[Straya]

AKA eric's blog

Seems we have quite a few people round here who, when things go bad, often find themselves heading into situations that most other people are trying to get out of. I though it might be interesting to see who we have out here in monkey land and see what everyone is getting up to occasionally.

For me I'm a volunteer bushfire fighter in Sydney Australia. Been doing it for about 8 years. I give my time to the NSW Rural Fire Service which I believe is the worlds largest emergency service (in terms of numbers anyway). Member of Loftus Brigade we mostly deal with Bush (/wild) fires but also do car accidents, storm damage, search and rescue and for our sins have an oil refinery in our area of operations. I've also done some firefighting whilst working for our National Parks and Wildlife Service although I don't work for them at the moment.

Ill start with a photo of our training last weekend, we were practising primary searches with breathing apparatus (smoke machine only so not in full PPE) and unknown to us one of the guys snuck into the search area in fancy dress. Not what I was expecting to find when I went in.

So if you are an EMT, firey, cop, ambo, or something else, pro or volunteer then introduce yourself and let us know what's happening in your world. I'm sure everyone will be professional in choosing what photos to post here.

 

[eric strt6]

another day on hwy 9, Medical Helo landed to fly out a motorcyclist that crashed into the guardrail

 

[Jimmysal]

From 16-20 I was EMS. Training officer for the youth corps, CFR-D, was working on being an EMT in college while I was going for engineering. I did volunteer fire from 17-19 before I went off to school. Rochester had a paid FD, so no dice there. I'm 25 now, and hate that I don't have enough time to give back to the community this way anymore. I miss it.

 

[MMike]

another day on hwy 9, Medical Helo landed to fly out a motorcyclist that crashed into the guardrail

not a pretty aircraft

 

[BadDNA]

not a pretty aircraft

It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing aircraft but I bet it's the most beautiful sight in the world when you really need it.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Uh huh huh. You said "bush"...

 

[eric strt6]

or this one

or this

perhaps

and

 

[Ciaran]

another day on hwy 9, Medical Helo landed to fly out a motorcyclist that crashed into the guardrail

Out of a 7 day week how many days see a motorcyclist crashed on that road. Seems like there's no end to the work you do on that road.

Maybe that road should have big signs posted indicating the number of crashes and/or fatalities on that road like that do in Ireland... "33 motorcyclists killed on this road in 2010" or something like that. Of course most of the rice burner freddie spencer wannabes aren't too bright to begin with.

 

[chicodude]

I'm a Intern firefighter/EMT at a small fire department is southside Oroville CA. Despite being a 12 person department we are the 2nd busiest in the county with about 2000 calls a year.

Im also A student paramedic about 2 months into my program


Pic from a recent training burn. I'm the one on the nozzle.

 

[jimmydean]

not a pretty aircraft

No, but this is:

My wife used to work there, those things are works of art.

The hill just up the road from the factory caught fire and a bunch of people called the local news asking why Erickson didn't respond to the fire. The cities reply was "They are the best in the world at what they do and we can't afford the best around here".


<edit> Better shot on the ground:

 

[Arkayne]

 

[amateur]

Step into my office:

Just clicked over 3 years as a medic and 6 in EMS as a whole. Got started working on an ambulance in college, took a leave of absence from engineering to go to medic school, returned and now I'm wondering why I bothered with an engineering degree.

 

[Straya]

Those skycranes are awesome, I've been to a few fires out here in Australia that they have worked on and they do an amazing job, I'll try and find some pics

 

[gonefirefightin]

ive been known to dabble in the sort

 

[MMike]

No, but this is:

<edit> Better shot on the ground:

pretty awesome

 

[jimmydean]

I got to see a couple different versions when I was down there. They are impressive in person and watching them skim a lake is bad ass. I didn't know what all the hype was about until I saw it for myself. The 6 rotor setup just looks cool, too.

Erickson says they have never had a layoff in the history of the company. My wife loved working there and everyone seemed very cool.

 

[Straya]

Pic of our Freightliner from a recent hazard reduction burn

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[jimmydean]

GFF has some good pics but he's on the lamb.

 

[Mattcz]

This is me

 

[jimmydean]

Why are you setting the projects on fire?

 

[Mattcz]

I am the dispatcher on the phone with the lady inside the apt.
The cause of the fire was a douche bag lighting a cigarette while on O2.
Those apartments are a heck of alot nicer than the projects in Orlando.

 

[descente]

Pic of our Freightliner from a recent hazard reduction burn

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you guys put roo bars on everything don't you lol

 

[Straya]

you guys put roo bars on everything don't you lol

You know I hadn't really thought about it but yes, our 3 vehicles all have roo bars.

We used that one at a fire last year to gain access to the back of a property by bulldozing our way through the fence. Worked a treat.

 

[valve bouncer]

Pic of our Freightliner from a recent hazard reduction burn

Straya loves prescribed burns, cos if there's one thing volunteer fireys love more than putting out fires it's starting them.....

 

[Straya]

Straya loves prescribed burns, cos if there's one thing volunteer fireys love more than putting out fires it's starting them.....

Damn straight. Nothing quite like a little bit of socially acceptable pyromania.

We got rained out yesterday though, I was devo.

 

[scrublover]

Not quite EMS, but a "cousin" if you will. ICU/CTICU RN for the past 12 years. Some old pics.

Last night, got to do some of this

Therapeutic hypothermia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

on a VF arrest patient, and later got in a ETOH intox kid from the local university.
Back to work tonight, and both patients are doing very well. Excellent.

 

[descente]

so i spent all morning cooking hash browns and serving pancakes for our annual benefit this morning, and while we were breaking everything down some nice young man decided to get stung by a bee and drive his car through a power pole and start a little grass fire. sweet!

 

[owentking]

Looks like a lot of crazy calls. Sadly I can't contribute any photos since they're all on my phone. I've only been on one hot load in my short career in EMS and we ended up not even putting them in the helo since they coded right when we got them to it so instead I got to go on the smoothest 25 minute emergent return I've ever experienced while pounding on the chest until we got pulses back. Amazing work. Wish I was still doing it.

 

[chicodude]

Looks like a lot of crazy calls. Sadly I can't contribute any photos since they're all on my phone. I've only been on one hot load in my short career in EMS and we ended up not even putting them in the helo since they coded right when we got them to it so instead I got to go on the smoothest 25 minute emergent return I've ever experienced while pounding on the chest until we got pulses back. Amazing work. Wish I was still doing it.

Hmmm....Never herd that term in EMS before

 

[rockofullr]

How do you guys feel about this?

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236858

 

[Hunter]

Not quite EMS, but a "cousin" if you will.

Same general idea here - though I do occupational safety & health work. I try to prevent the incidents many of you would respond to. My main goal is essentially to put your services out of business. Luckily for you, more idiots around than I have time to address.

I do work EMS on the side - event safety and patient care, as well as hazardous materials spill response. Certified First Responder, Haz Mat Tech, etc.

Don't do this.

 

[manimal]

my office:

 

[snowaddict91]

Hmmm....Never herd that term in EMS before

chopper loading with blades still running. typical in high altitude rescues that are hard on choppers (8-13K elevation). They aren't done often though, most companies prefer to shut off the blades all the time.

 

[cracked]

I'll play....no pix tho....

NYS EMT for the last 20 years. Been working 911 in and about NYC for 16 years+
Started wearing the HHC greens and got shanghaied into the FD blues. Miss my greens, and my orange rocker patch!!

 

[sstalder5]

Story??

 

[MMike]

Story??

I'm guessing "car accident"

 

[manimal]

Story??

Stolen car, bad driver. tried to elude me after i turned around on him and flipped into a pole taking out the neighborhood power with it, the exploding transformer made him easy to find he was stumbling around outside of the car when i got there ...somehow lived and crawled out. criminals have the survivability of cockroaches sometimes.


another one:

don't separate the seeds from your weed with YOUR ID card and leave it on the table when you run out the back door 'cause the po-po are knocking on your door

 

[chicodude]

chopper loading with blades still running. typical in high altitude rescues that are hard on choppers (8-13K elevation). They aren't done often though, most companies prefer to shut off the blades all the time.

Hm.....I just thought it sounded funny thats good to know. They do that around pretty often here though. I work at a place about 150' in elevation...I wonder why that is

 

[snowaddict91]

Hm.....I just thought it sounded funny thats good to know. They do that around pretty often here though. I work at a place about 150' in elevation...I wonder why that is

speed is a factor as well. Some choppers take longer than others to spin back up to take off speed. The a-stars one of the companies use around here take 30 seconds to spin up to go, they almost always shut off.
Another company around here uses different choppers (don't remember what) and they almost always do hot loads.

 

[Straya]

I got a phone call an hour ago offering me a position on a seasonal remote area fire team. Gonna get my winch on. So stoked right now.

Heres a shot from a training day.

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