somewhere where I can see where they're gonna go," she said, noting that unknown keepers need not apply to adopt them. "People don't have to worry about them. I'm not answering every call that comes in here. ... I know a lot of animal people, and I know good animal people."

Informing her employees of Tuesday's news was painful. Encountering one young man she'd hired as a mower, she told how he had learned to care for the creatures there, and know their preferences.

"He told me, 'Now this one likes melon, and this one likes strawberries,'" she said, as her voice broke again.

Her husband, she said, and her daughter, Kim Oren, were "devastated" by the closure. Her friend and gift shop manager, Patty Foster, couldn't even talk when asked to comment on it.

Outside, Chris Duncan, from Wisconsin, and her friend Michelle Dancer, of New Paris, Ohio, also expressed disappointment at the news, as they ushered small children around.

"I think it's sad," Duncan said. "Especially because you can get so close to the animals here."

Over at the goat enclosure, Neshell Wert, another Buckeye, said the same.

"I think it's awful," she said. "Such a nice place to come."

Meanwhile, Paul Cross, the right-hand man here for 21 years, stood inside a cage with a beautiful Siberian tiger, showing off the big cat to a group of Youth Opportunity Center visitors, as it rumbled deep in its chest, huge paws swiping at a chewed plastic container.

Trained long ago as a diesel mechanic, the father of two said he might find work at that, or on a farm, but he would miss the people at the zoo, especially the children.

Wearing a straw cowboy hat, he admitted the zoo's closure didn't really come as a surprise.

"I don't see the books and never have," he said, while his 15-year-old daughter, Alex, worked nearby. "But I see the parking lot."

The closure, he reflected, was just another sign of the times.

"You just really don't know if anything's safe or not," Cross added. "It's a sad thing, but times change for just about all of us."

Additional Facts
ME's Zoo
WHERE: County Road 500 South, Parker City
HOURS: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday; 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday; Closed Monday & Friday
ADMISSION: $5.50, Children 1-12; $6.50 13-Adult
CONTACT: 765 468-8559
http://www.meszoo.com/