Boston EMS

[edburke]

How bad is the whine and flicking with all of the strobes going?  Who does the installs on vehicles like that? Shops or do they get purchased? 

 

-Steve

It's a single strobe box, and it's mounted inside a command box in the back of the vehicle, so it's not that bad.  The DashMaster and light bar are LED.  The vehicle was originally all white with a gold "Boston EMS" on the fender, but was marked when it went to training in 2013 or so, with the addition of the LED which is why there is a generational gap of strobe and LED.  It has a Whelen siren with the Executor, and that causes some whine in the radio when it is running.

[edburke]

what i mean to say is no ALS available, Ed can explain better than I

The dispatcher will generally use the terms "No ALS Available" or "I'll have to poll the privates" to indicate to the BLS crew that is requesting ALS that they probably aren't going to get it.  Short transport times and well trained BLS generally make the impact of not having ALS less than other places.

[nealcraig]

Mr. Burke, What are the 2 small doors behind rear wheels on passenger side? Look like some sort of cylinder slots?

[fenwayfrankee]

SCBA bottle holders used for "D" oxygen tank storage.

 

Mr. Burke, What are the 2 small doors behind rear wheels on passenger side? Look like some sort of cylinder slots?

[FireMedic049]

1) Nebulized Albuterol was started in Boston as a "Special Project Waiver" with the state several years ago. It was successful enough that the state adopted it as a BLS intervention. Intranasal Narcan started the same way.

 

2) For the most part, Boston operates as a non-transporting ALS service, just in ambulances. There has been talk over the years about putting the medics in SUVs, etc, but there has been concern that they may end up on a scene and a BLS truck would either be delayed or unavailable and the medics would be stuck there. There is only one medic supervisor per shift. With rare exception they do not actually "work" as medics and transport in BLS trucks.

 

3) Except when extremely busy, a BLS truck is always sent with and ALS truck. Typically, if the ALS crew is going to work the patient, they will go in the ALS truck. Sometimes, for a variety of reasons they may end up in the BLS truck. In this case everything in the ALS truck is duplicated in a portable form. For critical patients, both medics will ride in back and the BLS will drive. In less acute cases, if in the ALS truck, the medics will transport by themselves, leaving one medic in back and the other driving.

 

4) I guess this depends on your definition of "needs". Without getting into a philosophical discussion about what ALS can and should do, I would say that its fairly rare for someone who "needs" ALS intervention not to get it. That being said, Boston is unique in the fact that 90% of the transports go BLS. There are other systems, one just on the other side of the river that ALS' 90% of their transports. Plus, there a numerous private ambulance companies around town that are used for mutual aid when needed and available.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the info.

[nealcraig]

Thanks for the reply. Thought that may have been case. Interesting

[TacSupport1]

Does anyone know of a live feed that is JUST for Boston EMS?

[edburke]

Does anyone know of a live feed that is JUST for Boston EMS?

I think I had the only one, and the quality dropped to unstreamable when narrowbanding took effect.  I'm 45 miles south.

[johndanger]

My current ride, a 2001 GMC Yukon, formerly Chief of Department Serino's (retired) vehicle.  The vehicle is officially assigned to Research, Training and Quality Improvement and generally shared by the Captains responsible for the Academy and the ALS Coordinator.

 
<a class="bbc_url" href="http://www.firepics.net/groupboards/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=333775">2168.jpg</a>

So I'm walking past E4/L24 in Beacon Hill tonight and i see this car, with what looks like Mr. Burke driving... That the case?

[edburke]

So I'm walking past E4/L24 in Beacon Hill tonight and i see this car, with what looks like Mr. Burke driving... That the case?

 

About 7PM?  If so, yes.  I was chasing recruits around and on my way to Mass General

[TacSupport1]

Boston EMS utilized this 1996 Chevrolet 3500HD/Horton as a spare in 2003. It was previously assigned to Ambulance 8.

 



 

Boston EMS by Seth Granville, on Flickr

[edburke]

Boston EMS utilized this 1996 Chevrolet 3500HD/Horton as a spare in 2003. It was previously assigned to Ambulance 8.

 



 

Boston EMS by Seth Granville, on Flickr

1998....the 96's were Wheeled Coach

[recoveringspark]

Great pic Seth. These were good trucks. The fords after them had more leg room and balls but had a terrible turning radius. If you have any more pics from this era please share or let me know where they can be purchased.

[TacSupport1]

Great pic Seth. These were good trucks. The fords after them had more leg room and balls but had a terrible turning radius. If you have any more pics from this era please share or let me know where they can be purchased.

 

No need to purchase, I'd be happy to share. I do have others from 2003-ish. Email me. sethgranville@gmail.com   

[derry86]

Ed, sounds like you have a fun job right now.  Are you on the streets doing clinical shifts anymore, or just admin?

[edburke]

Ed, sounds like you have a fun job right now.  Are you on the streets doing clinical shifts anymore, or just admin?

 

Pretty much admin.  We just sat our 4th recruit class since I got promoted in March of last year, which is 100 recruits in the door since then, and that will yield about 80 newly badged members by the end of this one next June.  Sadly, with retirements and defections, we will still not be at full staffing.  Teaching the recruits is one of my primary assignments and it is handled by myself and one other Training Captain.  They do 3 months in the classroom and then 9 weeks in a field internship where they are evaluated after every call by Field Training Officers.  We try to get out and observe them as much as possible to ensure they are meeting the standard and identify any issues early.  I am also responsible for clinical review of the evening shift BLS (medication administrations and any clinical complaints requiring educational remediation,) the bi-weekly continuing education on the evening shift, the BLS AED data collection and analysis and the BLS medication logbooks.  It sounds like a lot of BS, but I'm honestly having a blast doing it.  I have been able to implement some changes using technology that has brought the department kicking and screaming into the year 2003.

[Rollup]

Ed

 

Thank you

[derry86]

Does sound like fun!! Nice change from shagging calls, I'm sure. 

[edburke]

Figured with all of the work I've been doing around here I might as well post an image.  This is our new USAR trailer (about a year old now).  Not the best shoot, but it doesn't get out much.

   

[edburke]

I had the opportunity to get a shot of my old assignment's newish rig.

A14

2017 Ford F450/Braun Liberty