One of my old partners got pulled in for an investigation today. The photo is not of him – it’s of a paramedic in California trying to eat something for the first time in nearly ten hours.
My old partner was told that a member of the public took photos of him and his current partner. My buddy was sleeping, and his partner was eating. This member of the public sent the photos with an email that both complained about how “unprofessional” it appeared – and a threat to send the photos to the media.
Thanks to Prop 11 in California, first responders no longer have a right to breaks. AMR lied to the public in a huge way. California was the only state where emergency crews had been granted a legal right to breaks to use the latrine and have a meal. Shifts run a minimum of 12 hours, often 24, and AMR runs their crews into the ground.
My buddy and his partner are in trouble because they were trying to get rest and food while posted on a street corner because we don’t get breaks. This is what AMR tells us to do. Please don’t see something like this and assume that we’re being lazy or not doing our jobs. Don’t take photos or send them to the press. That crew is probably exhausted and overworked.
Not to mention they hold us 911 coverage units over regularly “for just one last transfer call that will be really quick.” When there are plenty of transfer only units posted at hospitals doing nothing at the beginning of their shifts. It also tanks our levels and leaves a lot of the city uncovered for emergency calls.
The thing is everytime you complain about something like people taking breaks, it’s not that you gain something from It, you just make life worse for other people. How about minding your own damn business?
Seems like common sense that people doing a high-stress job that requires a lot of good judgement on matters of life and death should be able to eat and piss when they need to
OneLastReasonToBreathe 