A Q on emergency services in US

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by papa_smurf

Emergency services here in UK run their blues & twos (sirens + lights) at all hours.

Same here. We have an elderly couple in our neighborhood that constantly calls the ambulance service, always late at night. First, volunteer firemen, mostly lights, then a host of firetrucks and always last the ambulance, sirens a blasting. Wakes the entire hood up, 200 dogs barking like mad and everyone gets up

[Growler]

Don't worry, 'stead. One of these days, it'll be the last time you'll have to go through that.

[Gargamel]

Gargamel, you work an ambulance right?
those things have more lights than a rock concer

t.

I used to, I recently (few weeks ago) "retired". Got sick of it. Not the work, I loved the job. Just hated where I worked, and that there is no future in it, other than getting fat, deaf, and a bad back. Oh, and no pay with nobody ever saying thank you. Maybe Once every 6 months did somebody say thank you and mean it.

Was a Critical Care Medic for 11 years. Done now. may go into respiratory therpay. Pays 3x and better hours.

But yeah, the squads are well lit. I'd take the new guys out to a deserted parking lot and take them in the back.... errr... Take them to a deserted parking lot and show them how the lights all worked. But because we could never get to a remote enough location, it was difficult to play with the siren without disturbing anybody.

So... we'd get going on a call and He'd be trying to figure out to work the siren while driving. Little scary.

I will say though I have gotten a squad on two wheels a few times, blown my fair share of engine blocks, jumped more than a few times.

We were recently taking a driving course, and the instructor asked what us veterans would tell a new guy.

My immediate response was "If you can get all four off the ground at the same time, I'm buying dinner"