This kinda makes me want to be an ambulance driver

[TimeMachinE30]

use English much?

I do. You speak of which you do not know. I am confused which part may have confused you...much like I wonder why the car in front of me does not yield the right of way when I am running priority.

People obeying the law? Not that good of a driver? Everyone is aware of their surroundings and even hears or sees approaching emergency vehicle?

No. That is not a frequent occurance.

[george graves]

I wonder how the equipment in the back holds up.

Ever been in the back of one? It's much like a passenger airplane and looked at the compartments the sexy stewardesses use?. There is a little latch/cabinets on almost everything except a few things they need to be able to grab. There is a lot of firefighters that started out as EMT's and vice versa. A good crew will keep a really clean rig. It's *not* amateur hour. These guys take their jobs really seriously. With that said, it usually really young guys. The pay kinda sucks - or so I'm told.

So that's the US. In a lot of places in Europe, they don't bring the patient to the hospital, they bring the hospital to the patient. A doctor rides in the ambulance, and he/she can do some basic stuff like re-inflating a lung, packing a liver, or what not.

[Stanley Rockafella]

I do. You speak of which you do not know. I am confused which part may have confused you...much like I wonder why the car in front of me does not yield the right of way when I am running priority.

People obeying the law? Not that good of a driver? Everyone is aware of their surroundings and even hears or sees approaching emergency vehicle?

No. That is not a frequent occurance.

Since you seem new to how the traffic laws work in Europe, they are far more strict and things operate far more efficiently as a result. Drivers there are far more skilled at driving than those here in NA and will yield the right of way to those with priority (such as an ambulance).

Here in NA, practically anyone of age can get a license and get behind the wheel.

If you guys find that video amazing, you should see me parallel park my car in less than 3 attempts!

[ELVA164]

If you guys find that video amazing, you should see me parallel park my car in less than 3 attempts!

I'll believe it when I see it

[SubDad]

I had a fireman friend (Doug H., R.I.P.) who was assigned to drive the Big Red trucks for a year or two. He said it was quite fun to watch what would happen when his co-driver blew that big blaring horn; people would flat drive off the road into ditches, take to the sidewalk, accelerate like the devil was at their bumper or stop entirely... all manner of stupid stuff.
(And when I asked him how high in an apartment building I should rent, thinking of how high do the ladders go exactly, he said "Frankly, I wouldn't want to live any higher than I could jump.")

[Eric]

At first I was thinking; "meh, why is george graves linking this, he only links cool shit." Then the dude turns up the heat in the last minute, crossing lanes, blasting through intersections... badass!

But for real, they don't have a hospital closer to the emergency?

[TimeMachinE30]

Since you seem new to how the traffic laws work in Europe, they are far more strict and things operate far more efficiently as a result. Drivers there are far more skilled at driving than those here in NA and will yield the right of way to those with priority (such as an ambulance).

Here in NA, practically anyone of age can get a license and get behind the wheel.

If you guys find that video amazing, you should see me parallel park my car in less than 3 attempts!

Ok.

[z31maniac]

The pay kinda sucks - or so I'm told.

It more than sucks. Granted this was back in 2006, but I briefly dated a girl who worked as an EMT...............$9.15/hr.

[delatlanta1281]

I know who I want driving my "bus" when I have a heart attack.......


I dont think I have ever seen a US emergency response, splitting lanes diving though very small gaps like that. Granted I dont live in the big city but we have very very congested roads in town most of the work day that gets beyond stupid in the summer months with out of towners. And have seen a ambulance gridlocked in less than 2 miles form the hospital

They do it here all the time. It's pretty crazy.

[ninety4e36]

That was just pure recklessness, if he was in the states I wouldn't be surprised if he lost his certs. The number one rule when driving "hot" that's what we call it in CA, is public safety. Your goal is to get that patient where they need to go without getting yourself injured or anyone else. Also, very poor communication going on with his partner and him. It doesn't matter if I'm running hot or not I always call out bumps in the road or sharp turns so I don't injure my partner. Also running with sirens isn't all glory, people don't move or they get in the left lane or just stand still. Hit someone with the air horn, especially an old person, you might have just given that person a heart attack.

Also, pay still sucks. The pay is based off of Medicare and Medicaid, they haven't adjusted their reimbursement rates in about 15years.

[george graves]

That was just pure recklessness

Really? Hmmm. It seems like skill to me. He had total control, and in that country, people seems to work with him to provide a path. I posted it cause he seemed to be able to "read" other drivers. And that is a skill I would like to think I have(maybe I do, maybe I don't - but I think I do) - hence I've never been in an accident in my car. I can read a retard 100 feet away - and stay clear.

The number one rule when driving "hot" that's what we call it in CA, is public safety.Your goal is to get that patient where they need to go without getting yourself injured or anyone else.

Yea, if I'm dieing and you scrap some paint on someone bumper, or make an old lady crap herself in her bronzit camery. I'm ok with that.

Also, pay still sucks. The pay is based off of Medicare and Medicaid, they haven't adjusted their reimbursement rates in about 15years.

That's retarded - do you still drive? What is the pay? Hope it's more then $9 an hour, cause an ambulance ride in the california is about $1500 for 5-10 miles.

[partner103]

ohhh the city I grew up in. Those damn Hungarian EMS drivers can really rock it.
Including police and fire crews.

Few points Gents, to get your license in Budapest, Hungary. Not many automatic cars, I'd say about 90% standard.
You need to pass 5 - that's right - five different exams to get your regular license.
In order:
1)Lifesaving, First Aid (gotta know how to do CPR, patch up someone in an emergency if they are bleeding, until the EMS crew gets there. You also need to know how and when to move/not to move them. Bunch of other stuff)
2)Mechanical (ie: know how to change your wheels if you get a flat, topping up oil, washer fluids etc) simple stuff
3)Signs and rules of the road (anyone familiar with Europe will probably know the amount of traffic signs they have) 4 way stop (intersection) DOES NOT have STOP signs :)
4)Routine driving (so you go on a track and do parking, emergency stop, Y turn, U turn, stopping on a hill etc...)
5)Actual traffic driving exam (this is where you get to go into city, highway etc)

Needless to say all of the above are actual courses you have to take, in order to pass exams.... and THEN you can get your license to drive as a regular driver! Tada!
In the odd situations you can go straight for an exam (except first aid... you can't skip that), but you better be DAMN GOOD! :)

For EMS peeps there has to be more.

Now, as for the people pulling over to the left. Simple unwritten rule (not in the books) MAKE WAY FOR EMS IMMEDIATELY! Left or right doesn't matter. Should be the right, but we all know there are book rules and then the rules of the road.... :)

[varg]

That's nice driving. Around here the Ambulances move slow and don't take any risks because there are so many half-dead geezers, distracted morons and clueless, illiterate immigrants on the road.

I used to work at a hospital, and the ambulances had to make a left turn across a divided highway to get in. Keep in mind these are big, red, fully equipped 'murrican rescue trucks, not souped up vans with sirens and lights. If your eyes and ears still work even a little bit, you do not "miss" these or "not see" them.

The ambulances would come up in the left turn lane, strobes flashing, siren wailing, dual Grover stuttertone air horns blaring. Traffic? It would slow or stop, but it seemed there were always some retards who couldn't be inconvenienced by stopping to let the ambulance get into the fucking hospital, so they'd keep going and the ambulance would sit there waiting for the path to clear. It was truly frustrating to watch. I would not want to be an ambulance driver.

[partner103]

That's nice driving. Around here the Ambulances move slow and don't take any risks because there are so many half-dead geezers, distracted morons and clueless, illiterate immigrants on the road.

same in Toronto :(