Oh the irony

[emtp82]

So many times I sit here and read the posts about full timing, and/or staying places for a month at a time, and I long for the days of being able to experience it. My big reason for not doing it is missing out on all of the overtime that I work, can't travel if you ain't making money. I have banked up nearly 3 months worth of vacation time so I am good on that, just haven't padded the checking account enough.
So, for the ironic part, there I was at work the other day (I work as a paramedic) on the back half of a 48 hr shift. The night before was a little rough, we only had about 4 hours of sleep. I was talked into having breakfast with the rest of the crew and was sitting in an area I normally wouldn't have been in. I usually sit in the bay at my computer, alone. I suddenly started getting dizzy and the room spinning, the next thing I know I am in the ER after having an apparent seizure. Long story short, the guys said I had a grand mal seizure and the doc believes it was brought on by sleep deprivation. That's the first I have ever heard of that, but researching it, it is the #2 cause of them. I followed up with a neurologist, he confirmed the diagnosis and put me off driving for 3 months. He normally does 6 months but conceded 3 months considering the circumstances.
So here I am off for 3 months, because I have to be able to drive to work and can't go anywhere because I can't drive. I'm glad it's all working out, just shaking my head because I am burning up all of my vacation time and just sitting at home.

[babock]

Life is short....I am retiring in a week from now at age 59.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by emtp82

So many times I sit here and read the posts about full timing, and/or staying places for a month at a time, and I long for the days of being able to experience it. My big reason for not doing it is missing out on all of the overtime that I work, can't travel if you ain't making money. I have banked up nearly 3 months worth of vacation time so I am good on that, just haven't padded the checking account enough.
So, for the ironic part, there I was at work the other day (I work as a paramedic) on the back half of a 48 hr shift. The night before was a little rough, we only had about 4 hours of sleep. I was talked into having breakfast with the rest of the crew and was sitting in an area I normally wouldn't have been in. I usually sit in the bay at my computer, alone. I suddenly started getting dizzy and the room spinning, the next thing I know I am in the ER after having an apparent seizure. Long story short, the guys said I had a grand mal seizure and the doc believes it was brought on by sleep deprivation. That's the first I have ever heard of that, but researching it, it is the #2 cause of them. I followed up with a neurologist, he confirmed the diagnosis and put me off driving for 3 months. He normally does 6 months but conceded 3 months considering the circumstances.
So here I am off for 3 months, because I have to be able to drive to work and can't go anywhere because I can't drive. I'm glad it's all working out, just shaking my head because I am burning up all of my vacation time and just sitting at home.

I've never understood exactly why the people who we literally trust with our lives always seem to be working 24 or 36 or 48 hour shirts.

I understand in the medical field it's not really possibly to have a normal 9-5 type shift but what exactly is the reasoning behind the long shifts? Are they actually scheduled or do they just sometimes happen?

If I have an emergency I would surely rather have someone who is well rested rather than having been awake for 40 hours in the last 2 two days.

[DougW]

If you are off because of a medical issue that apparently happened at and because of your job, you need to talk to a workman's comp attorney. You ought to be covered without spending your vacation time.

[emtp82]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

I've never understood exactly why the people who we literally trust with our lives always seem to be working 24 or 36 or 48 hour shirts.

I understand in the medical field it's not really possibly to have a normal 9-5 type shift but what exactly is the reasoning behind the long shifts? Are they actually scheduled or do they just sometimes happen?

If I have an emergency I would surely rather have someone who is well rested rather than having been awake for 40 hours in the last 2 two days.

It's actually a slow call market and the calls just happened to fall right to mess up the sleep. We theoretically have opportunities to rest during the day, but that isn't always the easiest to do.

The neurologist couldn't say it was solely work induced, so no work comp.

[bshort]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

I've never understood exactly why the people who we literally trust with our lives always seem to be working 24 or 36 or 48 hour shirts.

I understand in the medical field it's not really possibly to have a normal 9-5 type shift but what exactly is the reasoning behind the long shifts? Are they actually scheduled or do they just sometimes happen?

If I have an emergency I would surely rather have someone who is well rested rather than having been awake for 40 hours in the last 2 two days.

Public safety is a 24/7 job. If everyone worked 8's, you'd have to hire double to triple the staff.

Fire and EMS can sleep on duty, police can't.

[BandJCarm]

Originally Posted by emtp82

It's actually a slow call market and the calls just happened to fall right to mess up the sleep. We theoretically have opportunities to rest during the day, but that isn't always the easiest to do.

The neurologist couldn't say it was solely work induced, so no work comp.

Maybe I'm confused, it happens often. BUT, if it was work induced, that's the REASON you WOULD get workers comp. If a doc says that, you should be golden.

Plus, you should be on sick leave, not vacation time.

Son is/was a paramedic. Ambulance companies kept getting sold, so he was lucky enough to get out of it and find a job paying twice as much..........which is still too little. What you guys make is a travesty, especially compared to doctors and nurses.

[spock123]

Life is to short to be working all the time, I retired at 57. I saved enough to last a year and got a part time job and have never really worked since.

[emtp82]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

Maybe I'm confused, it happens often. BUT, if it was work induced, that's the REASON you WOULD get workers comp. If a doc says that, you should be golden.

Plus, you should be on sick leave, not vacation time.

Son is/was a paramedic. Ambulance companies kept getting sold, so he was lucky enough to get out of it and find a job paying twice as much..........which is still too little. What you guys make is a travesty, especially compared to doctors and nurses.

Thanks. I am using sick time first and then vacation. I had only accrued 120 hrs of sick time since we were bought out.
I agree pay isn't great, but it's not horrible either. I was able to make a helluva salary last year, but only because I worked a bunch of overtime. Our original overtime rate for picking up extra was about 2.5x our hourly rate, so it was a nice incentive. It made it easy to bulk up my retirement plan so I could hopefully retire early. Now it's just 1.5x

[Brewhedd]

Originally Posted by emtp82

Our original overtime rate for picking up extra was about 2.5x our hourly rate, so it was a nice incentive. It made it easy to bulk up my retirement plan so I could hopefully retire early. Now it's just 1.5x

It really is a shame what's happening in this country. Benefits and perks are disappearing in the name of profits, not to mention wages are going down with the pathetic raises seen now. Hopefully we'll see people wake up and start voting in Union representation again. I'm just glad I retire in a couple years.

[dieselguy]

Never saw a guarantee of life span on a birth certificate and I've never seen a cash box on a casket.

[Wheels Down]

bshort :"Fire and EMS can sleep on duty, police can't."

True, the cops just get to go home to their wife and kids after ONLY 8 hour shifts. You figure it out!
RMc

[cmysstailights]

Originally Posted by Wheels Down

bshort :"Fire and EMS can sleep on duty, police can't."

True, the cops just get to go home to their wife and kids after ONLY 8 hour shifts. You figure it out!
RMc

Pleanty time i never came home after my 8:35 shift, more than i can count on both hands my shift wound up being close 14+hrs especially at details and on my rdos

[allenb12]

If it is work related it should be Workers Compensation. I certainly have been involved in enough from the employers side.

[Wheels Down]

To the OP:
You most certainly have a case for workmans comp. Happened on duty and doctor attributes it to a condition of sleep deprivation from the job? That's the definition of workmans comp.
To the rest of you affiliated with law enforcement and the donut shop.
Why do Fire and EMS sleep on duty? Because they work 3 times the shifts you do (24 hour). And by the way they do not always sleep.
RMc

[emtp82]

I checked with the Dr., he said that he could not say for certain it was work related. There could have been other contributing factors.

[CaptnJohn]

Originally Posted by emtp82

I checked with the Dr., he said that he could not say for certain it was work related. There could have been other contributing factors.

Then he should not have cut 3 months from your driving restrictions. See another doc and file.

[OldGal3]

Originally Posted by emtp82

So many times I sit here and read the posts about full timing, and/or staying places for a month at a time, and I long for the days of being able to experience it. My big reason for not doing it is missing out on all of the overtime that I work, can't travel if you ain't making money. I have banked up nearly 3 months worth of vacation time so I am good on that, just haven't padded the checking account enough.
So, for the ironic part, there I was at work the other day (I work as a paramedic) on the back half of a 48 hr shift. The night before was a little rough, we only had about 4 hours of sleep. I was talked into having breakfast with the rest of the crew and was sitting in an area I normally wouldn't have been in. I usually sit in the bay at my computer, alone. I suddenly started getting dizzy and the room spinning, the next thing I know I am in the ER after having an apparent seizure. Long story short, the guys said I had a grand mal seizure and the doc believes it was brought on by sleep deprivation. That's the first I have ever heard of that, but researching it, it is the #2 cause of them. I followed up with a neurologist, he confirmed the diagnosis and put me off driving for 3 months. He normally does 6 months but conceded 3 months considering the circumstances.
So here I am off for 3 months, because I have to be able to drive to work and can't go anywhere because I can't drive. I'm glad it's all working out, just shaking my head because I am burning up all of my vacation time and just sitting at home.

Thanks for doing what you do. Many folks do not realize it's not just a job, it's a way of life. Glad you are mending! Look at all the time you can spend looking at maps, routes and reading about others travels! Take care.

[kdot]

empt82. There's a whole lot of poor advice flying around in this thread. Most of it misses the point. I'm a retired hospital chaplain, covering intensive care for 12 years, doing stress debriefing with first responders (when that was still done), and I can't begin to tell you how often I have heard your story, and how sad I feel for you and everyone caught in that kind of bind. The harsh reality is that life is a terminal illness. Don't put off what you really want to experience for the sake of not having enough money. If you can't get the whole experience, start out small, but do it. If you're lucky enough to make it all the way to full timing, power to you, but do what you can when you can. Want a good read? Try Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.
God bless and good luck to you!

Kdot

[Iwannacamp]

Originally Posted by Wheels Down

To the OP:

You most certainly have a case for workmans comp. Happened on duty and doctor attributes it to a condition of sleep deprivation from the job? That's the definition of workmans comp.

To the rest of you affiliated with law enforcement and the donut shop.

Why do Fire and EMS sleep on duty? Because they work 3 times the shifts you do (24 hour). And by the way they do not always sleep.

RMc

I’m on no ones side....normally EMS and FF don’t have anyone shooting at them. YMMV